29 August Burgundy Lunch - CoTD Nigel Burton

The August wine lunch was a special event with the Burgundy reds generously supplied/donated by Ray Healey. In the kitchen was Nigel Burton cooking up a duck feast and assisted on canapés by Hilton Chapman.

Canapés. We were supplied with two homemade canapés to start both served in Asian style spoons for ease of service. The first was baba ganoush topped with pickled eggplant and this was followed by hummus topped with chickpea. Clearly, the theme was to top the bases  with the “raw” ingredient that was used to make both of these tasty starters.

Aperitif wine. The aperitif wines ran far and wide with a feast of Chardonnay from Philip Shaw, Bellarmine, Tyrrells Vat 47, and so on. There were also a couple of high ranking Pinot Noirs is such as Medhurst and Port Phillip thrown into the mix. The Chardonnay did certainly match the Middle Eastern themed canapés.

Main course. Everyone loves duck and there was good reason to like the meal served by Nigel today. The duck breast sourced from Luv-a-Duck were wonderfully cooked with a consistent pink presentation which had been sous vide off-premises and then rendered with the assistance of the team in the REX kitchen. To top off this beautiful duck, Nigel had used lashings of duck fat to crisp the potatoes in the interests of our health. Courgette was the accompaniment on the plate and it had been criss-crossed to provide a charming presentation.

The Wines.

Ray Healey served all tables seven bottles of Burgundy from the 2014 and 2015 vintages. These were:

• Clerget 2014 Bourgogne Rouge
• Chéron 2015 Chambolle Quarante Ouvrées
• Chéron 2015 Chambolle Musigny Clos de l'Orme
• Chéron 2014 Chambolle Musigny Clos de l'Orme
• Chéron 2015 Vosne Romanée Les Barreaux
• Chéron 2014 Vosne Romanée Les Barreaux
• Chéron 2015 Gevrey Les Seuvrées

Ray presented us with a simplified and shortened masterclass in both Burgundy and the striking differences between the two vintages, 2014 and 2015. For those of us less knowledgeable in the finer art of Burgundy (than many in the room) it was a fascinating exercise and one that Ray has in one form or another run for us for a few years. A very generous donation from Ray.

Cheese and coffee. James Healey searching for his Irish ancestry served us a semi soft washed rind cheese from Ireland called Durrus. It even sounds Irish. On initially unwrapping the cheese there was a pungent aroma around a 10-metre radius of the cheese. The flavour was not as powerful and had a mild and buttery flavour. Much liked

Coffee today by Spencer Ferrier was Monsooned Malabar a coffee which is not always available but a special treat when it comes to hand. This uniquely Indian coffee is called monsooned because of its exposure to the monsoon rain and winds for a period of about 3 to 4 months causing the beans to swell and lose the original acidity. It is a heavy bodied, pungent but dry coffee with a chocolatey aroma. A treat.

Keith Steele, closed the lunch thanking Ray for the donation of the Burgundy.

22 August - CoTD Paul Kuipers and John Goldbrough

Some photos above including of the refurbed REX dining room and our two new members Matthew Holmes (between the evil James pair) and Peter Fitzpatrick.

Lunch today had been a long time in the making. John Goldsbrough had been working with Paul Kuipers of Courtney’s Brasserie fame and presented us roast beef cooked on the bone. There was no shortage of members and guests willing to attend and we had the magnificent number of 65 sit down to a superb luncheon.

It was also the first lunch at the Royal Exchange of Sydney with the new management team running the kitchen and the restaurant. More of that later.

Canapés. Three canapes were served. Firstly, anchovies on brushed garlic coated toast dressed with a slim layer of tomato paste, followed by smoked salmon with crème fraîche on small pikelets and finally chicken liver pate on small toast with a sweet red cherry on top. All were well accounted for.

