The Star Wars Cookbook vs. Food That's Actually Star-Warsy

ThinkGeek.com

Like the Salad Shooter or the electric quesadilla maker, some items that deserve to fade away -- and almost succeed in doing so -- experience a Frankenstein-like revival every Christmas shopping season. The 1998 Star Wars Cookbook is one of these things.

While we've come to accept that Star Wars and merchandising go together like Princess Leia and metal collars, there are some products that didn't need to happen, and this book is one of them. Still, it's tough not to envy the person who woke up one morning, realized that Wookie rhymes with cookie, and then got two whole books out of it: The Star Wars Cookbook: Wookie Cookies And Other Galactic Recipes and its 2000 sequel, The Star Wars Cookbook II: Darth Malt and More Galactic Recipes.

What's so unfortunate about these books is all of the lost potential they represent. Any thoughts of, "Hey, Star Wars cookbook -- that sounds fun!" will quickly be dashed upon opening this thoroughly unimaginative collection of recipes with punny names but not much else. The recipe for "Dark Side Salsa" doesn't even contain one dark-colored ingredient -- no roasted tomatoes, no olives. Greedo's Burritos, Han-Burgers, Tusken Raider Taters -- yes, they're photographed with little plastic action figures standing on the plates, but that's about as fun as it gets.

For example, here's the recipe for "Galaxy Grilled Cheese:"

4 slices bread
4 teaspoons butter
8 slices cheddar cheese
8 pickle slices

1. Lay 1 slice of bread on a work surface. Spread one side with butter. Repeat with the reamining bread slices and butter.

2. Turn 2 bread slices over so the zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Oops, sorry, fell asleep. What does this have to do with Star Wars, again?

JustJennRecipes.com

Contrast that with the the multitude of vastly more whimsical and entertaining Star Wars food creations just a Google away. Check out the Star Wars bento at BentoForKidlet.com. Check out the Princess Leia cupcakes at JustJennRecipes.com. Check out the Chewbacca Burger at OhGodMyWifeIsGerman.com.

You can get Star Wars Cookie Cutters from Williams Sonoma, or just repurpose a Christmas bell-shaped cutter to stand in for the Dark Lord's head. Darth Ginger, anyone?