Lunch 9 February 2016

It was the second lunch for 2016, but there was none of the anticlimax which often comes with No.2. Around 40 members with a smattering of guests (including the son of a current member) were there to see Jim Tinslay and David Madson knock up some pretty impressive food, ably supported by Paul Ferman on wines, Ross MacDonald on cheese and James Hill, filling in for Spencer Ferrier, talking to the coffee.

Let's start with starters. David had experimented with a Japanese prawn mayo on crisp egg noodle baskets, but unfortunately the crispness turned to tooth-shattering hardness which tested the chewing power of the hardiest. Still, the prawn and mayo were pretty good on their own, and there was nothing wrong with some juicy chicken kebabs, Middle Eastern in influence with yoghurt and cumin. A 2002 Richmond Grove Watervale Riesling, one of the 1st produced under stelvin, showed the benefits of that closure, most bottles being developed but still fresh and intense, although some were more advanced.

The main course saw a bit of Eurasian fusion: some slow-braised pork neck covered in a sticky sweet glaze with lots of brown sugar, star anise and garlic to lend it softness and flavour. The sauce (never enough) was intense and the meat was accompanied by some unusual red cauliflower and nicely done snow peas. The wine master, not for the 1st time, went out on a limb to present a2010 Ch Musar Jeune, a blend of cinsault, syrah and cabernet from the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, and a 2007 blaufrankisch made in Austria by a winemaker from the Yarra Valley (Mac Forbes). His boldness was redeemed by the 1st wine, which showed soft developed fruit under a strong acid structure. The Austrian wine was a bit disappointing, light with some fruit in the Oz style, but no match for the food.

The Europeans took over with the cheese, to everyone's delight. Most recognised an Occelli Testun di Barolo, a distinctive semi-hard cheese made in the Piedmont region of Italy from cow and goats' milk and rolled in the must left from the making of the local Barolo wine; even if most could not name it. A great cheese with slightly crumbly texture and a fine winey grape flavour with the paste. Simple dried fruit and nuts were served with it, and I suppose a brace of wines in theme was to be expected. The 1st, a 2010 Ceretto Nebbiolo d'Alba was a lovely wine: fragrant nose which led to a nice balance of tannins and acid under some still young fruit, good with the cheese and likely to improve. The other, a 2007 SC Pannell Adelaide Hills nebbiolo, was well made by a recognised experimenter in "other" varieties; but nebbiolo is a pitiless grape and the product, while approachable now, lacked the fire and tannin of the Italian version.

Brazilian beans from Sao Paulo produced the coffee. Predominantly medium roast, there were still some burnt bitter notes which cleared the palate. Just as well, because significant birthday boy Keith Steele turned on a sip of 1956 Penfolds Grandfather port which sent everyone home happy and satisfied.

First lunch 2 February 2016

A new year, and some new ideas in the kitchen for the Society's first lunch of the year from old hand James Hill, with assistance from Gary Linnane and James Tinslay.

Seafood was (mainly) the go, starting with simple mussels in the shell poached in the liquid in which nori, or dried seaweed, had been reconstituted for the main dish. A bit of salt showed, but not too much to spoil the mussel flavour. A duck and lychee salad on porcelain spoons from Gary Linnane was the other canape, shredded duck and the eponymous fruit with fresh ginger, coriander and crushed peanuts dressed in a sauce based on hoisin. Great flavours and texture, it was a palpable hit, especially with a glass of 2000 Tyrrells Vat 1 semillon provided by Paul Ferman along with an economy champagne from Aubert & Fils, and the same old welcome old Lustau sherry, this time the manzanilla. The Vat 1had a nice grassy nose, but was starting to fade on the palate.