Aperitif wine. The main aperitif wine of the day was the Philip Shaw Chardonnay No 11 2010. This Orange sourced wine was showing development with wood evident. The colour of the wine was starting to enter its golden era but it was an excellent Australian Chardonnay at its peak drinking beautifully now. Given the large numbers in the room some of us also shared in some Brokenwood Semillon, Vasse Felix Chardonnay, Richmond Grove Watervale Riesling and an aged Lindeman’s Semillon. All these latter wines were served in singles prior to sitting down to enjoy the main course.

Main course. This is where we get to the reason that were all there today, the beef on the bone prepared by Paul Kuipers. The beef was beautifully medium rare and served simply with Café de Paris butter, some crisp potato bake and broccolini on the side.

Paul explained that he had ended up with grass fed beef after initially looking at grain fed. I suspect grass fed is his favourite. He partially cooked the big pieces of beast at Courtney’s and finish them at the REX kitchen. The meat was a special treat, especially as he managed it for some 65 members and guests. When most of us had finished the main, the beef bones with much meat attached were passed around the tables so we could do them justice. An excellent meal.

The Wines.

• BVE Ebenezer Shiraz 2002 (cork, 14%)
• Jamsheed Garden Gully Syrah (Beechworth) 2011 (cork, 14.5%)
• Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (cork, 14.5%)
• Burton Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (Coonawarra) (cork, 13.5%)

Goldie had asked our Winemaster, Paul Ferman, for some larger wines to go with the beef and the cheese to follow. He got them.

The two Shiraz based wines went with the beef. The Ebenezer at 15 years of age was still a big red with oak showing. There was plum and chocolate but no extraction often found with the Barossa. The Beechworth wine was more of a cool climate deal but still with blackcurrant and ample size. There was also some spice evident making it more like a robust version of a Northern Rhône Syrah wine. I guess that is what the winemaker was after.

The two Cabernets with the cheese were well known to members. The Wynns Black Label is of course a favourite of many, and this had the typical cassis flavour with classic Coonawarra fruit. The Burton with only one more year on it was silky, long and still drinking beautifully. A wonderful pair of Coonawarra wines.

Cheese and coffee. The larger style of wine was well matched by the selection of a Neal’s Yard Colston Basset Stilton selected by our Cheesemaster James Healey. James purchased a whole 7 kg wheel which looked magnificent. There is a picture of it above. Crumbly to the cut and a medium blue flavour whilst rich and complex.

Spencer Ferrier introduced us to the Ethiopian Limu coffee. This Ethiopian coffee is wet processed from the original Arabica bean. Citrus was evident and it was a medium bodied, well-balanced and enjoyable black coffee.

During the lunch, the President, Keith Steele, welcomed two new members to the society at their first lunch as members. They were Peter Fitzpatrick and Matthew Holmes and both were presented with the Society tie. The President also introduced Joey Ingram, the new head chef, and the two operators of the Royal exchange of Sydney, Alastair French and Kieran Baines.

He also acknowledged some members of the Beefsteak and Burgundy Club of Mosman.

8 August CoTD's Peter Manners and Neil Galbraith

There was no shortage of experience in the kitchen this week with Peter Manners and Neil Galbraith presenting us the goods. They were supported on canapés and wine drinking by Tony Scott and Bob Swinney. These guys are a great advertisement for the Society showing is never too late to be a Chef of the Day.

Canapés. We had a bit of a treat today with a duck consomme start made from the pan drippings and flavour of the duck cooked for the main. And, we had three canapés, the first being some duck pate on crisp bread rounds followed by anchovy and cream cheese on blinis and finally mushroom palmiers (also known as pig's ear or elephant ear). The palmiers were the hit of the canapés and a new experience for many. Beautifully rich mushroom rolled in pastry and devoured in seconds.

