A taste of surreal
by Leah Rosenberg
Salvador Dali was born today in 1904. He is best know for his participation in the Surrealist movement with his paintings, films, and performances. Oh, you might also know him by his mustache.
He was also quoted to have dreamed of being a chef when he was six years old and that those iconic melting pocket watches that appeared in many of his paintings were not inspired by the theory of relativity, but by the surrealist perception of a Camembert cheese melting in the sun. In 1973, Les Diners de Gala, an eccentric cookbook written and illustrated by Dali,was published featuring 136 off-kilter recipes in 12 categories. It included entire chapters devoted to aphrodisiacs, exotic dishes, snails and frogs, and the appropriate uses for “atteletes” (meat jewellery). An alternative to your standard gift of flowers on Mother's Day perhaps?
Salvador Dalí. (Spanish, 1904-1989). The Persistence of Memory. 1931. Oil on canvas, 9 1/2 x 13" (24.1 x 33 cm). © Salvador Dalí, Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS)
Rather than sharing a recipe for melting wheel of already soft cheese on this occasion, I thought we could share this recipe for Salvador Dali's Toffee with Pine Cones, which we had the chance of recreating for an event at Kadist two years ago.
In September 2012, artist Ben Kinmont presented "An Exhibition in your mouth", at Kadist. For this multi-course meal of recipes selected from an array of historical sources, we contributed the Eighth Course (to be served with coffee or tea): an edition of 170 pieces of toffee inspired by his 1973 recipe.
Toffee with pine cones by Salvador Dali, 1973 2 1/4 lbs of sugar 1 cup of water 1 teaspoon of butter 1 slab of marble 1 tablespoon of pine needle oil* 7 oz of pine nuts In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water and cook over medium flame. Be careful: you have to watch the process since the sugar is turning to toffee (or caramel, however you want to call it). It can burn very fast. When it turns brown and has started to smell like something burnt, remove quickly from the fire. Add the tablespoon of butter which will melt right away. You don't have to stir. Grease the slab of marble with oil; pour the toffee on it. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, work it, combining it with the pine nuts. Soon it will be cool enough for you to use your hands. Watch it: don't let it harden too much. Squeeze tin the palm of your hand and form little sausages which you will cut to candy size. Allow to thoroughly cool.
*Pine needle oil: Place some needles into a mason jar one quarter full; add olive oil until all the needles are covered. Let infuse for 3 weeks (out of direct sunlight), then strain.