Culinary Delights, pt 2.

I lied.  I was going to make one post about two different dinners, but I found I couldn’t do it.  So, here is Part 2:  The Dalí Dinner.

For years, I have made attending the annual Salvador Dalí Museum a key part of my year.  In the beginning, this event was called a “benefit,” as the funds raised by attendance costs helped pad the museum’s treasury.  Having now been established as one of St. Petersburg, Florida’s prime attractions (attracting more than 50,000 visitors each the first of this year’s two months), the annual dinner has now become the place for the rich and famous to be seen.

This year’s dinner was especially meaningful for me, as I was seated next to the newly-elected museum president, Karen Lang Johnston — at her request.  In fact, she told me, “The Morses [Brad and Mary Ann, son and daughter-in-law of museum founders Reynolds and Eleanor Morse] wanted you at their table but I insisted you sit at mine!” What an honor, and how far I’ve come since sitting in a corner somewhere.

Diners are seated in the gallery, among the artist’s masterpieces.  This year, we were appropriately seated in the Honorable Eugene and Karen Lang Johnston Gallery, where Dalí’s “The Ecumenical Council” hangs.

dali's ecumenical council

The Ecumenical Council, by Salvador Dalí

Food this year was catered by Parkshore Grill, the parent company of Café Gala, the museum’s own eatery.  Hors d’oeuvres were served in the Foyer and Gran Sala and included oxtail, lobster ceviche and shrimp skewers.

 

Roasted Beet Salad

 

 

 

 

 

The first course was a Roasted Beet salad with Mango Habenero Vinaigrette, Toasted Pepitas, Queso Fresco, Pomegranate Seeds, Petite Green Beans.

Delicious!

 

 

 

The seafood entree was Grilled Open Blue Cobia with Guajillo Chili Sauce, Avocado Mousse, and Crispy Pork Belly.

Grilled Open Blue Cobia

The meat entree was Cocoa Chili Rubbed New York Strip Steak with Mole Verde, Sweet Potato Puree, and Crispy Corn Tortilas (which oddly enough, were absent from the plate).  Dessert was Cactus Pear Mousse, Toasted Coconut Mexican Chocolate Truffle and Pistachio Guava Macaron.

Delightful!

 

Cocoa Chili Rubbed New York Strip Steak

Cactus Pear Mousse, Toasted Coconut Mexican Chocolate Truffle, Pistachio Guava Macaron

The Menu – 2017 Salvador Dalí Museum Dinner

Culinary Delights

Some people eat to live.  Others live to eat.  To me, one of life’s great pleasures is enjoying a variety of foods; I’ve said repeatedly over the years that I would try anything once. Whether it be a rich, hearty bowl of phở

bowl of pho

Phở – Comfort in a bowl!

enjoyed communally, or a seven course meal served privately by an internationally-trained chef, food is to me something to titillate the senses, as well nourish the body.

I had the great pleasure of experiencing both this week, and then some!

To start, I spent five days and nights aboard the cruise ship Carnival Paradise.  Not being given to hyperbole, I wouldn’t say the ship lived up to its name, but it’s pretty well known that the food aboard cruise ships is one of the allures.  The buffet dining is satisfying, the pizzas cooked on the spot, and the formal dining offers a gustatory treat.

But nothing compares to a chef’s table.  Offered on the cruise, I jumped on the opportunity and made sure several times that my reservation was in place.  It was.

Sadly, I didn’t think at first to use my cell phone camera, so I missed taking some shots of a few of the hors d’oeuvres.  But I did make sure to shoot the menu,

menu

Seven courses of inventive, excitingly savory food.

which lists each of the seven courses.  Not as lovingly and detailed as the chef presented them, but it’s the best I can do.

The evening began with a brief tour of the ship’s galley.  Preparing food for 2,200 people is not a task taken lightly, and a staff of over 60 people work in around-the-clock shifts to make sure it’s right.

In the galley, we enjoyed our hors d’oeuvres. Shown here is the Beef Carpaccio on Air Pillow, Chocolate Bacon, Apple Ribbon.  Wow.

