We’re diving into our first Magical Movie Morsels post with a look at Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
To kick off our date/movie nights where we feature a recipe connected to the movie, why not start with the first feature film from Walt Disney AND the movie that was our oldest child’s favorite when she was little….Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs? It’s not only a classic, but watching it triggered memories of watching with our kids. This milestone film in early animation is still regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, and started the golden age of animation.
Our treats for this movie night were individual blueberry pies (we would have made gooseberry, like in the movie, but we don’t really get gooseberries here in eastern North Carolina). The recipe is at the end of the post, but how about some Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs trivia first?
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image from Wikipedia
Fascinating Trivia about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Release and Box Office Success
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered on December 21, 1937 at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles, California, with a general release in February of 1938.
- It became a huge success, earning over $8 million in its initial release (it had a $1.5 million production cost).
- It was the highest-grossing film of 1938, and for a short time it held the title of highest-grossing sound film of all time! It held the record for highest-grossing animated film title for 55 years!
- Re-released frequently in theaters, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs made its home video debut in the 1990s.
- With adjustments for inflation, it’s still one of the top-ten highest-grossing films in North America!
Awards and Recognition
- In 1938 it was nominated for Best Musical Score at the Academy Awards.
- Walt Disney was given an honorary Oscar in 1939. It consisted of a normal-sized Oscar with seven miniature statuettes (for the seven dwarfs) which was presented to him by Shirley Temple.
- In 1989, the National Film Registry (by the U.S. Library of Congress) selected Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs for preservation for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.“
- It is ranked in the list of the 100 greatest American films by the American Film Institute who, in 2008, also named Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs the greatest American animated film of all time.
Development
- Walt Disney began this project because wanted to move beyond just short animations and really expand his storytelling.
- Having been inspired by the 1916 silent film version, and after exploring various other ideas, he chose Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as his pet project for a full-length animation film.
- He had his doubters, even from within his own family, but he persevered in this dream project. Many didn’t believe that a full-length animated film would keep audiences engaged but Walt knew that he could make it work. And he proved all his doubters wrong!
- It’s said that the animators who worked on the film preferred animating the evil Queen as they found her more complex and compelling. There was no rotoscoping for that character (when they use tracing over human model live-action footage frame by frame to animate a character). Animators drew inspiration from famous actresses like Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, and Marlene Dietrich.
image from Walmart product listing
Miscellaneous Tidbits
- Grimm’s fairy tales are referenced in the film. Snow White wears rags and works as a servant, just like Cinderella (or Aschenputtel as she is known in the German tale) and is surrounded by doves while working to draw water from the well (also a reference to the original tale). Briar Rose (Domröschen, in German) is awakened by a kiss, as is Snow White. (Although in the original Snow White story, she is revived when she coughs up the poisoned apple.)
- As is the case with many projects, not all ideas could be used. Here are some ideas that were not included in the final production due to cost, animation, or censorshop issues:
- an opening sequence where we meet Snow White’s mother
- a plot twist where the Queen actually falls in love with and imprisons the Prince
- multiple attempts by the Queen to kill Snow White using a bodice and a poisoned comb
- forest animals attempting to lead the Prince to Snow White
- Snow White getting a handmade bed of her own from the dwarfs
- a dream sequence that would have accompanied the “Some Day My Prince Will Come” song
- Although only 8 songs were used in the final film, there were plans for up to 25 songs.
- If you watch the original (before the 1993 digital restoration) you will notice the Prince glitches in the scene where her revives Snow White. This is because the cells were not lined up correctly, which Walt saw at the end of production but by then there was no money left to correct the mistake.
image from Amazon product listing
Snow White Inspired Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Blueberry Pie
Currently, I (Julie) am implementing a gluten-free, dairy-free way of eating in order to do some gut healing, so I was hoping this recipe would be tasty. Not all allergen-style recipes are. And it really was scrumptious! Paired with some dairy-free ice cream, this was a delicious treat for our Disney movie night.
