Courtney McBroom (3:12)

Limu Emu and Doug Here we have.

Danielle Robay (3:16)

The Limu Emu in its natural habitat.

Courtney McBroom (3:19)

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Danielle Robay (3:26)

Fascinating.

Courtney McBroom (3:27)

It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug.

Sponsor/Ad Voice (3:30)

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Courtney McBroom (3:33)

Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you need@libertymutual.com Liberty.

Danielle Robay (3:37)

Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings vary underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. Affiliates excludes Massachusetts. Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club is presented by Apple Books. Hi, I'm Danielle Robe. Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club. Book clubs and parties might sound like opposites. One's about reflection and the other one's about release. But they're really the same ritual dressed up in different clothes. I think both ask the same question. What happens when we gather with intention? Isn't that the same thing a writer does and a reader? Right? Whether it's over Prose or Prosecco, book clubs and parties have a lot of the same ingredients, a good theme, a strong narrative arc and a whole lot of community.

Courtney McBroom (4:31)

The whole reason we wrote this book is because we notice how separate the world is feeling right now and how lonely the world is right now and how everyone's like staying home by themselves, like just on their phones. And while yes, a party of one is very important and you need everyone needs alone time, it's also really important to gather with your friends, gather with your family, your chosen family. And I think the best way to do that is over a table full of delicious food.

Danielle Robay (5:00)

We come to any gathering hoping to feel a little more alive, a little more seen, a little more connected. So today we're talking with two women who know that recipe by heart, Brie Larson and Courtney McBroom. You probably know Brie Larson from your screen. All of the screens, actually. The awards, the blockbusters, the faces she's worn for all of us. But what you might not know is that she loves to hoax and in a way that says, come in, sit down, and stay a while. She's a maker of moments as much as movies. And Courtney McBroom, she's a longtime chef and recipe whisperer. She understands that food is never just food. She knows how to turn a kitchen into a language. And together they've created Party People, a cookbook that isn't really about cooking at all. Well, yes, there are delicious recipes in it, but more than that, it's about making memories and inviting people in, even when the candles burn unevenly or the ice melts too fast. So if you've ever said, I'm not a party person, congratulations, you're wrong. You are in the right place. Let's turn the page with Brie larson and Courtney McBroom. Okay, Bri, Courtney, welcome to the club. Hi.

Brie Larson (6:27)

So happy to be part of the club. Yeah.

Danielle Robay (6:30)

So your cookbook, Party People, is like a big burst of joy. And the food part, the cooking I get because you guys have shared hundreds of meals together. But the party part, I want to understand. What kind of partier are you? Because you get. You guys name four archetypes in the book. Which one are you?

Brie Larson (6:47)

There's even more.

Courtney McBroom (6:48)

How many are there?

Brie Larson (6:50)

I actually don't know.

Courtney McBroom (6:50)

I think there's like 10.

Brie Larson (6:52)

Yeah.

Courtney McBroom (6:52)

So you have the animal, you have the party animal, you have the party pooper, which is an important party to archetype. It completes the circle. You can't have party animals without party poopers. You have the know it all. You got the nostalgic one, the topper, the one with the interesting booze, the helper, the helper, the host, the womp womp.

Brie Larson (7:14)

What's the late one?

Courtney McBroom (7:16)

The womp womp is kind of like the energy vampire, but we argue a very important part of any party guest. There's gotta be a womp womp for the party to be complete.

Brie Larson (7:27)

Exactly. Everybody's invited to the party is like. The basic idea is even people who think, oh, I don't like parties. I'm like, guess what? You are a party person. There is something for everybody. And what our book is more about is, like, that there's lots of different ways to party. I think, to your point, people think that partying has to be this insane high octane, like, bar crawl. But I grew up with a mom who's an event planner, and so parties for me were more like Easter Olympics or like glow games on the 4th of July or having a really incredible dinner. There's so many different ways to do it. And that's why the book is organized in that way by casual party, fancy party, tiny party, which would be for two people or just for one, which I think is maybe the most important party, is a party that you throw just for yourself. And so it's kind of holding all of that, where we talk about the parties that are actually more like restorative, like, relaxing karaoke, which is just, like, you wear pajamas, you put on sheet masks, and like, every so often, you sing, like, a slow song. But it kind of flips the idea because people think, again, karaoke is, like, you have to be hammered in order to, like, enjoy. And no, parties can be restorative. They can be just purely celebratory.

Danielle Robay (8:36)

That's the kind of party I want to go to.

Courtney McBroom (8:38)

Yes.

Brie Larson (8:39)

Well, you're invited.

Danielle Robay (8:40)

Thank you so much. I love that explanation. And I think you can tell a lot about a person by how they throw a party. I think of Nora Ephron because she apparently had these really hilarious, honest, little chaotic parties, and that's exactly how she wrote. So I'm wondering, if I were invited to one of your parties, what would I find out about you that I wouldn't know through your work?

Brie Larson (9:06)

What do you think?

Courtney McBroom (9:07)

I think for me, because I am, like, a professional chef and have worked in kitchens, like, people always assume that they're very. Like, chefs are, like, always very rigid and very clean, which I am. But I'm also can be breezing it. Like, I make a mess.

Danielle Robay (9:20)

Yeah.

Courtney McBroom (9:20)

You know, and, like, you know, working in a kitchen, you're taught to be clean and all these things. And, like, I can do that, but I have such extreme ADHD that, like, it's just impossible for me to cook cleanly. So I think that's one thing that you would find is, like, I am quite human and all over the place. Yeah. And some.

Danielle Robay (9:36)

Some would.

Courtney McBroom (9:37)

Some would say human. So, yeah, I think, like, realizing that us chefs can be loose and fun, too.

Brie Larson (9:45)

We don't have to always be, like, completely. I actually don't know what. What people perceive me as to be quite honest. So I don't really know how to answer that, but I guess.

Danielle Robay (9:57)

What kind of host are you? Are you a relaxed host? Are you?

Courtney McBroom (10:00)

Yeah.