Aperitif wine. We began the lunch wine wise with the Bellarmine Chardonnay 2010 from Pemberton in Western Australia. A small amount of the wine sees new French oak but despite the minor influence the Chardonnay was quite rich with stonefruit overlays. Over the past year there has been a noticeable uptake of those appreciating Sherry with the aperitif’s. Today we had the Lustau Amontillado and the La Goya Manzanilla

Main course. Duck glorious duck. The theme today was duck a l’orange and it was beautifully cooked and presented (see the photograph below). Peter manners sourced the duck from Thirlmere but not without a little trouble. The owner said something to the effect I’m 72 years old and I can’t be bothered doing this to which Peter replied he was 93 and cooking. He got the duck! The duck was served with a glaze and a very innovative pastry duck figurine settled on the top. Carrots and orange pieces were decorated around the edge of the plate. Looked and tasted fantastic.

The Wines.

• Wynns C/W White Label Shiraz 2007 (screwcap, 13.5%)
• Medhurst Pinot 2010 (screwcap, 12.6%)
• Glandore TPR Tempranillo 2011 (screwcap, 13.9%)
• Montgomery Hill Chardonnay 2010 (screwcap, 12%)

The duck was served with the Medhurst Pinot Noir and the Wynns Shiraz. It. The Pinot was very elegant and was the more favoured with the duck. A marriage made in heaven was a comment by a member. The Wynns 2007 Shiraz was in great condition and whilst simple just confirmed the value for money that this wine has been and still represents.

The Glandore Tempranillo was a robust wine with oak evident. Drinking well at 6 years of age it probably says more about the Hunter than it does about the Spanish grape. The Chardonnay was the second Western Australia Chardonnay of the day coming from Albany. Most thought that this was the better of the two is an at 7 years of age had started to show some real character. Again, a powerful wine.

Cheese and coffee. James Healey provided us today with Tarago River Cheese Company Shadows of Blue. Most of the comments and guesses around the room centred on French and it was an exercise in how well Australian cheese is progressing.

Spencer Ferrier had us back to a commercial blend today with a Nero Espresso from the Byron Bay Coffee Company. The presentation and packaging of the coffee was excellent and it garnered a very good reception from the room. The coffee was 100% of Arabica and is available through coffee retailers and commercial food outlets.

Peter Manners thanked the kitchen for their assistance today and in the past. The President informed members that the catering arrangements at the Royal Exchange of Sydney would be changing in the coming week and we would have a totally new crew in for the next lunch on 22 August after skipping a week due to minor renovations in the dining room and kitchen.

1 August - CoTD Josef Condrau

1 August being the Swiss National Day it was appropriate to have our own Swiss member, Josef Condrau, in the kitchen being assisted by Ian Masters and Nick Reynolds. I had expected Joseph to bring along the Swiss flag (he has one) but we were spared that little bit of nationalism. This is the second time in a month that we have had national day lunches with the recent Independence Day lunch.

In opening the lunch, the President took the opportunity to crunch some numbers with some of our long-standing members who were present. He said that between Wal Edwards, Michael Cassimaty, Terry Stapleton, and Brian Sproule there were some 210 years of joint membership. A fitting reflection of the history and dedication from this group of long-term members.

Canapés. Ian Masters worked diligently on the canapés with little or no assistance. The first was pork terrine with loganberry sauce on thinly sliced bread. The origin of the terrine was not declared but it was of very high quality. Secondly, we had air by air dried beef with gherkin on pumpernickel. Apparently, this is a very Swiss dish and is served at many functions. Again, the air-dried beef was of high quality.

Aperitif wine. The aperitif wine of Richmond Grove Watervale Riesling 2008, was a very good fit with both of the canapés. The wine was in excellent condition under screwcap and had beautiful depth and length that we have long admired about Rieslings from Watervale.

Main course. Whilst the numbers were a little lean at lunch today those there were looking forward to the venison that Josef had promised us. We were not disappointed. Venison can be tricky to cook because of its low-fat content, but Josef’s effort resulted in a beautifully rare meat with consistent texture and colour. The venison was sourced from Orange. The traditional accompaniments to the venison were spaetzli, red cabbage, chestnuts and a beautifully poached pear filled with red currant jelly. The sauce contained orange, lemon and port. The red cabbage was made with red wine, caraway and mustard seeds and some cinnamon sticks. An excellent main.