The Asian influence of the canapes continued into the main course: some moderately sized salmon steaks, marinated in a teriyaki sauce made on sake, mirin, soy and a bit of sugar, then baked until (for some, a trifle over-)cooked, and served topped by chopped reconstituted nori, some crunchy diced snake beans, and a well done brown rice in neat moulds with a piece of fresh seaweed salad providing a note of colour and crunch. The sauce was great, especially if you managed to get a second helping and the whole was both pretty to look at and a pleasure to eat. Ferman went out on a limb with the wines, giving us a conventional white in the form of a floral, limey and still youthfully acidic 2008 Stoney Rise riesling from Tamar Valley in Tasmania coupled with a brave rose, the 2009 Castagna Allegro from Beechworth. Made from shiraz, it was quite high in alcohol at 14% and obviously fermented right out to complete dryness, with some meaty guava notes to the nose and palate. An interesting wine: pity some minds were closed at the mention of rose.

For cheese, we welcomed back Ross MacDonald and some little Fromagers des Clarines, a washed rind cheese from the Franche-Comte region of France. They were, unfortunately, very young and quite cold, so we missed out on the full glory of the aroma and nutty sticky paste of a ripe cheese; but there was enough lactic and grass flavours present to indicate what was to come. Some fresh muscatel grapes (the best eating grapes of all) were an ideal accompaniment; closely followed by a 2009 Wairau River Pinot from Marlborough NZ and a 2003 Tyrrells Vat 9 shiraz. The pinot was a bit decorative and confectionery, but the Vat 9 showed some lovely Hunter fruit under a bit of stink, and was the wine of the day.

Spencer Ferrier spoke to the coffee, a Costa Rican medium roast bean with an attractive mix of chocolate richness and some astringent acidity. The birthday port, a Seppelts DP90 tawny from the Wine master, spoke for itself.

Welcome back, one and all.

Final lunch 8 December 2015

It was not quite the Last Supper, but a mighty multitude of 58 members and guests assembled for the last fling of the Society year.

In the kitchen was Food Master Nick Reynolds, supported by Steve Liebeskind, producing some original, and tasty, food. To start, canapes on sticks: a choice of compressed watermelon cubes decorated with a mint tapenade and warm haloumi; a spicy slice of warm chorizo sausage topped with a baby prawn; and slices of warm black pudding with salmon roe. All different and all good, especially the last. Wine Master Paul Ferman backed this up with the usual lineup of sundry aperitifs: a totally acceptable Pierre Gimonet NV champagne (with cassis on the side for those who wanted a kir royale); a clean and refreshing Salinger local fizz; a repeat of the Warramate 2012 riesling from the Yarra; and a stray bottle of Lustau sherry.

The main course was a Reynolds tour de force, with pieces of skirt steak glued together to form a roll, cooked sous vide for about 60 hours, then seared on top of the stove, sliced into cylinders and presented on a trimmed and roasted flat mushroom with Pommes Maxine, broccolini and a veal-based reduction sauce made with the lot and tasting intense and sticky. The meat was tasty, although slightly overdone and the spuds, made by arranging thin slices of potato in a disc shape held together by potato starch, did not reward the effort that went into making them. But the sauce more than compensated for any such minor defects, and all plates went back wiped clean. The accompanying reds were both of the big and bounteous style, with 14.5% alcohol: a 2002 St Halletts Blackwell shiraz from Barossa, and a 2007 Cliff Edge (the second label of Langhi Ghiran) shiraz from the Grampians in Victoria. Both showed hot fruit, although there was a touch of greenness about the Blackwell which bespoke excessive canopy on the grapes prior to picking.

Ross MacDonald did it again with the cheese, an Occelli Testun di Barolo. This is a semi-hard and matured cheese made from a mix of cows' and goats' milk in Piedmont, and distinguished by its deep red coating of dried must from Barolo wines. It showed a wonderful sweet nutty paste with a hint of winey characters from the coating. It was appropriately matched with a 2002 Damiano Barolo which exhibited bottle variation from a difficult year, but good bottles showing developed tar and roses character and obviously a great match with the cheese. As was, to a lesser extent, a 2001 Burton merlot from the Limestone Coast in SA, with impressive round tannins under fully mature fruit, ready to drink now. The cheese was simply served with dried fruit and nuts, suitably festive, and special note must be made of Nick Reynolds' home churned butter, served throughout the meal.

