Binging with Babish Season 4, Episode 12: The Swanson from Parks and Recreation

1

Grey Stuff from Beauty and the Beast

The 'grey stuff' from Beauty and the Beast has been falsely advertised as some sort of cookies-n-cream abomination, and it's about time we set the record straight. Yes I know that children at Disney World probably don't want to eat chicken liver mousse. Yes I know that it's taking whimsical license with a childhood classic to make it marketable and enjoyable for kids of a new generation. Shush, I'm cooking.

7 min

2

Pizza Ball from The Eric Andre Show

The Eric Andre Show, our eponymous host's LSD-soaked nightmare talkshow, has created some of the most maddeningly subversive comedy of the decade. None have captured the imagination of the internet, however, quite like the pizza ball. A gnarled sphere of everyone's favorite cheesy flatbread, the pizza ball (not unlike the show itself) is probably best enjoyed under the influence of something.

6 min

3

Coq au Vin from Donnie Brasco

You know when you have an internet cooking show where you recreate foods from movies & tv, and you've got that one friend that requests you recreate the same dish every time he comes over to play Smash Bros? Well, Ari, here ya go.

5 min

4

Crème de la Crème à la Edgar from The Aristocats

Oh Edgar, you sly old fox. Drugging and kidnapping kittens for profit, you rapscallion. Spiking milk with barbital like some droog from A Clockwork Orange, you madcap rascal. YOU COULD'VE HURT MONSIEUR ROQUEFORT. I'm glad he tied your shoes together.

5 min

5

Sandy Frye's Appetizers from Bob's Burgers

Today we embark upon our third journey into foods from Bob's Burgers...that aren't burgers. Because sometimes you need to stretch a bit so you can make a "big game" episode. But hey, we learn how to make quick puff pastry, one in 90 minutes, the other in less than an hour!

8 min

6

Spaghetti Tacos from iCarly

BwB turns 3 this weekend, so it seemed only fitting to take a crack at one of longest and most hotly-requested dishes in the show's history: spaghetti tacos. I was always hesitant to try, as double-carbing gives me the heebie-jeebies, but I think we've got a satisfying conclusion to man's lifelong journey of incorporating pasta in tacos.

5 min

7

Steak au Poivre from Archer

This week, we're headed back to the Archer archives in search of a tasty dish to recreate, and I could find none better than steak au poivre - even if it was served sans 'poivre'. We won't make that mistake in the BwB kitchen, as we recreate this French classic with some modernized veggie sides.

6 min

8

Bao from Pixar's Bao

Bao is a beautifully animated, thematically mature, subtle and nuanced portrait of the human condition - in other words, it's a Pixar production. To celebrate the Oscars this coming weekend, let's dive into the director's mom's own recipe, as we attempt to recreate a food so delicious, you'll want to raise it as your own until it tries to leave you and you eat it. Domee Shi's Mom's Recipe: https://www.foodandwine.com/cooking-techniques/bao-pixar-dumpling-recipe

7 min

9

Krabby Supreme from Spongebob Squarepants

Sometimes, you gotta give the people what they want. Play the hits. Let them eat...double-batter-fried-quad-burgers. This week I'm sacrificing both my health *and* dignity to bring you a very accurate recreation of one of Spongebob's greatest hits. Do not try this at home.

4 min

10

Ribwich from The Simpsons

This week we return, once again, to the seemingly bottomless pit of pop culture food parody that is The Simpsons. Never one to shy away from making fun of McDonalds, America's favorite family now grapples with an otherworldly force known as the 'Ribwich'. I was going to make a "rib" patty, like they would in a fast food context, but I'm just getting out from under the flu and didn't want to. I'm sorry.

6 min

11

The Cake from Portal

The cake, as they say, is a lie. But this one isn't: a classic black forest gateau, soaked in kirsch and laden with cherries, served entirely without fish-shaped solid waste. Stick around after the show for a sneak peek at "Being with Babish", premiering March 22nd!

6 min

12

The Swanson from Parks and Recreation

This week we return, for the first time in 3 years, to the house that built Babish: Parks and Rec. As summer (eventually) approaches, what could be better than celebrating Swanson-style: by wrapping some meat around some other meat. There's only one problem: I can't seem to stop using colons in this video's description.

5 min

13

Brock's Donuts from Pokémon

Fooled you...maybe. Probably not. Is this even a joke? I don't get it. Made you look down here though? Is that funny? This is my first time April fools-ing.