The Wines.

• Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir 2010 (screwcap, 13.5%)
• Port Philip Estate Pinot Noir 2010 ((screwcap, 13.5%)
• Salomon Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (Fleurieu Peninsula) (cork, 14.5%)
• Penfolds Bin 128 2002 (cork, 14.5%)

Two Pinots, both from 2010, both from Victoria and both at 13.5% alcohol. Immediately the Port Phillip wine appeared to be superior as it had more body, more structure and a little more tannin. However, after tasting each a couple of times you can see why some preferred the Coldstream Hills as it was of a sweeter style. At twice the money for the Port Phillip Pinot you would expect it to be superior and most found it that way.

The next two reds under cork were an interesting comparison. The Salomon was quite a solid wine with strong blackcurrant overtones and evident tannins but for all of that it was relatively elegant. Some called in to question the relatively elevated level of acids. The Penfolds 2002 (a very good vintage) was in excellent condition with no noticeable bottle variation. The wine was at its peak with beautiful smooth tannins and a long finish. For many it was the wine of the day.

Cheese and coffee. It was no surprise to anyone that James Healey selected a Swiss cheese given the theme of the lunch. He served us a Kase Swiss Blumenkase, an unpasteurised (raw) cow’s milk cheese. It was firm in nature and was not unlike Gruyere which many picked.

Spencer had a little surprise for us today with a decaffeinated coffee made using a process called ‘Swiss Water’ which is apparently a proprietary name. Water is used with activated charcoal to remove the caffeine but it leaves the other flavours and chemicals behind. It was surprisingly strong and it was unlikely that anyone would have picked the lack of caffeine and certainly none admitted to it.

All in all, an excellent lunch although a little disappointing that more members and guests did not get to enjoy it.

25 July 2017 - CoTD James Hill

For our July wine luncheon, we had James Hill once again in the kitchen assisted by Hal Epstein and James Healey and Gary Linnane assisting on canapés. It was Hal’s first time in the kitchen assisting and we would like to see him back in the future.

Canapés. The team put together two canapés today. Firstly, thinly sliced celery on top of anchovy paste on, Iggy’s bread, of course. The second was really two in one being sliced salami on Iggy’s bread topped with a pickle. One salami was hot and other not so. Both simple but both an enjoyable start with our aperitif wine.

Aperitif wine. To start today was a Lindemans Hunter River Semillon Bin 0755 2007. It was under screwcap and was in marvellous condition and at 10 years of age, some years until it reaches its peak.

Main course. Following on from a rosso osso buco last week, James served as a bianco osso buco, that is, with no tomatoes. It was served with boiled potatoes, fried mushroom and gremolata. On this occasion and in the style of this dish there was no bone and the marrow had been used in the sauce which accompanied the dish. The sauce was beautifully rich and succulent but did not overpower the wines for this wine luncheon.

The Wines.

• Kaesler BV Old Vine Shiraz 2008 (screwcap, 15.5%)
• Charles Melton Nine Popes 2009 ((screwcap, 14.5%)
• Cuilleron St Joseph 2011 (cork, 12.5%)
• Penfolds Bin 389 1998 (cork, 14%)
• Houghton Gladstones Cabernet 2005 (screwcap, 14.0%)
• Antinori Badia a Passignano Reserva 2006 (cork, 13.5%)

The wines served at lunch were in the main on the heavy side. The Kaesler had a label declared alcohol of 15.5% but could be more. That is not to say that it was extracted or hot but rather it was a well-made high alcohol Barossa wine. The Nine Popes also from the Barossa was a strapping big wine though Grenache based. Both relatively young for the style and still with lashings of fruit.

The St Joseph was the youngest of the wines today. From 2011 it was a more restrained northern Rhône Syrah style which some thought was the wine of the day. It had lifted and bright fruit and was drinking at its peak although it may stay there for many years. Next in line, the Penfolds Bin 389, from a vintage that has attracted much criticism of recent times. These bottles were in excellent condition and were better examples than most had seen.