Brie Larson (10:01)

Yeah, I've been hosting. You know, I grew up in a household where my mom was always throwing parties and hosting. I would call her an advanced party person. Okay. So I learned a lot from her of the do's and the don'ts. And, like, she's still learning all the time, too. I mean, she does More like weddings now and proms, like, really big events that require a lot more orchestration than, like, us having a casual spelling bee in my backyard, you know? But she's the one that instilled in me that the point of the party is to create a memory. And so thinking through what those details are to go, is this something that's actually important to the memory, or is it just causing stress and causing people to feel uncomfortable? Or it's, like, uptight, I guess, would be the thing. So I'm pretty comfortable with hosting people in my house. And I like to have fun. I like to play a lot of games. Games are a huge central part of parties that I throw at my house because that's just what I like to do. I'm not a small talk person. I joke that this book is really, like, 101 ways to not have small talk at your party, because that's all I. Yeah. I don't do well with it, so. Yeah. Maybe. Does that sound surprising or. No?

Danielle Robay (11:11)

No.

Brie Larson (11:11)

Yeah.

Danielle Robay (11:11)

But I. I don't know. I like that it's matching what my vision of you would be.

Brie Larson (11:16)

Okay. That's good.

Courtney McBroom (11:16)

Yeah.

Danielle Robay (11:17)

I think when you act, Bree, one of the things that I notice is that it's almost like you're part of this old school way of acting that I miss. Like, you. You have these really simple gestures that almost let somebody in before the dialogue, and there's this silence that you use sometimes, and you're, like, asking the audience to meet you halfway.

Brie Larson (11:41)

That's important to me. Thanks for noticing.

Danielle Robay (11:43)

Yeah, it's palpable, but it's very understated. And so when I was thinking of Bri as a party person, I was like, I wonder what kind of party person she is. So it's cool for me to learn that you can be an understated party person.

Brie Larson (11:58)

Oh, yeah, of course you can. Yeah. Yeah. That's kind of the point of this book. I mean, and what you're saying, if part of what I'm getting at with my work is, like, the meeting of halfway, I want to make work that I'm not necessarily presenting what it's supposed to be or what a conclusion is. I mean, I have my own path and my own thoughts about it, but really, I'm trying to offer up questions for somebody else to think about. That's what art is for me. That's why press tours for movies are hard for me, because people go, what do you want people to get out? I'm like, I don't know what I Want people to get out of it. Just you tell me what you got out of it, and hopefully you got something and not, you know, wanting your money back. But that's all really. And so that's part of, you know, I think for some people, like, oh, how does somebody like that then make a cookbook? And what's the point? And for me, it's exactly the same. It's offering questions, it's saying, here's an outline for you of something that you can do that you get to make your own. In the same way that I want Captain Marvel to be made its own for somebody else in their life. So it's all the same. All of it is like me making art that's trying in different angles and in different ways to get people to congregate, gather together, question life and existence, be in communion. Like all of that.

Danielle Robay (13:10)

Yeah. And that gathering feels more important now than ever. I remember reading an article that went viral, and it was like the end of partying, and I guess people were partying, whatever. Like, that broad strokes means 70% less than we were before. And so I'm kind of wondering if there's this gathering aspect that you were getting to also, that there's, like, a different way to gather.

Courtney McBroom (13:38)

Absolutely. Like that. Like, the whole reason we wrote this book is because I think we all. We notice that. We notice how separate the world is feeling right now and how lonely the world is right now and how everyone's, like, staying home by themselves, like, just on their phones and. Well, yes, a party of one is very important, and you need. Everyone needs alone time. It's also really important to gather with your friends, gather with your family, your chosen family, whatever that is, and to, like, see, look each other in the eye and be like, no, we're in this together. Like, we support each other like this.

Brie Larson (14:11)

There's.

Courtney McBroom (14:12)

We have hard times. We have good times, and we just need to be there for each other through all of it. And I think the best way, and I think Bri agrees, the best way to do that is over a table full of delicious food.

Brie Larson (14:24)

Yeah. And I think parties, if I can just get on a soapbox for a second, they're deeper. They're deeper to me than just, like, let's have a toga party and get drunk, which has its place in the world. Don't get me wrong. I've attended those, had great times, great memories at those. But I think that parties are also opportunities to try different things on in the same way that I get the opportunity to try on different versions of myself when I play characters. Being a host is like, if you're not used to being a leader in your life, that's a really incredible moment to. It's very vulnerable. Inviting people into your home. It's very vulnerable saying, this is what I've made. This is what I've made of my life. It's deep. And also, let's not forget that some people are just like, oh, don't. Oh, it's nothing. Oh, it's nothing. Oh yeah, I made this beautiful thing. Oh, it's nothing. Or it's my birthday, but don't sing happy birthday. I'm like, can we talk about how were doing that and why? If that's like a conclusion you've come to that you're very comfortable with and you've thought it through and that's just you happy travels to you on that. But I think a lot of people are living their life with burnout, working extremely hard and they're not feeling like they have the time or the space to say, hey, I did something cool that I'd like to celebrate. And allowing your friends to be like, oh my God, we'll come over right now. What can we bring? Those are really important moments. And I think it's hard to do in a workplace. It might be hard to do if you're dating or in a relationship, but a party is a place where you can try on some of these things and it should feel easy. It should feel like maybe a little nervous thing that you can get over because a party will end.

Danielle Robay (16:00)

I have never thought of that. That's brilliant. I planned a birthday party for an ex boyfriend. It was his 30th birthday years ago and it was the first party I'd ever planned. And I felt so proud after because it was so much work. I had gone into something totally new and I never understood what that feeling was till you just shared.

Brie Larson (16:19)

Yeah, I'm sure now you can think about it and realize a lot of things that it's. Now that we've had this book out in the world, there are certain questions that we get asked basically every single day. And they all, when you boil it down, come into this like vulnerability of self. And that is an amazing thing. And that's part of why we made this book is to be like, if that's like getting in touch with your vulnerability is like my full time job. Like that's what I love to do. And so if this can be another pathway for people to kind of take some steps in a direction of Understanding themselves and then getting to know the people around them. That's kind of what brings us all together in touch with ourselves, makes us in touch with others.

Danielle Robay (17:02)

Yes.

