Food Is Important to "GIRLS"

Unlike “Sex and the City,” in which Carrie’s presence at New York’s hottest restaurants was proof of her cool, the food scenes in “GIRLS” largely take place at home. We see Hannah eating Cool Whip straight out of the tub. We see Hannah raiding her parents’ fridge, eating late-night leftover pasta straight out of the Tupperware. We see…a trend, here.

As the season three premiere rolls around this Sunday night, we’re hoping she learns how to use a plate. We’re also looking forward to seeing what she puts on that plate, because it’s usually code for what’s going on with the “GIRLS” characters themselves.

Here are the pivotal roles certain foods have played in the show so far. (And while we could write an entire piece on Adam’s milk consumption, don’t worry. We won’t.)

Best Evidence That Everything Is Not Going to Be Alright: Pasta (S1 E1)
We open the entire series with a mouthful of pasta, which Hannah crams into her mouth without a worry in the world while at dinner with her parents. “Will you two slow down? You’re eating like they’re going to take it away from you,” her mother says. But they are going to take it aware from her. Hannah’s parents deliver the bad news that they’re cutting her off—”We can’t keep covering your groovy lifestyle”—which means no more free pasta. Eat up while you can, Han!

Best Way to Establish Your New Easy-Breezy Attitude: Actually Eat the Wedding Cake (S1 E10)
Finally, after a season of being as tightly wound as a bouquet garni, Marnie lets her hair down a bit. She smiles, she dances, she supports the wacky surprise wedding that’s happening before her, and she not only eats the cake, which no one ever really does, she does this. Free-spirit Marnie, we like you.

Best Proof That You’re the Hostess with the Mostest: Melted Cheese on Pretzels (S2 E1)
We all know cheese is the best party food. (The best-ever food?) Shoshanna knows it, because, as Ray points out, she brought a “bitchin’” cheese plate to Hannah and Elijah’s housewarming party. But the cheese that stole the scene, here, was the melted kind, which all but encased the pretzels Hannah decided to serve in her newfound verve for entertaining. “The cheese got all hard in a good way,” says Hannah. “People will like them,” Elijah replies. And they did.

Best Way to Cut the Tension: Bundt Cake (S2 E4)
There are so many ways in which food is key to this episode: Hannah’s making organic pad thai for her friends, she’s wearing an apron that reads “This Mama Cooks!”, and Charlie’s new girlfriend reveals that she’s starting a mustard company. Nothing beats the Bundt cake, though, that Hannah offers the crowd in hopes of turning things around after they’ve all gone to hell. We’re stealing that move.

Best Prop for Making Everyone Uncomfortable: Porch-to-Table Rabbit (S2 E7)
Hannah and Jessa visit Jessa’s father and his wife, who keeps rabbits on the porch. Rabbits that Hannah pets and snuggles. Rabbits that, later, end up on the dinner table. And the breakfast table. And the lunch table. This is a bit of a problem for Hannah, who avoids eating it and also tries to avoid all the other weirdness that goes on that weekend without success. (For what it’s worth, we’d eat the rabbit.)

Best Reward for Learning an Important Life Decision: Gummy Frogs (S2 E6)
"Aw, Marnie learned another life lesson, how adorable," Ray says. "Want a gummy frog?" Why won’t anyone ever offer that to us?