The Houghton Gladstones was a massive wine which clearly needs another 5 to 10 years before being approached again. Brilliant Margaret River lifted fruit and a dusty character that we come to expect from that area. Finishing off with the Chianti from 2006. This was a Reserva so one would expect some more body and that is certainly what we got. Though medium bodied it had power and elegance handed down from its elder brother, Antinori’s Tignanello. Beautiful.

We were fortunate to have member Richard Gibson donate 6 bottles of Barolo to the lunch. It was the Azelia Barolo split between botlles of 2003 and 2004. A real treat and both drinking beautifully. Thank you Richard.

Although few were able to try it Hal Epstein bought along his last bottle of Huntington Estate Pinot Noir 1982 as a 'chef's wine'. In stunning condition, it tasted nothing like a Pinot but was excellent drinking and a credit to Bob Robert's winemaking all those years ago.

Cheese and coffee. James Healey went all Cornish on us today serving Neal’s Yard Dairy cow’s Kern from West Cornwall. Cornish Kern is a modern British hard cheese and it was probably the first time the Society has had it served. It is aged for 16 months in black wax and this results in dense fudgy texture and complex profile. It is caramel sweet and salty. Nobody guessed it was from the UK.

Spencer was back in his fine coffee mode today serving a Kenya Karogoto AA. In his notes, he explained that this is a fresh import batch which he thought probably exceeded the quality of the same coffee we had earlier in the year. A medium coffee but very fruity.

18 July 2017 - CoTD Gary Linnane

Lunch today saw Gary Linnane in the kitchen assisted by James Hill. It was good to see good numbers at lunch after a very successful chef of the year dinner the previous Saturday evening.

Canapés. In no particular order, we started off with rabbit terrine (sourced from Victor Churchill) on Iggy’s bread. The rabbit terrine was nothing short of fantastic with its flavour and the high fat content, making tasty but not potentially healthy to enjoy. Then came rollmops on pumpernickel. Not tasted by myself but I understand they were much enjoyed with the rollmops source from Cutler and Co in Melbourne. An excellent start.

Aperitif wine. The aperitif wine was a Ronco Sot Lis Rivis Pinot Grigio from the Sot Lis Rivis region of Italy. It is an aromatic wine of relatively high alcohol, aged in used oak barrels. It’s full nature also makes it suitable for food but it must be said that some spoke against the wine. However, many liked it.

Main course. The tomato-based osso buco was excellent. Served on the bone it was beautifully succulent and was served on mash with gremolata and Dutch carrots. Many enjoyed the richness of the bone marrow, which was keenly removed. Once again Gary went to Elizabeth David for this recipe and he noted that the high-quality veal that she would have used is almost impossible to acquire today. The main was much enjoyed.

The wines.

• Poggio al Tesora Mediterra 2010 (cork, 14%)
• Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre 2011 (cork, 13.5%)
• Tintilla Sangiovese 2014 (screwcap, 14.0%)
• Scorpo Chardonnay 2012 (screwcap, 13.5%)

A pair of Italian wines to start. The Tuscan wine from Bolgheri was an IGT being a blend of Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet. Rich at 7 years old but an excellent wine with good length and very evidently not Sangiovese based. The Allegrini wine was a typical Valpolicella but also an IGT. The fruit richness of the Corvina put the wine clearly in its home region. Surprisingly there was a degree of similarity between the two with the former having more new world richness and tannins.

A red and a white with the cheese. The Sangiovese was clearly a long way from home. It had some elegance, but at 2014 was too young and it was rich in the Australian style, none of the savoury characteristics that you would expect from a Tuscan wine. The Scorpo was a lovely wine. It had a very solid grip and had a richness that one would expect was borrowed from Burgundy. Many thought it was the better match with the cheese.

