Movie Night

There are three mandatories for a night in front of the telly. The first two are, of course, a working screen and comfortable seating. The third? Ample snacks. Whether you’ve got all your friends around to watch the finale of your favourite TV show, or you and your housemates are planning a retro movie marathon, a delicious spread for everybody to graze on throughout the evening is a must.

To help you in your preparations, we’ve teamed up with Captain’s Table to show you how to build the perfect platter for your next movie night. We enlisted the help of Nikki Phillips from Sydney catering business Shared Affair for some pro tips on everything from creating nostalgic moments to pairing next-level snacks, guaranteed to make your next movie night one for the books.

Now, all you need to figure out is what to stream — we have a few recommendations here.

DON’T FORGET THE POPCORN

A simple way to inspire excitement for a night in front of the TV is to jazz up the humble (yet absolutely necessary) popcorn. Melted butter is a no-brainer, but you could also try adding a sprinkle of chicken salt, some taco seasoning, or even a dusting of icing sugar.

“Take it to the next level by making salted caramel popcorn or even melting through a pack of Maltesers for the ultimate sweet and savoury treat,” Phillips says.

IT’S ALL ABOUT PLACEMENT

Time to start selecting and arranging your ingredients. Unsurprisingly, it’s best to begin with the hero item of the board — the cheese — and work outwards from there. Depending on how big your board is, Phillips recommends placing complementary ingredients side-by-side for the ease of your guests. For example, soft cheese next to chewy dried fruits and aged cheddar near the quince paste.

However, it’s worth taking aesthetics into account when decorating your board, too. Delicately fold and place the cured meats to add height (and make it easier for guests to pick up). And use crackers and fruit to add pops of colour and fill any gaps.

PAIR YOUR VINO LIKE A CONNOISSEUR

When it comes to selecting the drop of the night, our top tip is to choose something with high acidity. It will cut through the saltiness of the cured meats and rich, creamy cheeses. There’s just something about sipping red wine that automatically brings those cosy vibes, so an easy-drinking pinot noir is our vino of choice. If you’re more of a white wine drinker, riesling or even sparkling would work.

HAVE FUN WITH SERVING IDEAS

Crank up the nostalgia and swing by a party shop to pick up those retro striped boxes for serving popcorn and lollies in. They’re also handy for allowing your guests to load up on snacks to take back to their seats and relax — since there’s nothing worse than people obstructing the screen during a critical scene.

Another way to get into the spirit is by naming your snacks in the theme of the films you’re watching. Just wedge some mini signs around the grazing platter and you’re good to go.

“If it’s a scary movie night, why not have ‘Children of the Pop-Corn’,” Phillips suggests. “And, who’s going to pass up ‘Charlie’s Chocolate-Dipped Pretzels’?”

YOUR SHOPPING LIST

Want to recreate this perfect platter for your next movie night? Here’s what you need (amounts at your own discretion):

• Captain’s Table Classic Water Crackers
• Mixed olives
• Popcorn
• Fresh figs
• Dried figs
• Grapes
• Dried pears
• Dried apricots
• Chocolate-covered pretzels
• Quince paste
• Salami
• Prosciutto
• Soft cheese (camembert or triple-cream brie)
• Hard cheese (aged cheddar)
• Honeycomb

Images: Cole Bennetts

Food styling: Nikki Phillips