Reviews
[Review] Janice Poon’s “Feeding Hannibal” Takes Us Through the Food of the Show
My love of NBC’s “Hannibal” is rather well known. I was originally taken in by the show’s beautiful visuals and quickly became ensnared by the deep and magnificent storyline, which was presented by some truly stellar acting. But what I didn’t expect to be enamored by was the mouthwatering food that was presented in each episode. After all, what does it say about me that I want to eat a meal that is cooked by someone who I know is a cannibal, especially one who likes to share his “delicacies”?
The person responsible for creating the these entrees is Janice Poon, a food stylist who was tasked with not only bringing such wonderful food to the set of the show but also to help teach Mads Mikkelsen how to appear like a seasoned and trained chef. For a long time, she maintained a blog where she detailed and outlined exactly what went into each episode as well as her mindset on how to approach the various dishes.
Now, in “Feeding Hannibal: A Connoisseur’s Cookbook a recently released hardcover tome, Poon is giving the public not only many recipes from and inspired by the show but also several anecdotes from the set.
Right away, the book is impressive. At 10″x8″ plus, it’s the kind of book that you either put in your kitchen for regular use or you leave on your coffee table as a conversation starter. Believe me when I say that both uses will be work out just fine. Guests and family will probably question what they’re about to have for dinner while you know precisely what that strange looking piece of meat really is. So, if it’s your goal to make a statement or leave an impression, this book gets an ‘A’.
But why people should really pick it up is because it’s a treasure trove of “Hannibal” tales, artwork from the food design sessions, and some mouthwatering recipes for all meals of the day, including the appropriate sides and compliments. There are very few recipes that take up more than one page, so they’re incredibly easy to follow along with while still feeling elegant and special.
Treats like the Lamb Fries or the Heart Tartare Tarts sound like divine appetizers while the Galantine of Chicken Stuffed with Rabbit and the Hong Kong Ribs would make any guest in your home beg for seconds. Furthermore, the seemingly complex dishes that were seen on the show are explained with great detail and have me convinced that I could pull them off. For example, there is the Clay Baked Chicken, which is a more legal approach to the clay baked thigh of Gideon from the second season’s episode “Futamono”. With only 4 steps to the recipe, Poon clearly lays out exactly what needs to be done for this dish.
Although Hannibal probably wouldn’t have much appreciation for it, there is a vegetarian section which does include some delectable recipes, such as the Osso Buco. In the salads, one that caught my eye (and stomach) was the Curried Beet and Mango dish, which says it yields 4 servings but would probably be a main dish for myself. However, I’m sure Hannibal despises those who gorge themselves, so a little restraint might be in order.
I could go on and on about recipes that make my stomach grumble, such as the Pomegranate Chevre, a cheese ball wrapped in pomegranate arils, or the Mirium Beerium, a beverage that sounds light and refreshing, but to do so would ruin your own approach to combing through this book.
Something I greatly appreciate Poon adding to the book is a small section on what kinds of equipment you’ll need for all the recipes, such as knives, pots, pans, and other assorted culinary tools. She also devotes a section to how to make those gorgeous garnishes that take your presentation to the next level. What’s the point in making a rack of lamb look like a set of praying hands if you don’t have those eye-grabbing tomato roses or onion chrysanthemums alongside? Hannibal expects better from you and so does Poon.
For me, much of the pleasure I derived from this cookbook was how professionally and elegantly it was put together. There was obviously the intent to transfer the presentation of the show into this book and it shows. It feels like something Hannibal would carry in his own kitchen, if he didn’t already have his Rolodex of recipes. If you’re looking for something to get the Fannibal in your life as a holiday present, there really isn’t a better option, in my opinion. This isn’t just a cookbook, it’s a portal into the show from an angle that many wouldn’t even begin to expect. What a delightful and saliva-producing journey it is! Every little anecdote and story only enriches my view of the show and I can only imagine what will happen when I begin to dive into actually crafting and cooking these recipes.
Now, to invite a few friends over for dinner who won’t mind the suspicious nature of my inspiration…
Movies
‘Recluse’ Review – Harrowing Haunted House Horror With Lots Of Skeletons In Its Closet [Tribeca 2026]
A haunted house story is tense, terrifying storytelling when it’s properly executed. There’s been a growing tendency in horror to blend together harrowing haunted house stories with traumatic homecomings. A family member’s illness or death triggers a return to something dark that was intentionally left behind. Recluse hits all the tropes that one expects to find in this type of horror film, yet it manages to push this story in a daring, disturbing new direction that uses sound as a superpower.