4 min

14

Brock's Onigiri from Pokemon

Okay, it's April 2nd, fun's over. This week, for reals this time, we're making onigiri: the breakfasty-lunchy-snack, ubiquitous in Japan, and virtually unheard of here in the US. As such, some committee of suits saw fit to Americanize their portrayal on Pokémon, and a generation of these United States grew up thinking they were donuts...and the bastards made ten hundred billion dollars. Was it worth it, 4Kids Entertainment? Oh, it was? No yeah you're right.

5 min

15

Death Sandwich from Regular Show

4 million subscribers!! I keep hitting numbers I never imagined I'd ever reach, so I'm going to keep recreating dishes I never imagined I'd ever recreate. This week it's the Death Sandwich from Regular Show, a pretty-plain-lookin' submarine that promises to kill you if you eat it without donning a mullet and jorts. In the Babishian spirit of approaching pop culture repast renditions as realistically as possible, I enlist the help of a tv-chef-superstar to build a sandwich worth...dying for? Probably not, no. But holy shit you guys, I got to hang out with Masaharu Morimoto!!

10 min

16

Grilled Cheese Deluxe from Regular Show

This week, for the first time ever, we're double-dipping into the same source material two episodes in a row. Why? Last week was National Grilled Cheese Day, and well damn it, it got me in the mood. So while we don't have any accurate stats or specs on the 'grilled cheese deluxe' from Cheezer's, this is my very best effort to make a grilled cheese worth standing in line for. Unless you're an astronaut, of course.

7 min

17

Shrimp from Forrest Gump Part II

This week, we finally revisit the all-American fantasy of Forrest Gump, crossing a few more dishes off Bubba's comprehensive shrimp-preparation list. Due to the growing complexity of the dishes, I've had to cut it down to three this time around, but hey - that means there's gonna be a Part III! Eventually.

9 min

18

Ice Cream Flavors from Avengers: Infinity War

Just in time to soothe your Avengers: Endgame withdrawal, we're taking a crack at the fictional Ben & Jerry's Avenger flavors. We like doing things in threes here at Babish Enterprises, so thanks to an ingenious Redditor comment, we're throwing a third flavor into the mix: Raspberry Thorbet!

7 min

19

Good Morning Burger from The Simpsons

This week, we return to an absolutely endless resource of fictional-food-madness: The Simpsons. Homer is tempted by yet another fast food innovation, the Good Morning Burger, a breakfast abomination whose sheer caloric heft can only safely be consumed by my trainer friend.

7 min

20

Teddy Brûlée from Bob's Burgers

It would seem as though most modern comedies have a Teddy: a hapless, lovable loser whose behavior straddles the line between funny and halting. Perhaps Teddy Brûlée captures the character better than any other food could: sweet, unhealthy, and holding a blowtorch.

8 min

21

The Good Place Special

Food from The Good Place (and, well, everything else from The Good Place) reads like a fever dream: giant shrimp terrorizing the neighborhood, fountains of clam chowder, frozen yogurt in every conceivable flavor. Today, we're seeing if we can make some of these bizarre concoctions palatable - and throwing in some jalapeño poppers for good measure.

9 min

22

Orange-Mocha Frappuccinos from Zoolander

This week we're heading back in time to the 2001 treat you never knew you wanted (because they don't sound very good): the orangey, chocolatey, coffee-y frappuccinos so eagerly inhaled by Derek Zoolander and friends, just moments before their tragic deaths in a freak gasoline fight accident.

6 min

23

Breakfast from Howl's Moving Castle

Howl's Moving Castle is one of the many exquisitely animated (and profoundly confusing) expressions of destiny, growth, and love brought to us by Hayao Miyazaki. An even more ubiquitous theme in his films, however, is food. Few can so magically inspire hunger as the sizzling breakfast served up courtesy of Calcifer's demonic flames - can some at-home know-how help us bring the magic into our own kitchens?

5 min

24

It's Always Sunny Special Part II

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia returns as one of the leaders of food-as-plot-device-comedies, with its narcissist protagonists often tangling delicious (or disgusting) cuisine up in their antics. Grilled Frank, in particular, is ripe for innovation.

11 min

25

Huevos Rancheros from Breaking Bad

This week, we're back with a Breaking-Badian breakfast - but shockingly, not one involving Walter Jr. Jesse cooks up some halfway-decent grub in the form of Huevos Rancheros, a dish with a few basic components that can be endlessly tweaked and customized. Just don't add chili powder.

6 min

26

Ube Roll from Steven Universe

This week, Lars Barriga makes a reflection of himself in the form of a neon-purple sweet potato roulade. Beach City's resident grouch is no slouch in the kitchen, so no wonder it takes me 8+ tries to get the friggin thing right. Baking is hard, guys.

