Surreal Gourmet Bites
By Bob Blumer
(Chronicle Books; 2004)

When the Halloween season rolls around, we turn to Bob Blumer for inspiration. And just in time to trick and treat your Halloween guests, Blumer, “a.k.a., the surreal gourmet,” has come out with Surreal Gourmet Bites, a collection of 46 bite-sized “showstoppers and conversation starters.”

The egg creams pictured here are just one example of his trompe l’oeil food tricks: the egg “yolk” is a mango puree and the egg “white” is, in fact, a white chocolate mousse. Granted, some items are a bit fiddly to assemble. This dish will involve paring the frozen mango puree cubes into balls. But the result is so much fun, it’s worth the extra effort.

Other recipes in Blumer’s bag of tricks include S’more Shooters, rich chocolate shots robed in marshmallow that look a bit like tiny cappuccino drinks; Cowboy Cookies, involving layers of beef tenderloin sandwiched between caramelized yams; and Chorizo Corn Pups, a miniature—and tastier—version of the corn dog. And for those who have had too much party fun, Hangover Helper, a thick blend of Chambord, ice cream and berries, offers relief in the disguise of that renowned stomach healer, Pepto-Bismol.

The book includes suggestions for how to pair the tidbits to create theme parties, like “This is a stick up,” which includes all the appetizers on skewers. Blumer outlines each recipe, noting what unusual equipment or ingredients might be needed, as well as the level of difficulty to prepare.

Now all you need is your costume.

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