Cheese and coffee. The cheese presented by James Healey today was a Rouzaire de Meaux, a pasteurised cow’s milk fromage from you Ile de France. The packaging and presentation was stunning and you can see it in the photographs above. Interestingly the cheese is pasteurised for the Australian and US market, but it did not detract which had a beautiful sweet smell and was velvety on the palate. It would have been interesting to have tasted unpasteurised version.

The coffee from Spencer Ferrier was a commercial presentation but sourced from the White Horse Company in Sutherland just south of Sydney. The blend is El Troje and hails from Columbia. Spencer tried this coffee at the café and found it to be slightly weak but the dosing today meant that we had a stronger flavour that was enjoyed across our table.

The President, Keith Steele, in closing the lunch confirmed to those who had not been present on Saturday evening that the Chef of The Year was a joint award to Steve Liebeskind and Graham Fear and the Alexiou seafood chef of the year was, wait for it, Steve Liebeskind. He congratulated them both and closed the lunch.

11 July 2017 - CoTD Paul Gibson

It has been a good few months since the Society has seen a virgin Chef of the Day. Today the Paul Gibson stepped into the role with the guidance and assistance of Steve Liebeskind.

Canapés. We began the afternoon with two canapés, the first being smoked salmon on blinis topped with some finely chopped dill. This was followed by some beautifully rare roast beef on a dry biscuit with horseradish cream and topped with a leaf. The roast beef was not cooked by sous vide but rather conventionally cooked to the desired temperature for the degree of rareness required.

Aperitif wine. The accompanying wine was Salomon Undhof Kogl Riesling 2011. This Austrian wine had a clean, textured palate feel, was bone dry and with an essence of apples and pears. A beautiful aperitif wine.

Main course. In a move away from pork and beef. Paul served us pan fried barramundi. The skin was beautifully crisp was some crunchy bacon crumbs adding to the texture. The meal was based on a Paul Bocuse recipe and it came with a lemon sauce on kumara mash served with peas. It was a great success drawing much praise from members.

The wines.

• Tyrrells HVD Semillon 2005 (screwcap, 11.5%)
• Wairau River Reserve Pinot Noir 2010 (screwcap, 13.5%)
• Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2010 (screwcap, 14.0%)
• Rosemount Balmoral Syrah (cleanskin from cellar door) 2007 (screwcap)

The lighter two wines were served first to go with the seafood main. The 05 Semillon was of a richer style, drinking well but with a big future. Sulphur was detected on the nose by all commentators. No doubt a by-product of the screwcap, but the sulphur did blow off. The New Zealand Pinot was elegant, not overly sweet but lacked a little complexity.

The next two wines vied for the wine of the day. The Hilltops Shiraz was a bright wine and super clean. The fresh, clean and relatively robust palate had overtones of blackberry which could match a rich meal. The Rosemount wine was a much richer wine with a little stewed fruit element on the nose. Not inelegant and very typical of the style you would expect from a Balmoral of a lesser year.

Cheese and coffee. James Healey stuck to Australia this week serving a Pyengana clothbound cheddar. Pyengana from Tasmania is a favourite of members and it is often in short supply given its popularity throughout Australia. This example appeared to have a longer cellaring age and whilst not crumbly, was moving in that way. Beautiful rich, sweet aroma following through to the palate. Paul Gibson provided almonds and walnuts to accompany the cheese.

Spencer Ferrier was back to a non-commercial style this week with Cibao Altura from the Dominican Republic. The Republic apparently makes less than 1% of the world coffee crop and is described as a well presented, flavoursome, and a light coffee, Spencer explained that it does well in the plunger but lacks some supporting flavours for espresso.

The President, Keith Steele, complimented the standard of the meal when presenting the official Society apron to our latest Chef of the Day. Well done Paul.

4 July 2017 - CoTD Roger Straiton

The 4^th of July being American Independence Day, the theme was food eaten in America on this day with chef of the day Roger Straiton assisted by our very own American, Scott Witt.