9 min

27

KFC from Stranger Things

Stranger Things returns this 4th of July, providing a double-whammy reason to fry up a batch of fried chicken, whip up a mess of biscuits, and mash up a friggin ton of potatoes. Celebrate our nation's independence day (and Netflix's most celebrated series) the way it was intended: with some deeply unhealthy food.

11 min

28

Larb from Spider-Man: Homecoming

To Aunt May's delight and amusement, her mild-mannered nephew Peter orders Larb at their local Thai place. Despite her pun-centric lampooning, she'll soon discover that larb is the meat salad that'll make you less grossed out by the concept of something called 'meat salad'.

6 min

29

Inferno Wing Challenge from Regular Show

So, as it turns out, the following are currently out of season: mutated ghost peppers, hot magma extract, and black widow venom. As such, I was unable to render a truly accurate facsimile of what's come to be known as the "Inferno Challenge" amongst those who 'take their wings super-seriously'. Which I do not.

7 min

30

Bagel Sandwiches from Steven Universe

This week we're headed back to Beach City for some sammich inspiration, where Steven Quartz Universe repeatedly whips up (and is thwarted from eating) one of his favorite foods: bagel sandwiches. Can we upgrade this breakfast favorite with just a little boilin' and bakin'?

10 min

31

Squid Ink Pasta from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

This week we return to the wide world of anime for a hotly-requested jet-black delicacy: squid ink pasta. While it smells like the great pacific garbage patch, cuttlefish ink is a visually dramatic but orally subtle way to introduce some seafood flavors into your favorite pastas. Just be sure to explain its concept to JoJo before you serve it to him.

6 min

32

Sea Salt Ice Cream from Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts is the unlikely Disney crossover RPG that has a serious predilection for neon-teal ice cream bars - or so I'm told. I've never played it ????but I am your humble servant in the recreation of the foods from fiction, so as always, I'll do my darnedest! Let's start with a gelato al fior di latte (sort of), and see if we can master the art of no-churn popsicles!

5 min

33

White Castle Order from Harold & Kumar

This week, the challenge lies in both the volume of food and the method by which it's prepared - 30 sliders whipped up at once, onion-steamed the way White Castle does it. Can I wolf down the entire hyper-stoned order placed by our titular heroes? Of course not, I'm no Matt Stonie, but I've got some hungry friends.

8 min

34

Pancakes from Uncle Buck (ft. Dan Souza and a Giant Robot)

Check out Dan Souza's far-more-scientific take on giant pancakes over at What's Eating Dan! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHOqSNnDib0 Happy (early) birthday Macaulay!! 5 Million Subscriber Special coming soon! Preorder the official Binging with Babish Cookbook today! https://www.bingingwithbabish.com/cookbook

11 min

35

Apple Fritters from Regular Show

As has become tradition in the Babish household, we're ringing in 5 million subscribers with some confections from Regular Show: the tantalizingly double-glazed apple fritters that transport our heroes to another plane of existence. Will they force our reality to similarly burst at its sugary seams?

7 min

36

Sumbitches from How I Met Your Mother

Sumbitches are the wildly-offensively-named cookie that, in a very real way, are how I met your mother. Beyond that, they are the carnal cookie combo of chocolate, peanut butter, and caramel - which offers some technical challenges that can be surmounted with a little know-how, elbow grease, and a copy of Milk Bar by Christina Tosi.

7 min

37

Recreating Homer Simpson's NOLA Food Tour

Thank you all for helping me hit 5 million subscribers - here's our unusual (but fun) way of saying thank you!

11 min

38

Ziti and Lasagna from The Sopranos

Rarely does food play such a central character in a TV show or movie that's not specifically about food, but in The Sopranos, it might as well be one of the family. The crown jewel of which, despite Artie Bucco's hapless attempts, is the cuisine of Carmela Soprano. Strap on your gold President and build a ramp for the ducks, because it's time to emotionally repress our murderous mentality with some cheesy, saucy pasta - with a layer of basil underneath the cheese, of course.

10 min

39

Coffee Jelly from The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.

This week, we're headed into hotly-requested-but-I'm-not-familiar-with-the-source-material territory with The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. Our titular hero has a particular affinity for caffeine in jiggle-form, and with the help of a bevy of coffee gadgetry, we'll bring this wiggling summertime treat to life.

9 min

40

Secret Ingredient Soup from Kung Fu Panda

The secret ingredient is...nothing! Despite that revelation, this so-called secret-soup is one of the most hotly requested dishes in the Babish Culinary Universe. Can we develop deep flavors, hand-pull noodles, and serve up a dish that lives up to Mr. Ping's noodly legacy? Yes, no, and yes.

