Spooky season is among us and after you’ve carved your pumpkins, strung up (fake) spider webs, and collected a vast assortment of king-sized candy, it’s time to snuggle up on the couch and indulge in October’s cozy food media.
This month, my Bon Appétit colleagues and I have rounded up the cozy food content we’ve been loving, including TV shows, movies, YouTube videos, podcasts, and TikTok videos. We’ve been watching witches brew potions in Hocus Pocus 2, and rewatching food-filled classics like Spirited Away, and listening to feel-good podcasts like Ruthie’s Table 4. So grab that hot cocoa and kettle corn and thank us later.
Hocus Pocus 2
OK yes, this isn’t exactly a food movie, but like any other ’90s kid, I was excited to see the return of the Sanderson sisters. While eating souls to stay young isn’t exactly realistic, the sequel is peppered with some delightful food and food-adjacent moments. Will Mayor Traske ever get his candy apple? Why are the witches running amok at a Walgreens, eating beauty products? (It’s a nod to a scene that was cut from the original 1993 movie featuring the witches in a grocery store.) It’s the kind of movie that makes you want to mix in candy with your popcorn, make a “potion,” and settle into Halloween season. —Urmila Ramakrishnan, associate director of social media
Ruthie’s Table 4
I’ve been listening to the podcast Ruthie’s Table 4 by The River Café chef and owner Ruthie Rodgers, in which she interviews her customers-turned-friends. She brings a level of intimacy to food, cooking, and eating that’s so rare to find in celebrity interviews. I feel so cozy when I’m listening, like I’m chatting at the dinner table. It’s the same podcast that’s responsible for the sultry Austin Butler meme where he reads a recipe for grilled white peaches with amaretto. Need I say more? —Yoshivel Chirinos, Bon Appétit associate video producer
TikTok content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Spirited Away
This past summer, Spirited Away celebrated its 20th anniversary. After I panicked for a solid ten minutes—because, you know, I’m getting old—I decided to rewatch it. Twenty years later, the Studio Ghibli classic still dazzles. While the film has no shortage of action-packed scenes (No-Face devouring several feasts worth of food remains one of my all-time favorites), it’s the tranquil moments, like Chihiro tearfully biting into onigiri, that remind us why Hayao Miyazaki is a master of his craft. During these scenes, time seems to stop and you can just breathe. For me, Spirited Away is the food equivalent of a warm hug. —Esra Erol, senior manager, social media
Great British Bake Off
Here’s the deal—baking is not my favorite. But I love to watch Great British Bake Off for the tips and tricks, and I love the camaraderie in the tent. It’s so sweet and makes the show. This season, the cast is a hilarious mix of talent and creativity: Janusz and Sandro are making jokes in the back of the tent, Maxy seems like the quiet, sweet talent to keep eyes on for the finals, and Syabira brings interesting flavor combinations to the table. Of course, it’s worth paying attention to the season’s missteps too—just look at Mexico Week. —Mallary Santucci, Bon Appétit culinary producer
The Raspberry Cake Recipe I Almost Couldn’t Master (Bon Appétit)
Watching BA food editor Shilpa Uskokovic masterfully craft her raspberry cream cake is nothing short of mesmerizing. Against soothing music, Shilpa expertly narrates tight shots zeroing in on bowls of silky-smooth batter, pillowy whipped cream, and juicy raspberries. The final product—plush yellow cake frosted in pastel pink—is deeply satisfying and hunger-inducing. I’ve watched this video no fewer than five times, and this beautiful cake truly lives rent-free in my head. —Li Goldstein, digital production assistant
