The 1989 film Steel Magnolias is a classic! For those of you who have never watched it, Steel Magnolias centers around the bond a small group of women share while living in a small Southern town and how they cope with love, loss, friendship and relationships. It has an amazing cast including Dolly Parton, Shirley McLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Darryl Hannah and Julia Roberts. Throughout the film, the women are beautiful and delicate, yet resilient and strong hence,  Steel Magnolias.

I remember watching the film as a kid and being envious of the friendship among the women. I remember wanting to spend my adult days in Truvy’s hair salon, gossiping and talking about weddings, babies, and sharing recipes. I was transfixed by the small town life the women lived and wished that I lived in Chinquipin Parish too.  To be fair, I have done a fair share of my adult life talking about weddings, babies and gossiping. However, I have never done any of it in a beauty salon.

I have also shared a few recipes, but again, never at the beauty salon. So, it only make sense that when Truvy, played perfectly by Dolly Parton, explains her Cuppa, Cuppa, Cuppa, recipe I feel like she is sharing it directly with me.

The meaning of this recipe in the film is that Cuppa, Cuppa, Cuppa is a reflection of Truvy herself. It is a very “What you see is what you get” type of recipe which matches Truvy’s personality in the film; she is very open and honest about who she is. When Truvy shares the recipe, she mentions that she serves it with “vanilla ice cream to cut the sweetness”, which is an allusion to the other women that Truvy keeps around her. They are always a little bit more colder (like ice cream), than she is. Overall, Truvy is uncomplicated and sweet, just like the recipe she shares.

Also the fact that Truvy is the one that shares the recipe is also meaningful. Truvy’s character is generous and giving throughout the film. The fact that she is the one that shares a recipe that parallels her own personality is symbolic of the fact that she is giving of herself throughout the film.

To make this, I just simply followed the instructions in the film. I assembled the three ingredients, baked at the proper temperature and done. Mine didn’t come out  looking super beautiful like I have seen in other peoples photos but it tasted okay. I also used the ice cream on the side to make it authentic.

Overall, the recipe is simple and good and uncomplicated. It is a mirror image of Truvy’s personality in that it is bubbly and comforting. So, although I may never have done any of my gossiping or discussing of weddings in a beauty salon it makes no difference because making Cuppa, Cuppa, Cuppa makes me feel as though I have at least shared recipes inside one.

Cuppa, Cuppa, Cuppa:

1 Cup of Flour

1 Cup of Sugar

1 can of Fruit Cocktail with the juice

1. Mix and bake at 350 till golden and bubbly (about 35 minutes)
2. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.