11 min

41

Chicago-Style Pizza from The Daily Show (sort of)

Hey folks! This week we're heralding the arrival of National Pizza Month (aka every month ever?) with a true Binging with Babish conceptual reach - using Jon Stewart's famous rant against Chi-Town's deep-dish speciality as an excuse to make some ourselves. As it turns out, the stuff is pretty ridiculously easy to make, and a way to satisfy a pizza-craving-crowd...ridiculously. With cups of sauce and pounds of cheese held at bay by a towering levee of buttery, flaky crust, how could you not like Chicago-style deep-dish pizza? Unless there's some New York-style pizza available, of course.

9 min

42

$5 Shake from Pulp Fiction

This week, Babish takes a turn for the sweet and opulent as we explore the possibilities of a $5 milkshake. Or rather, the lack thereof: there aren't many ways to inflate the price of a plain vanilla shake, outside of simply being served in an overpriced theme restaurant in LA. So let's see just how expensive we can make this sucker!

9 min

43

Crêpes from Talladega Nights

Crêpes are discussed at length, in a pretty threatening manner, in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Before his arm is snapped by the very French Jean Girard, he's coerced into admitting he likes crêpes...which he actually does. Which makes sense, because they're the perfect vessel for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.

8 min

44

Glazed Pork Chops from Apex Legends

This week, we're exploring a hotly-requested video game easter egg: Mirage's beloved glazed pork chops from Apex Legends. Sneakily included in one of the game's loading screens, this recipe goes from awful to wonderful to downright delectable...but difficult to look at. Don't understand what I mean? Watch the video ya big silly!

9 min

45

Nachos from The Good Place (plus Naco Redemption)

Spoiler alerts generally aren't an issue with single-camera sitcoms, but in the case of The Good Place, my video description will be understandably sparse. If you haven't already, just go watch it - if you have, join me this week as we come up with an excuse to celebrate national nacho day (which is in Februrary for some reason)!

10 min

46

Tiramisu from Superbad

This video is sponsored by Philips Espresso. Superbad, from a foodie perspective, might be better remembered as the origin story of 'sexy hamburger' McLovin; but its not a film without culinary cachet. Apart from being Seth's senioritis-rallying-cry, tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert, and the perfect introductory course to both pastry and pastry cream.

8 min

47

Calzones from Seinfeld

George Costanza, to say the least, has a predilection for food. It instigates, interrupts, and defines his work, home, and sex life. It occupies his thoughts and daydreams, walks in tandem with his fantasies, and plays a vital role in both the pursuit of and vengeance exacted upon others. And, through its George Steinbrenner-ian provenance, provides a great excuse to make some calzones!

9 min

48

Turturkeykey from How I Met Your Mother

In "Blitzgiving", Ted Mosby demonstrates the pitfall of many new cooks: attempting to innovate way too early in his kitchen career. A rudimentary understanding of how meat cooks in an oven would dissuade our omniscient narrator, but without it, The Gentleman would never have been born, and the curse of The Blitz would never have been passed. Happy Thanksgiving guys!

11 min

49

Osso Buco from The Office

This week, we're taking a look at a winter classic, courtesy of one of the most painful scenes in television history: the dinner party from The Office. Jan's (very) slowly-braised veal shanks are clearly seen served with Risotto alla Milanese, a classic saffron-scented version of the decadent Italian staple. Put it all together, and you've got the perfect dish to weather the winter - or at least the world's most awkward dinner party.

9 min

50

Bone Broth from The Mandalorian

"You want some soup?" Pedro Pascal can growl almost anything from underneath his beskar helmet and still make it sound pretty badass. One thing's for sure - you can bring bone broth in warm, or you can bring it in cold. Well, I suppose you could bring it in cold, but I wouldn't recommend it.

11 min

51

Chili Dogs from The Irishman (ft. You Suck at Cooking)

The Irishman, like many of Scorsese's sweeping epics, uses food to help build its rich cast of characters. Prison sauce for Henry Hill, steak for Jake La Motta, apple pie with yellow cheese for Travis Bickle - and most recently, chili dogs for Jimmy Hoffa. Follow along this week as we build an all-American artery clogger entirely from scratch, with a little help from You Suck at Cooking.

9 min

52

Banoffee Pie from Love, Actually

Love, Actually: the film that emotionally weaponizes Christmas, relationships, love, loss, and Hugh Grant's goofball charm. Also the film that taught early 00's Americans about a great many British mainstays, including (but not limited to) banoffee pie: a sweet, sticky, toffee-and-banana-laden confection easily thrown together with some pantry staples. So how about we make one entirely from scratch - and as a special treat, let's do it wrong!

8 min