Courtney McBroom (17:02)

Yeah. And if you're cooking in particular, you're giving a part of yourself to people and, like, watching them eat it, like, I always get. I don't care how many times I've made something, anytime I cook something and feed it to someone else, I'm just, like, in the wings, just, like, watching and being like, are they smiling after their first bite? Like, how do they like it? And it is extremely vulnerable. Like, it's so, like, from your heart. Like, if you're doing it right, you're giving it from your heart, you know.

Danielle Robay (17:29)

It'S made with love for a reason. So the universality of this. I want to touch on that because the epigraph of this book says something that you mentioned earlier, which is, this book is for anyone who's ever felt like they weren't invited. I read that and I kind of exhaled because I think that is everybody. We've all not been invited. And the more that I live in la, the more I realize that, like, Hollywood is high school and there are still people that are not invited. It's wild. And I. I think the book is so playful, but that's actually kind of a very profound, sweet, soulful message. When you wrote that, were you guys thinking of a particular experience or just touching on the universality of that?

Courtney McBroom (18:13)

I mean, I always feel like I'm not invited. There's always something happening that I'm, like, I wasn't invited. And I think that is universal. You know, it's universal. You know, when you're feeling that. That, like, okay, this is something that literally everyone feels, and that's okay. And, like, I think it's okay to not be invited. Just because you're not invited to something doesn't mean you're not loved. Doesn't mean you're not liked. Sometimes that's just.

Brie Larson (18:40)

Sometimes not getting invited is a godsend.

Courtney McBroom (18:42)

Yeah, that too.

Brie Larson (18:43)

You know, what is that? God's rejection is God's protection or something? Something like that. You know, it's so real. And, like, I don't. I literally don't get invited to things as well. Like, everybody has that. But I think it's more universal, too, in that this book is an invitation for the people that don't think that this is for them. It's part of why in the archetypes, we include the Party pooper, because people love to skirt out of this Conversation by being like, I don't really like parties. I'm like, there is a party that you like. I don't love going to a super club. If I go to a place where the music's really loud and I can't have a conversation, that's not the kind of party that I want. But I have friends that love that kind of party. Like, that's their. That is like their outlet. And so there is something for everybody. And we're just here making a book offering up a different way of looking at it.

Danielle Robay (19:32)

This is so cool for me to hear because at first glance, the book is so much fun, but there's actually a lot more depth here too. Mm.

Courtney McBroom (19:42)

We really thought about it a lot.

Danielle Robay (19:44)

I can tell. I really can. Yeah.

Brie Larson (19:47)

There's tips and there's essays, and there's so much more in this than just recipes. And that was on purpose that the recipes are part of the tips. It's like the recipes are the way to make this easier so that you, as the host, get to enjoy the party too. And these are the easier ways. These are easier recipes to do. Like doing a roast or a casserole for a sit down dinner is just fundamentally easier than trying to do fried chicken for five people. And here's how to do that.

Danielle Robay (20:14)

I would never know that. That's good.

Brie Larson (20:16)

Yeah.

Danielle Robay (20:16)

So that's.

Brie Larson (20:16)

You're exactly. I know because I did it. I have people over and I thought, oh, I'm gonna do a fried chicken night. And I was in the K over a vat of oil the whole night and was like, oh, I guess this is a kitchen party. Which is everyone's going to come to the kitchen, which is fun. It's just. It's not the same thing as a sit down dinner. Because that's. It was hard for me as one person frying chicken for six people to get it all out at the same time. So here's an easier way to do it.

Courtney McBroom (20:39)

Yeah, absolutely. And also, we note which things could be made in advance. So, like, you can make it the day before or three days before. So, like, on the day of, you're not stuck in the kitchen the whole time. You can actually just throw the casserole in the oven and you're good because you already made it. You're just reheating it.

Danielle Robay (20:55)

It's almost like I'm learning from your party fails.

Brie Larson (20:58)

Of course. What is all wisdom if not that?

Courtney McBroom (21:02)

Yeah, I have decades of party fails in my belt at this point.

Danielle Robay (21:15)

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Danielle Robay (26:01)

So you are party people. We're a book club. If you guys were throwing a book club party, set the stage for me. What are we eating for appetizers? What music is playing? Give me the vibes.

Brie Larson (26:14)

Okay, okay. Um, I'm gonna say first, I'm thinking, is this day or night? I'm almost thinking that this is kind of a day to night kind of situation.

Courtney McBroom (26:26)

Yeah, like a late afternoon on a Sunday.

Brie Larson (26:29)

Yeah, I see that. I also feel like you could make this a window in time. Like this doesn't have to be. Everyone arrives at 6 o'. Clock. Unless this is a book club discussion, which we've also had. We've thrown that party as well. We had a book club for a specific book. And every chapter each week we'd meet up and discuss it. That was very fun.

Courtney McBroom (26:46)

That was.

Brie Larson (26:47)

But I'm thinking of this as just together to read. Like, be that coziness where you're in the same room but you're not doing the same thing. I'm thinking it's like day to night, but you're going to end probably early evening. I'm immediately thinking our pizza pockets.

Courtney McBroom (27:01)

Absolutely. Pizza pockets. Maybe some of the jalapeno poppers.

Brie Larson (27:07)

Yep. I like that too.

Courtney McBroom (27:08)

Those are delicious. I think a casserole for sure.

Brie Larson (27:12)

Casserole for later in the evening. Maybe some. I. It's. This isn't in the book because you don't need a recipe for it. But I love bar snacks. Like just like those little picky things, crunchy things. Have some of that out. Maybe like our. Maybe like a dip.

Courtney McBroom (27:23)

Yeah.

Brie Larson (27:25)

Like the buffalo cauliflower dip, maybe. And then for decor, I would do lots of blankets. Like as many blankets as I have in the house. This would be me running around, going through every closet, finding every spare blanket I have that I've stashed because I'm. I am a girl. Okay. There's a blanket on me in every room. Yeah.

Courtney McBroom (27:43)

This is a cozy, cold, cozy party.

