Closeup of Bularian canapés.
Bularian canapés were a foodstuff eaten in the Federation in the 24th century. They were a favourite food of Admiral Alynna Nechayev.
History and specifics[]
A plate of Bularian canapés
They were an appetizer native to Risa that reminded Risians of particular pink-flowering lilies found at the Bularian Water Gardens. The canapés were considered indulgent, elegant, and served at special occasions. Each canapé was made with a cracker, cucumber slice, and whipped topping. At diplomatic functions, they might be topped with caviar. An approximation of the topping could be reproduced on Earth using cream cheese, butter, mustard, beet juice, dill, and salt. (ST reference: The Star Trek Cookbook)
In 2370, Captain Jean-Luc Picard arranged a plate of Bularian canapés, watercress sandwiches, and Earl Grey tea to welcome Admiral Nechayev aboard the USS Enterprise-D. Before the admiral's arrival the captain had spoken with her aid, Commander Wrightwell, and discovered her fondness of the canapés. As the captain hoped, the offering of canapés softened the admiral's mood for the captain's briefing. (TNG episode: "Journey's End")
A short time later the admiral returned to the Enterprise and light-heartedly noted a lack of canapés when she entered Picard's ready room. Picard suggested using the same trick twice would be pushing it, in response to which the admiral reassured him the canapés were rather fattening. (TNG episode: "Preemptive Strike")
Later in the year, shortly after a mission to infiltrate a secret base operated by a Starfleet conspiracy, when the command crew of the Enterprise were relaxing in Ten Forward, Picard noticed an unexpected plate of Bularan canapés on the buffet table. The canapés were accompanied by a card with a simple message "You're Welcome". When asked who he thought sent it, Picard replied, "a good friend" — presumably assuming it was Nechayev (who he had previously had an argument with but was the most likely candidate for an unknown individual who saved his life) who had sent the canapés. (TNG comic: "An Inconvenient Truth")
In 2380, after recalling the USS Enterprise-E to Earth, Nechayev presented Picard with Bularian canapés, watercress sandwiches and Earl Grey tea as a symbolic peace offering, in the wake of rising tensions between the two during the Borg crises earlier in that year. (TNG novel: Greater Than the Sum)
Appendices[]
Background[]
"An Inconvenient Truth" inaccurately spells them Bularan canopes however the usage is clearly meant to indicate the previous history between Picard, Nechayev and Bularian canapés.
External link[]
- Bularian canapé article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.