The coffee, from a Coffee Master trapped in court, was Spencer Ferrier's own blend of 50% Indian Devon Estate and 50% PNG beans. It came up light and soft on the palate with a pleasing clean, slightly acid, finish. A final gift from Santa Ferman was a drop of a private bin muscat made by Tim Kirk at Clonakilla and obtained by unspecified means. It was worth it, light but appropriately Xmas pudding in the glass, and the best way to farewell a pretty successful year for the Society.

The Federation of Wine and Food Societies of Australia was respresented by President Ian Hamilton who presented an  FWFSA award to Peter Kelso for longstanding and dedicated service to our society. Thank you Peter.

The staff at the Royal Exchange club were recognised by President Greg Chugg for their assitance during the year.

Mixed lunch 1 December 2015

Whether it was the drawcard of chef of the day Gary Patterson, the weather (hot) or the time of year we don't know; but a lively crowd of 42 or so members and guests were on hand to enjoy a seasonal meal. Especially welcome were 6 members of the Ladies' Wine & Food Society (in addition to those present as partners of our members), led by President Cynthia Stericker.

'Tis the season for seafood, and that's what we got, starting with pieces of sliced sashimi tuna lifted with a dab of wasabi; and superb medium Sydney rock oysters, served in the shell with a gentle ponzu dressing. A grab bag of aperitif wines was on hand, including a pretty decent Salinger sparkling, with or without a hit of cassis, a Warramate rose with more oomph than usual for the style, a good but not brilliant riesling from the same maker and a Lindemans sparkling shiraz, starting to lose its sparkle.

For mains, Gary had sourced some huge tiger prawns from the Gulf of Carpentaria and, with the assistance of Mark Bradford, presented two of them whole on each plate, grilled and juicy, with a salad of wilted spinach, snow peas, crumbled fetta cheese and walnut pieces, in which were embedded some freshly seared scallops. The task of peeling the prawns was more than rewarded by the result, and the whole presented as a light, fresh and sea-flavoured dish. With it came a couple of overseas wines: a 2010 Bramito della Sala chardonnay from Umbria and a 2010 Le Rose du Valon rose from Provence. The white was well made, with sweet fruit, minimal wood and a bite of acid on the finish to give it structure; the rose was what you would expect, with a dry light and very delicate palate which improved with food.

The cheese, introduced by Mike Staniland in the absence of the Cheese Master, showed as a well-flavoured but slightly rubbery washed rind, and was revealed as a local production, a L'Artisan Mountain Man from Timboon in Victoria. Well made, but no Taleggio or Reblochon. It was well matched by a 2009 Stonier pinot noir from Mornington, a good example of an Oz pinot with age showing good tannins on top of tight fruit with a hint of funkiness. A 2000 Coriole McLaren Vale shiraz was less successful with the cheese, although showing typical bricky fruit and colour, still holding on to its character. We also got a look at a French sticky, a 2011 Ch La Rame St Croix du Mont, which had a hint of botrytis with the sweetness of the fruit and was, as intended, a good match with the cheese.

The coffee was Spencer Ferrier's own blend of Yurgachef and Colombian medium roast beans, and combined big soft flavour in the mouth with some citric acidity on the finish. It was great to drink with a birthday Calvados, or apple brandy, supplied by James Tinslay, who was duly thanked.