Brie Larson (27:46)

If I had time and a bit of a budget, I might just order a big pack of like, fuzzy socks for everybody that they could wear and everybody gets a different color. That's fun music. She's the playlist queen, so.

Courtney McBroom (27:58)

But I think if it's going to be like a book club where we're reading and being cozy, then like, like soft, like almost like classical music, atmospheric. And you know what else would be cool, is like bookmarks. Like, maybe it's like everyone gets a blank bookmark and they can, like, draw on it or do whatever with whatever. They could do whatever they want with it.

Brie Larson (28:15)

Yeah, I see. They could have like a light craft moment.

Courtney McBroom (28:18)

Yeah, a light craft moment moment.

Danielle Robay (28:20)

Exactly.

Brie Larson (28:21)

Yep. Journals are welcome. Books are welcome.

Courtney McBroom (28:23)

Yeah. Everyone brings their favorite book. And then maybe like beforehand everyone's like, says, this is the book I'm reading. This is what it's about. And then after everyone's like, this is what I learned from the book. Or I liked it or I didn't like it or whatever. Like a quick just like five minute discussion.

Brie Larson (28:39)

We didn't talk about drinks. That's the only other Thing. I mean, I'm so biased, and I'm like, party people, punch forever. Yeah. It's so nice because it goes. I feel like that can be day or night. And also, you can add fizz or not. And you can add alcohol or not. Yeah, it's perfect. So it's kind of a good basic.

Courtney McBroom (28:54)

Slide, too, which we haven't done yet, shockingly, because I'm feeling like this is like, a cozy fall book club moment.

Brie Larson (28:59)

You're talking about heating it up. Heating.

Courtney McBroom (29:01)

I knew you were gonna say like a cider. Like a hot cider.

Brie Larson (29:03)

Hot punch.

Courtney McBroom (29:04)

Yeah, I feel like it would be good.

Brie Larson (29:06)

I'm down to try that later.

Courtney McBroom (29:07)

Yeah, let's do.

Brie Larson (29:08)

Okay.

Danielle Robay (29:09)

I just understood in the last two minutes how you guys became friends. You rip off of each other.

Brie Larson (29:14)

Yes.

Danielle Robay (29:15)

So beautifully. Did you meet on the set of Lessons in Chemistry?

Courtney McBroom (29:19)

No, we were friends for, like, years before that.

Brie Larson (29:22)

Probably like eight years before, and throwing.

Courtney McBroom (29:24)

Parties together the whole time. And so when. When Bri started doing Lessons in Chemistry, she was like, hey, I think you might actually. She's like, I'm looking for someone to help with the food. And I think you're actually the perfect.

Brie Larson (29:34)

Person, because she was the one. Even though she had never done it before. I knew that she.

Courtney McBroom (29:37)

Because my love for vintage cookbooks.

Danielle Robay (29:39)

Yeah.

Courtney McBroom (29:39)

And just. And it was great. It was so fun, and it was.

Brie Larson (29:42)

A very important role. Like, her role in this. In Lessons in Chemistry meant so much. It was the first time I had to think outside of the normal ways that you express a character, outside of just, like, my emotions, which is hair, makeup, wardrobe, maybe their apartment or their house, and then, like, their car, which sometimes. It depends. Sometimes you don't even have control over that. Somebody else does that stuff for you. They just let you know what the house will look like. But because I was a producer and developed this from the beginning, I had a lot of. I had a lot of say in how everything was ideating, and I knew that the food was such an important part of the book, and it's such an important visual representation of who she is. And I knew that Courtney would nail it. And that's why we have this book is working together, realizing how much we enjoyed it and how we could. We enjoy riffing off of each other. And also, when there's moments of chaos and we don't have a moment to talk, I. We fully trust each other to make the decision, like, never had a moment where either one of us had made a choice, and we're like, oh, I wouldn't have done that same. We're the same. So it makes things really perfect and easy, and we just enjoy. We've always enjoyed hosting. We throw really weird, funny parties. We love cooking. We have great friends. So all of that felt like we should. If we can figure out how to put this together in a book that feels like cohesive and make sense and worth entering into the world in a world of so much content, then we should do it. And that's brought us here.

Danielle Robay (31:13)

You mentioned that the food is almost like another character in Lessons in Chemistry. How did working on that show change your relationship with food?

Brie Larson (31:24)

Well, I loved cooking before, which is part of why I wanted to make the show in the first place and understood the power of it and the empowering nature of it. But the main thing that shifted for me after that show is I became Elizabeth, my character in the book and in the show. She makes these really gorgeous lunches for her daughter, and they're very precise and luscious and gorgeous, and they look great in real life because Courtney made them. And what inspired me from that is I realized that one of the things that's very difficult for me on set is how little control I have over basically any aspect of my life. I'm playing another character. I'm not wearing the clothes that I necessarily want to wear when I want to wear them. I don't wake up at the time that I want. I don't go to bed at a time that I want. I can't go to the bathroom sometimes at the time that I want. Everything is in service of this character, and I'm so happy to do it. I'm here to be of service, but you lose touch with yourself. And so I was very used to, like, okay, for five months, Bree's on the back burner, and then I'll take a break afterwards, and I'll, like, rediscover who Bri is now. That's still part of it. But I realized that if I make myself a lunch, I pack a lunch for myself. It's like a part of me is calling back to me. And I've been trying, as I'm getting older, to actually be in character for as little as possible. When I was more starting out and felt like I had so much to prove, I just didn't know how to go in and out of character when I did Room, I didn't know how to go in and out, and it. It really wrecked me. It was not a correct way to do it. I didn't go to school for any of this. So, you know, I didn't know. I didn't have technique. And so something as simple as a sensory lunch that just. You open it up and it's like a gift for yourself, and you're like, oh, yeah, that's me. It really helps. It really grounds me, and it's become a very big part of my life. So thank you, Elizabeth. Thank you, Bonnie, for that.

Danielle Robay (33:15)

It's sense memory, but I would have never even thought of that.