Also pictured is the Double-cooked Lamb, Tapioca.  Even pictures can’t describe the delicacy and sensation of myriad spices and ingredients.

wow

Beef Carpaccio on Air Pillow, Chocolate Bacon with Apple Ribbon

Double-cooked Lamb, Tapioca. The name doesn’t begin to describe the taste.

Bleu Cheese rolls, crackers and flavored butter

Duck Textures, Creamy Quinoa, Parmesan Churros, Olive Snow, Port Wine Jus

Two Tomatoes, Three Basil, Crisped Brioche, Garlic Chip

Waygu (Kobe) Beef, Bone Marrow Soufflé, Scallion & Garlic Panisse, Gremolata Crisp

Sea Salt Praline Chocolate, Raspberry Mojito, Key Lime Cake, Apricot Vanilla Gel, Citrus Cream

Today’s Special: Two Posts!

I had a fun week.  So much fun, in fact, that I’m going to make two separate posts covering different aspects.  This post, is about my recent Caribbean cruise to the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.  This was originally planned to be a carbon-copy of last year’s trip, but no sooner was I on board the Carnival Paradise, than I learned the ports of call had been

Carnival Paradise

Carnival Paradise Cruise Ship

changed;  gone was the stop at George Town, Grand Cayman, and added was a visit to Costa Maya, just down the coast. That was OK with me, as I’ve been to George Town several times and wasn’t interested in more than lunch ashore.  Tulum, on the mainland from Cozumel was where I wanted to go.  Truth be told, I was interested in purchasing a replacement obsidian cartouche for my granddaughter.  The original never made it home from Florida last year.

So, I said if I ever had another chance…

Learning that Costa Maya offered a second opportunity to photograph Mayan ruins, I was all in.  After all, photographing Mayan ruins while on a cruise was my impetus for purchasing a Nikon Coolpix P900 camera with its super-zoom lens.  I lugged my camera gear around in the drizzle last year, and didn’t want a repeat experience. I am delighted to report that the Coolpix did an admirable job.  It’s got a smaller sensor (16 mpx) than my D7100, and doesn’t shoot in NEF (RAW), but the super-zoom (24mm – 2000mm equivalent) gets you there in a hurry, and the results are excellent for day-to-day

iguana

An iguana, perched atop a walwas watching us tourists line up to enter the ancient city of Tulum.

photography.  For example, this fellow was watching the tourists lining up to enter.

Tulum is the only evidence of the Mayan civilization on a coast site.  The others are all inland, covered by centuries of jungle.  Thus, Tulum not only offers great insight into the Mayan society, but also provides unfettered chances for photographing out in the open.  The down side?  Sunburn!

Perhaps the most iconic image of Tulum that makes the travel pages is the Temple of the Wind God, which sits perched some 39 feet above the seashore.

Temple of the Wind God

Temple of the Wind God, Tulum, Mexico

The super-zoom makes photographing this temple a dream of creativity.

temple of the wind god

Temple of the Wind God

temple of the wind god

Temple of the Wind God, Tulum, Mexico

The day was so nice that I was able to walk to the other side of the clearing and see the temple from another angle. The Castle Pyramid is the most impressive edifice, but the is also the Temple of Frescos, the Temple of the Descending God (yes, the tilt of the roof is intentional) and more.  Despite the richness of the site, experts say it’s a small outpost.  Map of Tulum. 

Now, how to figure out placing photos on this page without requiring a lot of extraneous text….

temple of the wind god

Temple of the Wind God

Temple of the Wind God

temple and pyramid

Temple of the Descending God and Castle Pyramid

Temple of the Descending God and the Castle Pyramid.

Oh, I haven’t forgotten Chacchoben (“chak-CHO-ben”). This site was “rediscovered” in 1972, but it wasn’t until 1994 that the Mexican government set to restoring it. Work continued until it was opened to the public in 2002. It’s currently a small site, with only three pyramids restored.  As money and time permit, more will be revealed.

The primary pyramid is the Temple Pyramid.

temple pyramid chacchoben

Temple Pyramid at Chacchoben, Mexico

There is ample evidence of other structures under the jungle overgrowth, as some of these photos show.

temple pyramid

Temple Pyramid, Chacchoben, Mexico

jungle growth chacchoben

Chacchoben Jungle Growth

Up next: Fine dining at sea and on land.