Wine Tasting 24 November 2015

Our winsome Wine Master did it again, with a lineup of 6 mystery reds, 2 each from France, Italy and Australia and presented in ascending order of age: but that was all. A look at the wines showed there was no uniformity of grape , and indeed, with one honourable exception, straight varietals were out, and the emphasis was on savouriness and style rather than fruit. When revealed, the wines were: 2012 Gros Tollot La Ciaude, a syrah/carignan/grenache blend from the Minervois region of France; 2011 Uccelliera Rapace, a Tuscan blending merlot and cabernet with the traditional sangiovese; 2009 Charles Melton Nine Popes, a GSM blend from the Barossa; 2007 Perrin Chateauneuf du Pape, with a cocktail of grapes featuring Grenache, shiraz, cinsault and mourvedre; 2007 Agrinello, another Tuscan blend of sangiovese with other grapes; and 2007 Lindemans St George cabernet sauvignon from Coonawarra. With such a disparate mix of regions and grapes, it was no wonder opinions varied, but the older wines won out for most, the Chateauneuf and the St George proving the most popular, although many remarked on the uniform quality and style of the assembly.

For food, we went east in Europe to Greece, whence Chef James Hill, assisted by James Healey and Gary Linnane, provided some lovely slow-cooked lamb with herbs. But first, canapes of taramasalata on cucumber rounds, and a spicy spreadable salami on Iggy sourdough rounds under cumber, yoghurt and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds were light and tasty accompaniments to an aperitif 2001 Tyrrells Vat1, bottled under cork and showing it, with some bottles fresh and fruity with a dash of spritz, whilst others were flat and oxidised. The alternative Lustau manzanilla sherry was reliably good.

James' lamb legs had been cut up and slow cooked in paper parcels with herbs, garlic, tomatoes, red onion and fetta cheese to produce a traditional lamb kleftiko. The parcels opened fragrant and moist on the plate, along with a luscious dish of slow-cooked courgettes, or zucchini, sliced thin and enriched with butter and olive oil, with fresh tarragon adding an offsetting aniseed note.

For the cheese, we returned to Italy, an unusual semi-hard cows' milk cheese called Millefoglie al Marzemino fron Treviso, an aged quite biting taste softened by the infusion of a local sweet red to provide a touch of raisin on the palate. Some seeded and chopped dates were a simple but effective match, along with the tasting wines.

The coffee was another blend by Spencer Ferrier, this time 50% Indian Devon Estate and 50% Colombian, yielding a mild taste with some residual citrus length on the finish. It was, to be honest, overshadowed by the highlight of the lunch, a toast in the inevitable, and highly appreciated, Inner Circle OP (76%) rum to celebrate the portentous 99th birthday of the perennial Wal Edwards. Thank you for sharing both with us, Wal.

Lunch 17 November 2015

Team Burton was in the kitchen, with Nigel Burton doing the main course and noted foodies Hilton Chapman and John Edwards (the original) the canapes. An excellent meal was the result.

To start, Hilton Chapman presented a refreshing, slightly bitter puree of green olives, artichoke and kale, enlivened with capers and a bit of anchovy, on ceramic spoons, while John Edwards came up with a smooth, slightly warm, carrot soup with ginger and a lick of sherry presented in teacups topped with chopped mint. Both a bit different, and well matched with a nicely balanced 2013 Soumah Yarra Valley chardonnay, showing good varietal fruit and a judicious use of wood. The usual Lustau sherry, this time a manzanilla which went particularly well with the soup.

Things went up a notch as Nigel Burton provided a simple but very well executed dish of smoked duck breast on porcini mushroom risotto. The breasts came ready smoked from Luvaduck and were seared then baked to pink soft perfection with minimal fat, The risotto obviously had a generous infusion of mushroom, as it showed intense earthy mushroom flavour, the richness increased by a good hit of parmesan. The cheese probably accented the stickiness of the mix, but the rice was nicely al dente and the whole a joy to eat. It was paired with a 2010 Medhurst pinot from the Yarra Valley, nicely fragrant and with good funky fruit but a bit overwhelmed by the intensity of the risotto; and a 2013 Gabaxo rioja from Spain, made on 100% Grenache and showing strong meaty fruit balanced by good tannins and a residual acidity which made it a better match with the food.