Brie Larson (33:18)

I hadn't either, you know, and it's. It's interesting how as you get older, and I think party is actually part of that, too, which is it's. Or waking up early and exercising. There are certain things in your life that you're like, well, that's more effort. That shouldn't give me enough to make me want to do it. It's like, I'm already at my limit. I'm not waking up early to exercise, and I'm like, dang. But it actually makes me feel better to do it. Same with the lunch. It's like, oh, man. Sometimes you're like, oh, I don't want to get out of bed. But I know that if I, like, do even the simplest thing, I make kitchari in my instant pot, and I have that for lunch the next day. I'm so grateful to myself that I did that, because it's way easier for me to go the extra mile for everybody else in my life for the project that I'm on, than it is for me to do it for myself. And I'm trying my best to notice how I can put myself first. That's something we were talking earlier about. Untamed. It's something that Glennon Doyle taught me. I don't even remember the situation, but I remember I called her. I was having, like, a difficult time, and I said something like, I'm just worried about letting people down. And she said, oh, honey, you have to let down as many people as possible every day so that you don't let down yourself. And I was like, what? And that's what some of this stuff is. That's what making a lunch for myself is. Not that I'm letting anybody down by making myself lunch, but it's a way of putting myself first.

Danielle Robay (34:39)

I totally understand what you mean. And I think there's also this element of hosting that in history felt like it was a woman's job. It was required. And I think your book is flipping it on its head, which is. It's actually empowerment, when you think about it this way.

Courtney McBroom (34:59)

Yeah.

Brie Larson (34:59)

Yeah, it can be. Or it's at least an option. Like, sometimes I'm empowered by delivery, and sometimes empowered. I'm empowered making food. You know, it's just like freedom of choice.

Courtney McBroom (35:08)

I'm empowered by delivery a lot.

Brie Larson (35:10)

Yeah, we're empowered by frozen pizza. It's all of it, but it's like not letting any of it rule your life completely. And, like, if the book. We talk about it early on in the book. If all the book does is inspire you to throw a party where you just order pizza, then we did our job. Like, it doesn't have to be that. You have to do it our way and, like, make our recipes. It's more of just giving you a general feeling.

Courtney McBroom (35:33)

Yes, we want to inspire people to party.

Danielle Robay (35:36)

It sounds so simple, but it's actually not because of the vulnerability aspect.

Courtney McBroom (35:41)

Yes, absolutely.

Danielle Robay (35:43)

The recipes in the book are really fun, and I think the. The tone matches it. It's like, subversive and funny and warm. It feels very YouTube. Now that I'm sitting here with you, how did you develop a cohesive voice? Like, talk to me about the collabor. Were you writing separately and then coming together?

Brie Larson (36:05)

The writing is like a lot of us sending voice notes back and forth. Yeah, really.

Courtney McBroom (36:10)

Like, I. I did most of the writing because I'm a food writer and, like, have written cookbooks before.

Danielle Robay (36:15)

Yeah.

Courtney McBroom (36:15)

But so many voice notes where Bri, like, would talk about how Ritz crackers are the new croissants of America.

Brie Larson (36:20)

Basically, Ritz crackers are America's croissant. I was like, in the bath. I was doing a play in London. Or, like, you know, I'm filming on other jobs and I would be like, in the bath where I do all my best work. And I was like, like, Courtney, I've realized that we need to stand for the Ritz Cracker. Ritz cracker is America's croissant. It was like an 8 minute voice note about it, and she would just save all of these and be like, okay, well, I'm definitely writing an essay about that.

Danielle Robay (36:41)

Or can you please release that voice note on social?

Courtney McBroom (36:46)

I have it on my phone. It's definitely there.

Brie Larson (36:48)

That's. Yeah. We could be like Taylor Swift. Like, release things from the vault.

Courtney McBroom (36:52)

We actually should. That'd be hilarious sessions, because that's so funny. Yeah. But usually what I'll do is, like, I go into, like, a fugue state and I'm just like, at the computer, I'm like. And then get it into a place and I'll send it to Breen like, hey, do you agree with this? And she's like, yeah. And then you'll be like, oh, change this part. I didn't mean it that way. Or, like, whatever it is, it was really easy. Like, we didn't. There was literally no point in the making of this book where we really disagreed on anything from the writing to the photos to the fonts, all of it. We were, like, very much aligned.

Danielle Robay (37:23)

Writing recipes feels so hard, and you're balancing being precise while also allowing for, like, the perfection of imperfectness. What do you think is the trickiest part of the development process in writing recipes?

Brie Larson (37:37)

Interesting.

Courtney McBroom (37:39)

I think, honestly, letting it go. So at some point, like, I will rack my brain about, okay, this baked in 30 minutes in my oven. But, like, like, everyone has different ovens, and so there's only so much I can do. You know, someone else might have an oven that bakes in 20 minutes. And so me being like, okay, the recipe is written. I've tested it as many times as I can. It's been tested by other people as well. And now it's in the book, it's out in the world, and someone in Minnesota is going to make it in. In their oven that may or may not be the same as mine. And I just have to trust that a. They'll be like, oh, it's actually been 20 minutes, but this is done. And they're not gonna be like, whoever wrote this recipe is awful at their job. Like, that's my biggest fear is are the recipes not working? So, like, just letting that part go, like, you can't account for every single different thing.

Danielle Robay (38:30)

You know, I've never thought of that. That is very difficult.

Courtney McBroom (38:33)

Oh, that's all I think about.

Brie Larson (38:34)

Yeah. I mean, because we've been there. It's also like, remember when we baked the casserole in Big Bear, and it was like, a different elevation, and so it, like, cooked at a different time, and you're just like, oh, my God, this is our recipe that we've cooked a billion times. But, like, depending on the climate, I mean, that's the deal.

Courtney McBroom (38:51)

Or like, the things like, heat this over medium low. Like, what's my medium low versus this person's medium low? Like, ah, it's wild.

Danielle Robay (39:01)

Yeah. There's only so much you can.

Courtney McBroom (39:02)

There's only so much you can do.

Danielle Robay (39:04)

So recently, I learned that people read cookbooks as books. And per my therapist, when I feel critical, I get curious instead. Because I was like, who's reading a cookbook? And then I open your cookbook and I'm like, oh, I get it. This is a book book. It's filled with memories and feelings and pictures and fun. Did you intend that?

