Oscar party menus: Food from four films

There’s no denying that a great film and delicious food are a perfect match. And with the upcoming Academy Awards, we couldn’t help but be inspired (culinarily speaking) by the enticing list of best picture nominees. Set in various periods and countries (England, France and the United States), we pulled together some menus based on our favourite films. So, roll out the red carpet and set the table for these cinema-inspired dishes.

Moneyball
Serve up ballpark classics that the Oakland A’s and Mr. Pitt would approve of. Keep it casual with our Tex-Mex sausage (image on left), salted caramel popcorn, and cherry-cheesecake pops for dessert. A home run.

The Help
As laid-back as the South, this Cajun shrimp dish is lovely and easy. For something a little heartier, go for the polenta with sausage and tomatoes, or healthier fried chicken. Serve with corn griddle cakes. For dessert, it can only be a chocolate pie inspired by Minnie's – try our peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie pie.

Midnight in Paris
What could be more romantic than a bistro-inspired menu? Start with pork tenderloin and cider-thyme jus, along with a romaine and sautéed pear salad. For dessert, go all out with our chocolate pâté.

War Horse
Set in the English countryside, our mains and desserts resulted in a dead heat. Main: chickpea curry with cucumber or equally easy upside-down shepherd’s pie. Dessert: banoffee tarts or sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce. You’ll have to decide which one wins by a nose.

Oscar poll:
What's an Oscar party, without a little wager? Check out the complete list of movies for your at-home Oscar poll.