At CineMunch we're all about exploring the similarities between film and food, and what better way than by creating the ultimate dinner-and-a-movie experience? The best CineMeals (you knew that was coming) tap into the essence of a film, sating your immediate hunger while whetting your appetite for the screen magic to come. Puns are encouraged (a la ParmaSean Penn Roasted Broccoli), and a certain amount of bending the rules is expected (cheese before and after the main course? Done and done.)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which we're celebrating all week, requires special attention, and we've curated a meal below that complements and elevates the viewing experience. Here's hoping this gets your culinary juices flowing. Let us know in the comments what would be on your Eternal Sunshine menu!

Cocktail: Blue Ruin Mind Eraser

Haven't saved up enough cash to book an appointment at Lacuna, Inc.? This down-and-dirty classic is the next best thing. Granted, drink too many of these and you won't remember the film, so enjoy in moderation. The original recipe calls for vodka, Kahlúa, and tonic. Our version (far superior, naturally) is as follows:

     2 oz vodka
     2 oz blue Curaçao
     2 oz Kahlúa
     Splash of club soda
     Lemon wedge

     Pour vodka, Curaçao, and Kahlúa in a highball glass filled with ice. Stir, then top with soda    and garnish with lemon.

Cheese Course: Coupole

The wrinkly, brainy wonder that is Coupole.Photo credit: Vermont Creamery. — The wrinkly, brainy wonder that is Coupole.
Photo credit: Vermont Creamery.

The cheese course is a must for most any dinner menu, and it can make an appearance at almost any time: Cheese has its place before the meal, as the meal, in between main courses, and/or as a meal's last hurrah. In this case we're going the appetizer route with a cheese that qualifies as a new American classic: Coupole, a fudgy, milky goat's milk dome from Vermont Creamery. Luckily for all, Vermont Creamery's cheeses are widely available. But if you can't find Coupole in your area, just ask your local cheesemonger for a cheese with a Geotrichum rind (the wrinklier the better!). You'll either impress their socks off or come across as an obnoxious twit, but either way you should end up with a cheese worthy of your Eternal Sunshine-themed meal.

Blood Orange and Kale Salad

Kale's moment seems to have (finally) come and gone, but that just means we can get down to the business of enjoying our leafy greens sans the trendier-than-thou bullshit. Yay! And we're using blood oranges instead of clementines because she said no jokes about her name, okay?

This recipe includes a honey mustard vinaigrette--the basis for many an impromptu meal at the CineMunch household. Head on over to Spoon Fork Bacon for the full rundown.

Montauk Scallop and Oyster Pan Roast

I'd meet just about anyone in Montauk for this festival of the sea in a bowl, and I come from a scallop family (as they say), so my appreciation of a good seared scallop runs deep. As a topper to this cream-filled, briny stew, the unassuming bivalve may have reached its apotheosis. Visit Food and Wine for the full recipe.

Chocolate Idiot Cake

After a relatively light meal (a bowlful of seafood and heavy cream is considered light, right?) you can get away with serving a rich, chocolatey dessert. And if it's a David Lebovitz recipe that only an idiot could mess up, even better! (Cine, you want to take this one?)

Get the recipe.

There you have it: CineMeal #1. Stay tuned as we continue to celebrate Eternal Sunshine's 10-year anniversary all week long! Coming up on Thursday: "Are We the Dining Dead? The Lover's Guide to Reanimating Your Dinner Conversations."