This recipe makes one traditional-size pie or two smaller 6″ pies. If gluten-free, dairy-free pie is not your thing (it’s something Julie is needing to do for a little while), here are some other ideas for themed food to gnosh on while watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs:
- Apples–it’s a big theme in the film since it’s the poison delivery method from the Queen! You could have apple pie or dumplings, apples with dip, baked apples, apple galette,
- Dinner–maybe you’re looking for a full dinner? How about some yummy bread and a hearty soup or stew? That’s probably more along the lines of a seven dwarf dinner.
- Easy snacks–if you are looking to go the easy route (no cooking at all) grab some animal crackers from the store to represent the woodland creatures who were Snow White’s friends.
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Blueberry Mini Pies
This gluten-free, dairy-free blueberry pie recipe is the perfect treat for a movie night (we recommend a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs night!).
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
To make the pie crusts
- Cut the dairy-free butter into small chunks. Place on a small tray or dish and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
- Place the gluten-free flour, frozen dairy-free butter, and salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the regular blade attachment. Pulse the mixture until it the largest butter pieces are about pea-sized.
- Pour the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, into the chute of the food processor, pulsing as you go. Only add enough of the ice water to allow the mixture to start to form balls of dough in the bowl. Check for readiness by opening the food processor and testing how well the mixture forms a ball in your fingers.
- Once the dough is ready it's time to roll it out. For my purposes, I divided the dough into 4 equal parts to be used in two 6" cast iron skillets. (To make one regular pie, divide into 2 parts.) I had to roll this out pretty thin.
- Take one portion of dough and form it into a ball. Place the ball on a sheet of parchment paper, then flatten it with your hands. Place another sheet of parchment over top, then use a rolling pin to roll out the crust, always rolling from the center out. Do this until you have a crust that is about 1" larger all the way around than your pan/skillet.
- Carefully remove the top piece of parchment. Then flip the crust over and remove the other piece of parchment. Carefully place the crust into the pan/skillet. Gently work the crust into the edges of the pan. Use a parking knife to trim the excess from the edges, and use these scraps to "repair" any tears (I had several tears). Repeat with another portion of crust for the other pan/skillet.
- While the bottom crusts are chilling, roll out the top crusts between parchment in the same way you did the bottom crusts, but only roll it out to about 1/2" larger than the pan/skillet. Set aside.
To make the filling
- Combine all the filling ingredients and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
To fill the pies
- Use a large scoop or measuring cup to scoop the berry mixture into pie pans/skillets. Much of the dry ingredients will settle to the bottom of the bowl, so just do your best to divide the amount as equally as possible.
- Place a top crust on each pie. Around the edge, tuck the crust under itself. Using a fork, crimp the crust edge by gently pressing the tines of the fork along the edge. Alternatively, you can ask some friendly forest birds to do the work for you with their claws. Cut vents into the top of the crust to allow steam to escape. (Or, again, get the birds to do it.)
- Whisk the egg white in a bowl a little, then use a pastry brush to apply the egg white to the top crusts until each crust is shiny. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake the pies
- Place the two pies on a cookie sheet and position in the oven on the lowest rack (I have a small top oven and there is only one position, but this was perfect).
- Bake for 12 minutes.
- Rotate pan 180 degrees, reduce oven heat to 350 degrees and bake the pies for about 28 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Allow to cool some so that the juices have a chance to thicken up a bit.
- Serve with dairy-free ice cream.
Notes
- I used Earth Balance dairy-free sticks for the butter.
- Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour and make sure it has xanthan gum as an ingredient.
We hope you enjoyed learning more about Disney’s original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Schedule a movie night with friends or family, and let us know what you chose to make!
Research information for this blog post was found at Wikipedia and cbr.com
It’s always heartwarming to revisit classic Disney films like *Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs* and create new traditions around them. The idea of pairing a movie with a themed recipe is such a creative way to make the experience even more special. The blueberry pies sound delicious, and it’s great that they’ve adapted the recipe to be gluten-free and dairy-free for Julie’s needs. I love how the post connects food, nostalgia, and family memories—it’s a perfect recipe for a cozy movie night. What other Disney movies would you pair with unique themed recipes?