It’s a unique lens to experience a familiar story about family secrets, generational trauma, unresolved grief, and the importance of not just legacy, but preservation. It’s a hell of a directorial debut from Henry Chaisson that’s guaranteed to get under the audience’s skin as they’re dragged through this painful, toxic tale.
Recluse is a gothic haunted house story where an isolated audio engineer, Joan (Sasha Frolova), returns to her family’s estate to check in on her father after he suffers a terrible accident. Joan suddenly discovers something much more sinister that paints her family’s tragedies in a very different light. Chaisson’s debut functions as a fascinating companion piece to this year’s undertone, which does a lot of the same things.
These two films make for a fascinating case of parallel thinking that tackles comparable subject matter through a similar lens, albeit in a bigger, less claustrophobic story in Recluse’s case. In fact, it’s the perfect horror film for anyone who was let down by undertone and didn’t feel like it brought enough to the table. It’s a considerably more conventional horror film, but this isn’t meant to denigrate its high quality. Recluse may hit some familiar notes, but it’s a scary, well-crafted haunted house horror story that goes for the jugular.
A gripping mystery that involves the tragic, unresolved circumstances that surround Joan’s mother teases a chilling connection to the recent horrors that have afflicted her father. Joan desperately tries to put these pieces together and give her family some sense of grander peace before she’s pulled under and becomes another victim of this festering curse that’s systematically worked its way through the Wyatt family. By doing so, Recluse digs into some deeper commentary on collective trauma, a very literal look at the “sins of the father” adage, and how one selfish decision can ripple through generations and fracture off into different dilemmas. By the end, Recluse has brilliantly flipped the powerful concept of legacy on its head by illustrating the horrors and sense of entitlement that can be born out of this idea.
A legacy is just another name for a curse under the right context.
”Listen” is a simple but powerful command from Joan’s father that she briefly obsesses over. In a way, it becomes Recluse’s grander mission statement, whether it’s in response to Joan listening to the people in her life, the signals that her body and mind are telling her, or the world’s greater whims. It’s important to reconnect with these grounding pillars, especially when it feels like control is slipping away.
Recluse excels with how audio and soundscapes can create entire universes that are full of rich details that transport individuals to these environments. There’s also a level of objectivity when it comes to audio recordings and the evergreen permanence that they’re able to provide. Joan’s career as an audio engineer makes sense for someone who wants to cling to hard evidence and proof of existence. It provides great insight into Joan without ever getting lost in contrived exposition.
Joan’s entire life is built around audio engineering, and so it makes sense that Recluse features excellent sound design that really goes above and beyond with its production elements. All of the sound design is expertly handled and turns the film into something special. These auditory elements intuitively keep the audience on edge so that they’re more susceptible to the actual scares that eventually strike. The smallest sound effect gets turned into a crushing, cacophonous assault. It’s a really effective way to build terror. Writer/Director Chaisson also handles the film’s music, which achieves a sublime, unnerving dissonance that further heightens the free-floating anxiety.
The story at the center of Recluse is slightly generic in some respects, but the film’s visual language and tone make it feel distinctly memorable. It also doesn’t hurt that the home that Joan returns to is basically an eerie art studio that’s full of contorted paintings. Recluse never struggles to generate mounting dread and terror that pump through every scene. Powerful, thoughtful cinematography consistently reinforces the film’s themes. Joan is constantly reflected in different surfaces or viewed through mirrors. She’s also often confined to tight, constricting framing that all speaks to her refracted identity during this moment of loss and her attempts to regain agency and control by making sense of something that’s seemingly unexplainable.
Recluse is full of truly disturbing visuals that make it seem like Joan is lost in a dream that turns out to be an extended nightmare. It’s a surreal journey reminiscent of invasive psychological horror like Silent Hill, with a touch of Sinister and Hereditary thrown in for good measure. There are so many individual frames that could endlessly fuel urban legends and creepypastas.
It does a great job with how it presents Joan’s fragile state of mind, where chilling flashes of the past sneak up on her and unresolved trauma manifests into unsettling imagery. There are endless shots that are obscured in darkness, or shadow is creeping in from the corners of frames like a suffocating force of nature. It’s very rare that a scene is fully lit. It leads to a very lonely, isolating atmosphere that’s easy to get lost in.
Chaisson’s debut stands out from the many other high-minded haunted house horror films without succumbing to the same pretensions that often drag down these stories. It’s a grief-stricken character study that’s full of upsetting visuals that scratch at something visceral and raw. The horror elements connect, and the answers to its grander mystery provide an appropriate and believable sense of closure. Those who are looking for an atmospheric horror film that isn’t afraid to be different while still channeling something real will appreciate Recluse.
Recluse made its world premiere at Tribeca; release info TBD.
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