Courtney McBroom (39:28)

Yes, very much so.

Brie Larson (39:29)

Yep.

Courtney McBroom (39:30)

Because, like, how else. Yes, cookbooks full of recipes are fun, but, like, we really wanted people to, like, like, get to know us and understand why we wrote the book, why we created the book, and it's for so many reasons. And you're not going to get that. You're not going to get that just by reading just straight recipes. Like, we wanted to include the personal essays, the introduction, like, how we got here, why we're doing it. It's all so important. And beyond, like, the essays and like the introduction, we also included fun games, like, are you a party person quiz? And like, the party people archetypes. And like, the pledge that everyone should sign when they see that they are a party person. We wanted it to be fun and interact beyond just a cookbook.

Brie Larson (40:10)

And some of it, like, having a quiz where you should feel free to actually circle yes or no was part of the beginning of encouragement that, like, if you're using this book right, it's gonna get messy. Like, you're gonna spill something on it. You're gonna maybe tape a photograph in it from your own party dog ear. The things that you've done do little check marks, like, do, like, let it live with you. Let it be. We wanted it to feel like a scrapbook of our last 10 years of throwing parties together. And now it can be yours, where you can add on to it.

Danielle Robay (40:38)

That's really fun. So before we head to break, I want to ask you what you've bookmarked this week. It can be a text that you've sent each other, an Instagram quote. What have you bookmarked? What's on your mind?

Brie Larson (40:52)

I bookmarked a DM that we got from Ritz Crackers, where they have fully acknowledged themselves as America's croissant.

Danielle Robay (41:03)

So amazing.

Brie Larson (41:05)

I'm feeling pretty good about that.

Courtney McBroom (41:08)

That is really good.

Danielle Robay (41:09)

That's.

Courtney McBroom (41:09)

That's a good one. I didn't bookmark it this week, but I do want to bring up. You mentioned Nora Ephron.

Danielle Robay (41:15)

Yeah.

Courtney McBroom (41:15)

And I have been rereading Heartburn, and I love her. The way that she writes. I love how she. It's like a. It's a great story. But she also includes recipes in such a nonchalant way, like the way that she writes about mashed potatoes in it. That didn't happen this week. But, like, in the past few weeks, I have been rereading.

Danielle Robay (41:33)

It.

Courtney McBroom (41:34)

And it's It's a book that I go to all the time. It's one of my favorites.

Danielle Robay (41:47)

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Danielle Robay (46:44)

Bri, you've said before that you love disappearing into a character, but as you mentioned this book is inviting people into you, to your life. Were you nervous at all to show a different side of yourself?

Brie Larson (47:00)

Oh, of course. You know, I am a risk taker, and when I have that feeling of like, oh, this is really vulnerable, this is kind of scary, I'm like, oh, that's where I want to go. I. I get kind of. Things get stale to me very quickly. It's why, like, I like to jump between genres and play really varied characters. So this isn't that different in that world for me. I think that I'm just now at a place now that I have the ability later in my career to have the opportunity to develop my own things. Like, Lessons in Chemistry was really one of the first things that I, like, developed all the way through, and that took, like, three years of my life. And it was like, how was it.

Danielle Robay (47:43)

Your first time doing it? It was so good.

Brie Larson (47:46)

Producing something, like, it was excellent. Thank you. Thank you. I'm just kind of of, you know, I'm just really focused. Like, I get really tunneled in on something that matters to me, and I just will work 16 hour days. And, you know, Courtney and I are very much the same. It's also part of why it's work so well is because we both, like, are maybe to others, like, caring about details that we don't quote, unquote, like, need to carry care about, but we do. And it's like, all of it matters. I'm more of the mind that, like, like, if these things don't matter, then nothing matters. And, like, I can't go there. It's like, this is my life, and I really care a lot. So this time in my life, I've been more interested in developing. I felt like Lessons in Chemistry was also very exposing, and the lows are really low for something that you're making yourself, but they're also really high. Like, when we got all of our Emmy nominations, it was like, out of this world, happiness, because you know how much work went into it, not just for myself, but everyone else around. And so similarly with this cookbook, it's like, okay, I'm asking people to see me in a completely different arena, to trust me in this arena, which I don't take lightly at all. And I don't think anybody who's like, why the heck is she doing this? I mean, fair, fair, you know, But I know that I. I know where I'm coming from, and I know that this is, like, one of the truer forms of myself. So, you know, the risk is worth it. To me. And I also have felt like, for the longest time, like, if I think about the women that really inspired me, they weren't the ones that did everything per. Like, there's nobody I can think of that's done it all perfectly, but they're the ones who tried really hard and cared a lot. Like, care an embarrassing amount, and I just. Care an embarrassing amount. Yeah.

Danielle Robay (49:34)

Care an embarrassing amount is such a good mantra.

Courtney McBroom (49:38)

Yeah. And I'll just add to that. Like, we've had this conversation before where we're like, like, okay, the book's about to come out. It's like, we're gonna find out if people like it or not. And, you know, I keep saying, like, if for some reason it doesn't do well, it will not be from a lack of trying on our part. And I think, you know, when you make something from your heart and put it out into the world, it's not yours anymore. It's the world's. And it's. It really feels like you just. Like you're just walking around with all your skin peeled off. You just feel so exposed, and you're like, ah. But, like, to be brave enough to do that, Anyone who does that, anyone who creates anything, whether it's books, movies, paintings, music, food, it's one of the bravest things anyone can do. And I think it's beautiful. So I'm proud of us.

Danielle Robay (50:27)

It's Brene Brown's man in the arena, which is really Teddy Roosevelt, but she repopularized it.

Brie Larson (50:33)

Yeah, it's absolutely that.

Danielle Robay (50:35)

That.

Brie Larson (50:35)

And you learn so much about yourself, and, like, what am I going to do? Live my life being like, oh, I don't want to do the thing that. That makes me wake up excited in the morning because I'm worried that, like, yeah, someone's going to be crabby about it a year from now? Like, definitely not.

Danielle Robay (50:48)

No.

Brie Larson (50:49)

You know, every party in life. Yeah, exactly.

