7. Lieutenant Aldo “The Apache” Raine’s Ramp Salad
This soldier from Maynardsville, Tennessee has switched over to a new line of business, “and cousin, business is a-boomin’.” Before becoming the leader of the Basterds, Aldo ran moonshine in the mountains. Back there ramps (also known as hillbilly truffles) are a popular staple of local cuisine. In season March and April, they’re often sold out of the back of pick-up trucks. From Helyn’s Kitchen comes this Smoky Mountain Ramp Salad recipe that the good Lieutenant would feel right at home eating in between fighting German soldiers.
6. Sergeant Hugo Stiglitz’s Spaetzle
A former German soldier, he has killed over 13 Gestapo officers and is just getting started. While not the most chatty of individuals, Hugo’s knife ironically still has the SS motto ‘Meine Ehre heißt Treue’ a.k.a. ‘My Honor is Named Loyalty.’ While this character is the ultimate German badass, his name was a tribute to a ’70s Mexican horror movie actor. Actor Til Schweiger had previously refused to play any character that wore a Nazi uniform. This recipe from GermanFoods.org is a hearty meal filled with German staples.
5. Shosanna Dreyfus’ Bokotof
Shosanna runs the cinema La Gamaar under the false identity of Emmanuelle Mimieux. Furthermore she is the only survivor of Landa’s slaughter of her entire family (innocent French dairy farmers). Originally her character was written to have a much bigger role in the movie. According to Tarantino, “One of the things that was interesting to me about the Shosanna character is that I came up with the idea of her before I did Kill Bill. My initial conception of Shosanna was that she was a real badass. She was known as the Joan of Arc of the Jews. She was killing Nazis. She had a list of Nazi officers she was wiping out. She was sniping from Paris rooftops. But then I put the script away because it was just too big; it wasn’t a movie.” Dedicated to her is this zucchini and pasta soup recipe. It’s a popular Jewish dish served during Purim in France.
4. Bridget von Hammersmark’s Grießpudding
“I know this is a silly question before I ask it, but can you Americans speak any other language than English?” This German film star, double agent, and cigarette smoker unfortunately meets the Basterds at the basement tavern La Louisiane. But her miraculous survival is followed by a Cindarella-esque death at Landa’s hands. This semolina pudding recipe from The Kitchen Maus is a German classic!
3. Lieutenant Archie Hicox’s Woolton Pie
The Lieutenant is a British army officer who is an expert in German language and film. But not so much when it comes to ordering drinks. Woolten Pie is a classic World War II recipe invented as a substitute for meat (heavily rationed at the time). Ironically with this vegetarian diet the British were found to be healthier during then after the war. This recipe comes to us from Genius Kitchen.
2. Donny Donowitz’s Boston Bread
The “Bear Jew” is, shockingly, a former hairdresser from his Dad’s barbershop in Boston. And he’s an obvious baseball fan with a penchant for Ted William’s style swings. Furthermore his bat is filled with signatures of Jewish people. This Boston Brown Bread recipe from the website 12 Tomatoes was popular in the 1940s. Back then it was baked in a metal can giving it a unique shape. Be careful on using a metal can. They sometimes will have a coating that the bread can absorb, or that has indentations or decorative grooves. It can make de-molding the bread a bit more tricky.
1. Colonel Hans Landa’s Apple Strudel
This Austrian detective is so much like Sherlock Holmes he even smokes a pipe. However while highly intelligent, Landa is also merciless. One moment the Colonel claims no personal animosity to Semitic people. The next he ruthlessly hunts down and kills mostly Jews. Taratino has said in interviews that this is both the greatest and most unplayable character he’s ever written. Christoff Waltz’s amazing performance cemented this character in cinema history. This recipe from Shortlist.com is as delicious as the scenes are chilling.
