Step into the glamorous world of the French Riviera without leaving your home!
Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief, this budget-friendly evening combines a strategic card game, a delicious Pan Bagnat sandwich, and the charm of classic cinema.
All you need is a little imagination to transform into a thief trying to prove your innocence, just like Cary Grant’s John Robie.
The French Riviera at Home
1. The Movie: Watch To Catch a Thief, soaking in the intrigue, humor, and stunning scenery. Or set the mood with French Cafe music.
2. The Sandwich: Enjoy a budget-friendly Pan Bagnat, a classic French sandwich that’s easy to make and big on flavor.
3. The Game: Dive into the DIY Card Game: To Catch a Thief and Prove Your Innocence, to complete the immersive experience.
DIY Card Game: To Catch a Thief
Objective: Remove all 13 Spades (false accusations) from the deck without ever having three Spades in your hand at once.
Setup
1. Cards: Use a standard 54-card deck (52 cards + 2 Jokers).
2. Starting Hand: Deal 5 cards face up. If your hand contains 3 or more Spades, reshuffle and re-deal.
3. Draw Pile: Place the remaining cards in a draw pile.
Rules
1. Card Suit Roles:
Spades: False accusations against John Robie.
Clubs: Witnesses.
Diamonds: Alibis.
Hearts: Physical evidence.
2. On Your Turn:
Draw the top card from the pile.
Your hand can never exceed 7 cards.
If your hand reaches 7 cards:
Group valid combinations to set aside for later use in removing Spades.
If you cannot form combinations or do not have the cards needed to remove High-Value Spades (see below), you lose the game.
3. Removing Spades:
4 Clubs (Witnesses) Remove 1 Spade.
3 Diamonds (Alibis) Remove 1 Spade.
2 Hearts (Physical Evidence) Remove 1 Spade.
Jokers = Wild cards, substituting for Clubs, Diamonds, or Hearts.
4. High-Value Spades:
Ace of Spades: Requires 1 Joker + 1 Witness, 1 Alibis and 1 Physical Evidence (Club, Diamond, Heart).
Jack, Queen, King of Spades:
Use a Joker OR Include a face card of equal or higher rank in the combination. (Face cards ONLY not an ace)
Examples:
To remove the King of Spades, use a Joker or include the King of Clubs, Diamonds, or Hearts in your group.
To remove the Queen of Spades, use a Joker or include the Queen or King of the suit in your group.
5. Special Resource Rules:
3 Clubs can be used as 1 Diamond.
2 Diamonds can be used as 1 Heart.
6. Winning and Losing:
Win: Successfully remove all Spades (False accusations) from the deck.
Lose:
If you hold 3 Spades in your hand at once
OR
If you reach the 7-card limit and cannot make a valid play.
Multiplayer Variant
Players take turns drawing cards and removing Spades.
The game ends when all Spades are removed.
The player who removes the most Spades wins.
Budget-Friendly Pan Bagnat Recipe
Here’s how to create a quick and affordable French sandwich:
Ingredients
1 small baguette or pre-sliced French bread
1 can tuna in olive oil, drained
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
Olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper for dressing
Instructions
1. Brush bread with olive oil dressing.
2. Layer tuna, tomatoes, olives, cucumber, and eggs.
3. Press and wrap for 30 minutes to meld flavors.
Budget Tip: Use toasted pre-sliced bread for convenience and affordability.
The Perfect Evening
Ambiance: Dim the lights, play French jazz, and imagine yourself in a Mediterranean villa.
Game Time: As you play, enjoy the thrill of clearing your name with strategy and wit.
Dinner: Savor the Pan Bagnat alongside sparkling water or a glass of affordable rosé.
It’s a memorable way to escape to the French Riviera without spending a fortune.