Cheese Master Ross MacDonald came up trumps with a superbly made and aged Roquefort Le Roi from France, made on unpasteurised ewe's milk and a favourite of cheese guru Will Studd. The typical creamy texture , distinctive blue mould and salty/sweet finish were all in evidence, and members raved. An eclectic choice of 2007 S C Pannell nebbiolo from Adelaide Hills and the 2002 Burton Coonawarra cabernet accompanied it. The nebbiolo, pale in colour and hard on palate, struggled with the cheese, despite being, as wine master Paul Ferman said, a top Oz example of the grape. Not so the Burton, drinking at its peak and showing rich sweet fruit with enough acid to balance.

The coffe was blended by Coffee Master Spencer Ferrier, with beans from India (Devon Estate), New Guinea and Colombia. Generous in the mouth with a bit of acid but a little short on the finish. It was blessed by a choice of 2 vintage ports from 1977, Sandeman and Graham, generously provided by Ray Healey. The Graham had more luscious fruit, but both were fine examples of this out-of-favour style and many thanks to Ray for giving them to us.

Lunch 10 November 2015

The tumult and the shouting of the Melbourne Cup died, and rookie cook David Madson, assisted by Jim Tinslay, gave us a soothing and satisfying meal to restore strained nerves and wallets. We started with rare fillet beef pieces with roasted red capsicum on toasts, and a refreshing mix of watermelon discs topped with a dollop of chevre and chopped mint, as canapes, all washed down with a selection of whites and reds from the recent Hunter gold medal lunch, plus a variable but good at its best 2002 Tyrrells Vat 4 HVD Semillon, and Lustau fino and amontillado sherries, predictably good.

For the main course, David marinated chicken breasts in a North African (Moroccan) spice rub, then baked them till still juicy and served them, sliced, on a bed of well done , slightly chewy puy lentils, cooked with diced aromatic vegetables and with wilted rocket and mint added at the last moment, under a spicy, faintly sweet, yoghurt dressing. It was inviting, with a variety of textures, but the spices didn't shine as hoped and a bit of harissa heat would have added interest. Chasing the spice, the 1st wine served was a 2012 Hugel Gewurztraminer from Alsace, an entry level wine from this maker and showing it, with a broad, somewhat viscous, palate, forward nose and plenty of quite sweet aromatic fruit. Better with the food was a soft and savoury 2011 Pithos Rosso red from Sicily, low in alcohol (12%) but with a good spine of acid to cut the richness in the food.

The healthy main course led into an artery-blocking triple cream brie-style cheese from France, Saint Angel, from the same region and in the same style as Fromage D'Affinois, and just as popular with members. A simple fruit and nut bowl of almonds and mixed dried fruits accompanied it, along with a 2012 La 50/50 wine made by a couple of top Burgundy makers in the Languedoc region of France from Rhone area grapes, chiefly cinsault, carignan and grenache. Its humble origins betrayed its quality: firm ripe fruit well integrated with subtle wood and tannins and the choice on the day of a number of members. Also on offer was a local tribute to Austria, the 2009 Hahndorf Adelaide Hills blaufrankisch, "Eastern Europe's answer to pinot noir". A somewhat inadequate answer judged by this wine, with a good nose and front palate but developing a hardness on the finish.

An unidentified coffee arranged by Spencer Ferrier was rich and full in the mouth and in the Italian style, if a bit short on the finish. The accompanying sip of Armagnac from the 1930's, a birthday treat from Roger Prior, showed no such defects, a marvellous old brandy likely to outlast most of those present.

Gold medal Hunter tasting 27 October 2015

HUNTER GOLD

In what has become an annual event, Bruce Tyrrell showed a lineup of gold-medal wines from this year's Hunter Wine Show, with 5 semillons and 6 shiraz, traditionally the grapes for which this areais famous. And as a bonus, Don Francois from the eponymous Chateau gave us as aperitifs a look at his 2013 Mallee Semillon and 2014 Pokolbin shiraz. Of the Francois wines, the Semillon was in the tried and true Hunter style, with good fruit and clean acid, whilst the red showed soft fruit and good flavour, aided by a bit of fruit from Heathcote in Victoria.