Danielle Robay (50:52)

You.

Courtney McBroom (50:53)

You get it.

Danielle Robay (50:55)

Courtney. Bri called you the. The playlist queen. And you have these really cool Spotify playlists for different foods, like jalapeno poppers, chocolate cake, Crab Rangoon. I don't even know what Crab Rangoon is.

Brie Larson (51:09)

Oh, about that.

Danielle Robay (51:12)

Yes. I'm gonna name some dishes and party people, and I want you to tell me which song matches the vibe.

Courtney McBroom (51:19)

Oh, okay. Wow.

Danielle Robay (51:20)

This is probably the hardest question.

Brie Larson (51:22)

Wow. Okay, let's do this.

Courtney McBroom (51:25)

Might need a shot of espresso or vodka.

Brie Larson (51:27)

Okay.

Courtney McBroom (51:28)

Yeah.

Danielle Robay (51:28)

Or party people punch. Okay. Ritz cake. Ritz. Excuse me. Ritz crackers.

Courtney McBroom (51:33)

Putting on the Ritz Putting on the Ritz.

Danielle Robay (51:35)

Right.

Brie Larson (51:36)

Perfect.

Danielle Robay (51:36)

Vitamin C salad.

Courtney McBroom (51:38)

Oh, isn't their song by Can? Vitamin C?

Brie Larson (51:42)

We remember that was a singer.

Courtney McBroom (51:45)

Vitamin C. Oh, but what about that? There's a song by can called Vitamin C. It's like, that's exactly how it goes.

Danielle Robay (51:57)

Both of you, that was phenomenal. Cheesy Jenga bread.

Courtney McBroom (52:02)

Something about games.

Brie Larson (52:03)

I was thinking, like, upside down. Boy, you turn me. Like, something more, like, kind of giving the top secret.

Courtney McBroom (52:09)

Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Brie Larson (52:10)

I've learned from Courtney. Just, like, lean to the pun of it.

Courtney McBroom (52:13)

Yeah.

Brie Larson (52:14)

That's what the playlist is like.

Courtney McBroom (52:15)

My love is like a roller coaster. Is that a song Swimming.

Brie Larson (52:20)

Right.

Danielle Robay (52:20)

It's your song.

Courtney McBroom (52:23)

Bree should just do all. I can't sing. Bri has a really good voice, so we'll just. But it's true.

Danielle Robay (52:29)

I'm getting glimpses of it. I love it. Okay. Dueling roast chickens.

Courtney McBroom (52:35)

What about, like, the theme song, Doroki?

Brie Larson (52:37)

I was thinking the same thing. Yeah.

Danielle Robay (52:40)

Good. Okay, my last question is about connection and parties, because I went to a party one time, and they had note cards on the table. So the host asked everybody to email them a fun fact ahead of time, and she wrote them on the note cards with their name on the other side of the note card, and they were laying on the table with the fun facts. And as everybody entered, they had to choose one, and you had to find that person at the party, and it made. I know. It made sure that you would connect with at least one new person and talk to them. And honestly, we all ended up talking to so many people because you had to find out by the fun facts. Is this yours? Is this yours? So my question for you is, when have you felt most connected at a party? Party.

Courtney McBroom (53:26)

You know that feeling? Like, at the end, like, say, like, you're sitting at a dinner table and the food is all finished, and, like, the plates are still there. It's like a messy table. And, like, you just kind of, like, everyone's had, like, a couple drinks. Everyone's full. And, like, technically, the night's over, but everyone's still lingering. And there's just, like, that energy in there that you can't really describe. You can feel it. And everyone's just like, yeah, and this. And, like, laughing and telling jokes, and people are just on.

Brie Larson (53:53)

Like.

Courtney McBroom (53:53)

Like, that happens all the time, you know? Like, so it's not just, like, one party where there was, like, one thing that happened, but just. I feel like the natural progression almost always leads to that. It's like the end of the Night feeling where it's done. But it's almost just getting started in a way.

Danielle Robay (54:10)

You know, you can't leave early because you got to get to that point.

Courtney McBroom (54:13)

Exactly.

Danielle Robay (54:14)

I love that.

Brie Larson (54:16)

Similar to the example you gave, I went to a wedding where they had a pre party. It was like a destination wedding. And when you got your name card, it had another person's name on the back. And so you would put the person's name on you so that they would come find you. And then when they found you, you would take the card out and in it, it had a conversation start. It was like, hey, I really want you guys to talk about. And mine was like, this woman. And it was like, bree, talk about how your favorite food is baked potatoes and caviar. And this woman was like, that's my favorite food. And it was just such a sweet way of making this. I think it was like 150 people at this wedding feel small and get you talking about something that's different than just like, where do you work? Oh, how do you know them? You know, the bride and the groom, like, those are all the typical things. And it kind of kicked it off by being like, we really want people to connect here. And it was such a smart way of doing it. It made a fun little scavenger hunt. Everybody was looking for each other. It was also a self expression party. So you got to dress up in whatever you wanted. Whatever made you feel like you is what you wore to the party. I feel like weddings and I, you know, my mom does weddings, so I know, like, it's something that she really talks about and works towards all the time is like making it about the people and about the love. And that was a great way of setting it up so that it went that direction.

Courtney McBroom (55:44)

I was just at a wedding too, Our friend Aaron's and Liz's wedding, and they stood up and it was a tiny wedding. There's like 20 people. Instead of us toasting them, they toasted each of us. Like, they had everyone stand up and they said, like, the thing, the reason why you're here, why we love you so much. It was really special and cool, and we got to hear cool things about each and every person who attended the wedding. It was so lovely. It was.

Danielle Robay (56:08)

I love tearjerkers.

Brie Larson (56:10)

Yeah.

Danielle Robay (56:12)

Okay, one more game for you. It's called speed read. So we're gonna put 60 seconds on the clock and see how many rapid fire literary questions we can get through.

Brie Larson (56:21)

Okay.

Danielle Robay (56:24)

Is there a literary feast from fiction, memoir, or mythology that you'd Love to.

Courtney McBroom (56:28)

Recreate in real life Hunter S. Thompson's favorite breakfast.

