Over the past 15 years, “Blue Bloods” has solidified its place as one of television’s most beloved police procedurals. As it approaches its 15th anniversary, it joins the ranks of iconic shows like “CSI,” “Criminal Minds,” and “Law & Order” as one of the longest-running cop dramas. What sets “Blue Bloods” apart is its rich cast of characters and the diverse perspectives on the justice system in New York City. Patriarch Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) offers a political viewpoint as police commissioner, while Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) delves into detective work, Jamie Reagan (Will Estes) walks the beat as a patrol officer, and Erin Reagan (Bridget Moynahan) navigates the District Attorney’s office.
The show creatively presents these varying viewpoints through family dinners, where the Reagans engage in lively discussions about law enforcement issues while sharing a meal. However, Tom Selleck has humorously noted that these dinner scenes can be quite lengthy, telling CBS (via CinemaBlend), “We embrace family dinner; the only problem is it takes 6 to 8 hours, and you have to just keep eating the same old food.”
Bridget Moynahan echoed this sentiment when recalling a particularly challenging filming experience. During a 2022 appearance on “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” she revealed that in the pilot episode, she was faced with an unusual culinary creation.
She had to eat a moo-shu pork calzone.
When asked about her experience, Moynahan recounted how she had no idea “Blue Bloods” would run for 12 seasons. She shared that while discussing family dinner, Ryan asked if there was anything she didn’t want to eat. Without hesitation, she described the peculiar dish she was required to consume on camera.
“There was one time they had a moo-shu pork calzone, which I had never heard of. I had to talk about it on screen, so I had to eat it every single time,” she explained. “And it was early in the series, so those dinner scenes would take about four hours. So, I spent four hours eating a moo-shu pork calzone.” Moynahan candidly added, “That was not good, and I will never do that again. I don’t know why someone came up with that concept; a moo-shu pork calzone shouldn’t exist.”
While fusion cuisine isn’t a new concept and New York City is known for culinary experimentation, the combination of Chinese moo-shu pork with an Italian calzone is a daring choice that didn’t sit well with Moynahan, despite its intriguing premise. The dish may have caught the attention of the “Blue Bloods” catering team, but for the actress, it was a memorable lesson in what not to mix!