The 1st bracket of whites featured (all from 2015, a less than perfect year): Two Rivers Stones Throw from Denman; First Creek Premium from the HVD and Trevenna vineyards; Briar Ridge Dairy Hill from Mount View; Tyrrells Vat 1; and McGuigan Bin 9000. It was an interesting spread of styles, with the Vat 1 the pick and The First Creek also popular, but all worthy of their gong.

The reds had no vintage problems, 2014 being a top year, and it showed. They were: De Iulius; Audrey Wilkinson Winemaker's; Tyrrells Vat 9; Mount Pleasant 1848 Rosehill Old Vines; Brokenwood Kats & Dogs Block (a new line from a vineyard next to Graveyard); and Bimbadgen Signature. Again, a mix of old and new styles, the Vat 9 the Mount Pleasant and the Brokenwood (not available for purchase) being the standouts. Bruce remarked that the wines made themselves, so good was the year; but we suspect vineyard husbandry and winemaking ability played a part.

Wines this interesting needed simple food, and that's what we got from Peter Kelso in the kitchen and Ross MacDonald on cheese. With Don's aperitifs, an olive tapenade on bagel crisps topped by a piece of roasted red capsicum went down well, followed by a sit-down entree of fish consommé with a fiery garlic aeoli courtesy of Catherine Kelso to accompany the whites. Traditional reds required, and got, (slightly)upmarket bangers of pork from AC Butchery and garlic mash, with mushy peas and brown onion gravy, and a home- made lemon and date chutney on the side. What more need be said than that most plates returned to the kitchen empty. As for cheese, Ross provided a Fort aged comte cooked cows' milk number from the Franche-Comte region of France. Hard, with a lovely nutty flavour and a hint of caramel, it was ideal with the reds and well matched by a mixed leaf salad with a vinaigrette dressing and a "blast from the past" dusting of toasted pine nuts and bacon (guaranteed non-carcinogenic).. The coffee from Spencer Ferrier was a blend based on Yurgachef beans from Ethiopia, well balanced and showing distinct citrus notes on the finish.

We are all indebted to Bruce for pulling these top wines together and presenting them, and to Don for giving us a look at 2 of his babies.

Lunch 20 October 2015

You've got to hand it to Steve Liebeskind; not only did he devise his main dish without cookbook input, but, with a little help from Paul Irwin on the day, he put it on the plate (or in the bowl) and presented a wonderful amalgam of taste and texture which had 'em in the aisles. That's real chutzpah, in the nicest sense of the word.

Before hand, we saw a diverse set of canapes: some beaut chicken liver pate on thin toasts; a flavoursome pate made on smoked eel, served on pumpernickel; and a mushroom duxelle, which turned out to be made from the solid ingredients for the main course broth, on toasts with a St Andrews Cross of julienned fennel (the black colour a tasteful obituary for Scotland). Washing it down was a very good 2008 Stoney Rise from the Tamar Valley in Tasmania, showing an uplifted nose and intense, if slightly broad, fruit with enough acid to balance.

Then came the piece de resistance: atlantic salmon cutlets with skin on were steeped in a brine solution before being lightly smoked, the skin given a last-minute crisp on the hotplate, and served in a broth made only from mushrooms and a bit of garlic and ginger, dark tan in colour and with a few swiss brown and enoki mushrooms floating about, and a cap of crossed steamed asparagus spears. Simple in concept and near perfect in execution, the fish was done just so and added complexity to the already intensely flavoured broth (spoons were thoughtfully provided). It was a definite candidate for a COTY or Chris Alexiou award and was well matched with at least the first of the accompanying wines, a 2010 Bramito chardonnay from the Umbria region of Italy showing restrained fruit with a good acid length balanced by a lick of sweetness. The other wine was a 2009 Palliser Estate pinot noir from Marlborough NZ, with definite pinot characters, at this stage a bit strong for the delicacy of the food, although it will improve with more age.