Brie Larson (56:34)

I'm trying to think of what I've read recently that has a meal in it that I would want to eat. I just remember reading, like, Tropic of Cancer, like, Henry Miller, and he, like, I feel like he talks about, like, butter for, like, six pages, and it, like, opened my world. I was like, oh, you can really spend time, like, really digging into, like, food and the details of food and, like, the luxury of food.

Danielle Robay (56:59)

Okay. One literary trope that you would ban forever.

Brie Larson (57:02)

I'm really just over, like, this. Female characters being broken but beautiful when it's like, oh, she's beautiful, but she doesn't know it.

Courtney McBroom (57:11)

Yeah. I was gonna say also along that same line, female characters being angry and crazy.

Brie Larson (57:18)

Yeah.

Danielle Robay (57:18)

Yeah. Is there a book that shaped the way you see the world?

Brie Larson (57:22)

So many.

Danielle Robay (57:23)

Geez.

Courtney McBroom (57:23)

Oh, the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.

Brie Larson (57:26)

Wow.

Courtney McBroom (57:27)

Is that how you say it?

Brie Larson (57:28)

Yeah.

Courtney McBroom (57:28)

That's changed my life.

Brie Larson (57:29)

Well, I mean, I brought it up earlier, but now it's just, like, so top of mind, but, like, untamed. Really did. Yeah.

Danielle Robay (57:35)

Okay, last one. What's your red flag? Reading habit.

Courtney McBroom (57:39)

I will skip, like, long descriptions and just read the. Just read the stuff in the quote. Sometimes I'm like, I don't need to know all that. That's why I love Hemingway. He's, like, very clear and concise.

Brie Larson (57:51)

I don't like to watch trailers or read the descriptions of books before I read them. I just want to be handed them and be surprised. But I want to know nothing about what it is.

Danielle Robay (58:00)

So you choose it by its cover?

Brie Larson (58:01)

I either choose it by its cover or recommendation.

Danielle Robay (58:03)

Oh, I love that.

Brie Larson (58:04)

But I don't want to know anything about it.

Danielle Robay (58:12)

Okay. I have never considered myself a party person until now. I am part of the party people. Yes, you are. Courtney. Brie. Thank you. Thank you so much. I think you're bringing us so much joy at a time when we need it.

Brie Larson (58:23)

Thank you very much.

Courtney McBroom (58:24)

Thank you. Thank you for having us. This was so fun.

Danielle Robay (58:31)

And if you want a little bit more from us, come hang with us on socials. We're at Reese's Book Club on Instagram, serving up books, vibes, and behind the scenes magic. And I'm Danielle Robay. R O B A Y. Come say hi and DM me. And if you want to go 90s on us, call us. Okay. Our phone line is open, so call now at 1-501-291-3379. That's 1 501-291-3379. Share your literary hot takes, book recommendations, questions about the monthly pick, or let us know what you think about the episode you just heard. And who knows, you might just hear yourself in our next episode. So don't be shy, give us a ring. And of course, make sure to follow Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your shows. Until then, see you in the next chapter. Bookmarked is a production of hello Sunshine and iheart Podcast. It's executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and me, Danielle Rose. Production is by Acast Creative Studios. Our producers are Maddie Foley, Brittany Martinez, Sarah Schlied. Our production assistant is Avery Loftus. Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rutter are the executive producers for Acast Creative Studios. Maureen Polo and Reese Witherspoon are the executive producers for hello Sunshine. Olga Kaminwa, Kristin Perla and Ashley Rapoport are associate producers for Reese's Book Club. Ali Perry and Lauren Hanson are the executive producers for iHeart podcasts. There's something special about sharing a story, and on TikTok, those stories are what connects us. One person's evening reading recommendation can spark the next big fandom. One highlighted quote can make millions of readers feel understood. And one book can ignite conversations that stretch across the world. That's why every day TikTok is more than just book recommendations. It's connection, belonging and discovery, all in a space designed to feel welcoming. If you're looking for your next read and a community to share it with, you'll find it on TikTok. Today's episode is brought to you by Cotton. We spend a lot of time with stories, hours curled up with dynamic plots and characters who feel like friends. What if the story isn't just in your hands, but also in the world around you, in the fabric that's holding you close? Cotton is that timeless companion. Soft sheets for a lazy weekend morning with a book. Breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard. It's the fabric that can be tossed in the wash without fuss. It's about ease, comfort and caring for yourself and the planet. Just like books we cherish, cotton leaves meaning into everyday moments. Next time you settle in for a chapter, slip into something cotton. Not just to read the story, but to feel it. Cotton. The fabric of our lives. Learn more at thefabricofourlives.com@just roll they believe the kitchen is where joy lives with their refrigerated dough. There's no fussy proofing, no hours of waiting, just big smells, big smiles and that first irresistible flaky bite. They do the hard part so you could skip straight to the fun. Just Roll Puff Pastry is made with non GMO high quality ingredients ready to roll with parchment paper straight from the fridge. No thawing, no stress, just golden bakery worthy layers every single time. With just Roll every bake is simple. From savory show stopping appetizers to sweet dessert masterpieces, this is a fresh way to bake. Familiar but better find. Just Roll Puff Pastry in the refrigerated section of your grocery store or visit justroll.com to find a store near you Apple Books is the best way to read or listen to the books you love without a subscription right on your iPhone and a heads up for listeners. Apple Books is the official audiobook and ebook home for Reese's Book Club so you can discover every exciting pick, plus author curated collections and more all in one place. Open the Apple Books app to explore a world of books and audiobooks. You can set and track your reading goals and get great recommendations for your next read or listen. Again, no subscription required. Visit Apple Co Reese that's R E E S E Applebooks to find out more at Hill's Pet Nutrition we know that pet parent guilt is real. Leaving too long, playing too little, New homes, new babies, waking them up when they look so comfy. Running out of patience, running out of treats, running the vacuum. You can only do so much. That's that's why there's Hills Science led nutrition to help you give more love than humanly possible because you're only human. There's Hills Find the right food@hillspet.com ScienceDoesMore this is an iHeart podcast.