Bob Blumer blends eccentricity with practicality as he takes his Toastermobile on a three-month odyssey across the United States for his new TV show. In his Surreal Gourmet series on Discovery Channel, Blumer poaches salmon in his dishwasher, serves up oysters and caviar for a group of swinging singles and adds a bizarre twist to cookies and milk.
Why the dishwasher? 'It works really well. I've done it about 200 times and, as silly as it sounds, it's very functional. The dishwasher cooks the fish with a gentle, warm heat and then steam, so you end up with fish that's very moist and, of course, it's a great party trick.'
What other appliances do you use? 'You can always iron a grilled
cheese sandwich. And I have tried cooking bacon on a curling iron with mixed results.'
Any kitchen disasters? 'My kitchen is a sort of chemistry lab, so I do have disasters. I remember once trying to puree soup in a blender without letting the soup cool. If you do that, the hot air expands and before I knew it I went from having a white kitchen to a broccoli-green one.'
What's your kitchen like at home? 'It's original retro in that every appliance is older than I am. My refrigerator was made by International Harvester, which makes combine harvesters. My old gas stove, which came with my house, was built in the 1950s and is an O'Keith & Merrit. I have old appliances because in the old days I couldn't afford anything else. Cooking is not about fancy utensils and appliances; it's about the ingredients you use and how you combine them.'