The quality continued with the cheese, a surface-ripened soft cows' milk production from the Rhone-Alpes region of France called Le Dauphin. Mousse-like softness and delicious mild creaminess made it an instant favourite, coupled with a green salad featuring strips of roasted red capsicum and a rather sweet dressing made on caramellised balsamic vinegar. The wines were again a mix of white and red: a 2003 Wolf Blass mature release chardonnay from Adelaide Hills showed wonderful tropical fruit balanced by evident wood and a long finish; while a 2005 Taylors Jaraman cabernet from Clare was a knockout hot climate cabernet with tonnes of fruit and good acid/tannins to restrain it – again maybe a bit overwhelming for the cheese. A clear win on the day for the whites – perhaps we could see them more often.

Even the coffee kept up the pace: a rich chocolatey medium roast bean from the cool-climate Cauca region of Colombia which was a bit heavy-handed with quantities in the plunger, but still pleased and concluded a meal of distinction

Lunch 12 October 2015

Gareth Evans, current chef of the year, bounced back remarkably well from Wales' defeat by the Wallabies on Saturday to present a Turkish feast, ably inspired and assisted in the kitchen by the perennial Ted Davis. Several trips were made to Auburn to source authentic ingredients, and it showed in the complexity yet freshness of the dishes on offer. Mercifully, the wines and the cheese were from other regions.

We started with a choice of two koftas, or soft pastes, one based on minced lamb and the other on lentils, but both containing burghul or cracked wheat and a bewildering array of spices including isot (a Turkish black pepper) and a hot pepper paste which was not quite that hot. Both were handmade (evidenced by the finger indentations) and served in iceberg lettuce cups. Mild and soft, they were well matched by a well-made, nutty, soft and mature2010 Philip Shaw chardonnay from Orange. Also on offer were the 2010 Den Mar chardonnay from the Hunter, good but simpler than the 1st, and the ever-reliable Lustau amontillado sherry.

A table of mixed delights summarises the main course. On the plate, a testi, or braise, made on lamb shanks and necks in a rich sauce of tomatoes with a miscellany of ME spices; a lamb mince kebab coated ditto on a piece of round Turkish bread; and a salad of tomato, parsley, red onion and pomegranate molasses. But also on the table to add were little pale local olives, a pumpkin & walnut dip and a richly flavoured esme, or Turkish salsa, with ingredients including marash pepper, pepper paste, and pomegranate molasses (again) on a base of tomatoes, red onion, parsley and mint. Pieces of flat bread were there too to mop up the dip and juices. The accompanying wines were a 2010 St Nicolas de Bourgueil cabernet franc from an area on the Loire near Tours, surprisingly good with lovely brambly fruit and acid and 12.5% alcohol, but slightly overwhelmed by the heat in the food; and a 2007 Devil's Lair cabernet/merlot from Margaret River, not the best example of what this area can do with cabernet, but big & bold with lots of tannin, still probably better with the food.

The cheese was a classy Holy Goat organic chevre from Victoria, with a surface mould just starting to move into the typically sour but creamy paste and a joy to eat with some simple sliced apple and fresh walnuts, and with a terrific 2008 Craggy Range shiraz from NZ (Hawkes Bay), a fine balance of fruit and acid/tannins, rich but elegant. The other accompaniment was a 2006 The Bishop Barossa shiraz from John Glaetzer, a great example of ripe high alcohol Barossa if you like that kind of thing.

We wound up with a good rich and long finishing coffee of unspecified origin, fittingly served with some lady fingers, sweet and syrupy, from Auburn. We're sure that after this, many members will follow Gareth and go west, young man.