F E A T U R E S

Come Home with Me
By Don George, Editor
Bahamians go all out for tourism

Riding High
By Cintra Wilson
Our resident enfant terrible does the Kentucky Derby

D E P A R T M E N T S

The Surreal Gourmet
By Bob Blumer
Dinner for Dali:
A palette to delight your palate

Passages:
"My Night of Candomblé"
Bewitched in Brazil
By Christopher Hall
- Books on Brazil
- Getting there

Postmark: Moscow
Every Man a Czar
By Arline Klatte
In Moscow, even schmucks from Detroit can savor Cuban cigars and bed Slavic beauties
- Getting there

Readers' Tips and Tales
Do grocery stores reveal all there is to know about a culture?

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Your virtual travel agency

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L A S T + W E E K

Tuesday April 29

Uzbek low tech
By Doug Fine
If you're big on telephones and such, the nations of Central Asia aren't for you. But if you have an iron stomach, a steel will and a bottle of Cipro, you'll be rewarded with priceless spectacles of ancient history.

A full list of all
Wanderlust articles

                          AN ARTFUL DINNER IN HONOR OF

                                                    SALVADOR DALI'S BIRTHDAY

BY BOB BLUMER | on May 11, 1904, Salvador Dali was born in Figueras, Spain. Forget about the melting watches and the upturned mustache, this guy was a master in the art of living large. He dressed flamboyantly, cultivated an eccentric aura that invited decadence, and traveled with an Elvis-like entourage of muses, misfits and sexual adventurers who satiated an appetite that spanned the preferences of Chancy Gardener and Eddie Murphy.

During my incarnation as the Surreal Gourmet, I have been commissioned to create several events for the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Fla. For one of these occasions, I designed a surreal dinner for eight that was auctioned off to the highest bidder for $2,100. Dali's birthday presents the perfect opportunity for you to recreate the entree portion of this dinner at home. All you need are a few painter's palettes (available at your local art supply store for about $7), a handful of fresh ingredients and a few dashes of creative flare. As for the madness, let your imagination inspire.

DINNER ON A PAINTER'S PALETTE
(Serves 4)

Puréed Yams

1. Slice yams into 1-inch thick rounds and place in an 8-inch by 8-inch glass baking dish.
2. Add juice and brown sugar. Cover with foil.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 30 more minutes. Check frequently to ensure that juice has not reduced to nothing and burned. If necessary, add more juice.
4. Save about 1/2 cup of the reduced juices, discard the rest and mash yams with juice until smooth.

Spinach

1. Remove stems, then wash spinach thoroughly. Shake off excess water, but do not dry.
2. In a non-aluminum pot, over medium heat, add oil, garlic and leek.
3. Stir until leeks and garlic become translucent.
4. Add spinach and cover pot. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until spinach has completely wilted.
5. Let cool, squeeze out all liquids, then purée in a food processor.
6. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Fennel
This licorice-tasting bulb is one of the undiscovered gems of the vegetable kingdom. Use it in place of the red bell pepper purée pictured in the above photo.

1. Trim the artery-like stems that shoot off the top of the fennel bulb. Discard. Then cut fennel in half and cut out the core. Discard. Slice remaining fennel into 1-inch slices.
2. In a medium-sized pot over high heat, add fennel, leek, stock and salt.
3. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Let cool, discard juices, then purée in a food processor.
5. Use cheesecloth or a sieve to drain excess liquids.

Beets
On the rare occasion that I find myself eating beets, I've been pleasantly reminded of their sweetness. In fact, they taste so good as is, you don't need to add anything. Just don't tell your guests.

1. Slice beets in half and boil for approximately 45 minutes -- or until soft. Let cool.
2. Peel off skin and discard.
3. Purée beets in a food processor.
4. Use cheesecloth or a sieve to drain excess liquids.

Salmon fillet
This recipe was recently given to me by my friend, caterer extraordinare Andrew Zimbel of Toronto's Amazing Food Services. I have since become addicted to it. (Note: the resulting salmon will be much darker in color than that pictured in the photo.)

1. Cut salmon into 4 circles.
2. Place the circles in a bowl or plastic bag with maple syrup and soy sauce and marinate in your refrigerator for a full day. (If this is not possible, a couple of hours will do.)
3. Remove from marinade, pat down each fillet with pepper and place on a piece of aluminum foil.
4. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 500 degrees for 8 minutes. The high heat will cause the caramelizing maple syrup to smoke -- this is a good thing.
5. Reheat veggies just before serving. Spoon dollops of veggies onto palette, and add salmon, as pictured. Serve immediately.

Le Secret: Be sure to drain all excess juices thoroughly, or they will run once the vegetables are spooned on to the palettes.
The Adventure Club: Have all of your guests paint Dali-like mustaches on their faces.
Note: Vegetables can be prepared up to a day in advance.
Music to Dine By: Original motion picture soundtrack, "Hello Dolly"
Wine: Spanish Rioja
May 6, 1997

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Photo by Dick Kaiser. Food styling by the Surreal Gourmet.
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