Canapés. Yep we started off with little boys/wieners/saveloys/whatever with mustard. General consensus was that the colouring was probably carcinogenic and that there may have been some meat in there somewhere. A fine American tradition. Next up were some crabcakes which were very tasty and certainly full of crabmeat.

Aperitif wine. A cracking start to the lunch with William Fevre Chablis 2012. Dry and with a degree of minerality, it cut through any oiliness with the canapés.

Main course. Continuing on the Independence Day theme, Roger and Scott prepared chicken fried steak a new experience for most in the room. Substantial pieces of prime rib eye fillet were battered in a pepper and paprika mix and pan-fried. This was served with mashed potato, peas and a white gravy. Very flavoursome, even though some people kept unkindly referring to it as Kentucky Fried Chicken.

The wines.

• Heidi Schrock Blaufrankisch 2012 (cork, 13.5%)
• Chateau Belloy (Canon-Fronsac, predominately Merlot) 2010 (cork, 14.5%)
• Seghesio Zinfandel (Sonoma) 2011 (cork, 14.8%)
• Bowen Cabernet 2002 (cork, 13.5%)

This week we had all wines under cork and encouragingly there was no significant bottle variation. The Austrian Burgenland Blaufrankisch was as expected soft and aromatic with a pure fruit finish. The right bank Bordeaux was drinking very well with a typical European tannin structure. The 2^nd set of wine with the cheese were a substantial step up in terms of size. The Zen came from old vines and was lush, spicy but relatively elegant. It was not a particular favourite in the room. The Bowen at 15 years of age with a large wine from a substantial year. It was drinking very well and was deemed to be a very good Australian Cabernet

Cheese and coffee. To nobody’s surprise, our Cheesemaster, James Healey, joined in the spirit of 4^th of July and served us the Cabot clothbound cheddar from Vermont in the New England area of the US of A. We have enjoyed this cheese previously and once again it was a beautifully balanced cheese fruity and of a sweeter style with a degree of maturation evident.

We had a commercial coffee week with Spencer Ferrier providing Illy coffee, a brand he believes is the best available commercial coffee. We have enjoyed this before and Spencer advise beans from our normal supply and more commercial coffees.

A few hundred Americans flags were destroyed in the cooking and eating of this lunch.

Wine Lunch 27 July 2017 - CoTD James Tinslay

[Only two photographs this week as the Number 1 photo man, James Hill, was away and the backup was CoTD]

For this June wine lunch James Tinslay was on the pans assisted by David Madson.

Canapés. Two canapés were served. Firstly pork/beef meatballs roasted and provided with a spicy paprika/cumin/chilli dipping sauce. The second was Chinese style barbecued pork, water chestnut and spring onion on a crisp cracker.

Aperitif wine. The main aperitif wine today was the Elderton Riesling 2009. A fine Riesling at its peak, but will probably stay there for many years. We also enjoyed a couple of bottles of Richmond Grove Riesling 2006, as well as a Lustau Manzanilla sherry.

Main course. The main today was slow cooked pork neck stuffed with a spiced Italian porkmince, pistachio nuts and sage. The 13 kg of pork neck had been slow cooked for about 6 hours and hence was quite succulent. This was served on a kumara mash with a sauce made from the 24 pears and onions used in the slow roast. This is accompanied by crisp broccoli. As this writer was the chef of the day, I can only say it appeared well received.

The wines. Paul Ferman’s selections for the day were based on a theme of single grape varieties to show off the differences. Only the Pinot Noir was served masked.

• Orlando St Hugo 2004
• Argiano Brunello di Montalcino (Sangiovese) 2007
• Prunotto Barolo (Nebbiolo) 2008
• Yannick Amirault La Source (Cabernet Franc) 2010
• Freycinet Pinot Noir 2011
• By Farr Shiraz 2011

Taking the wines as to groups, the first was fascinating. The St Hugo was a big hit with its lovely rich but not extracted fruit. Member Phil Laffer who was present at the lunch was the winemaker responsible for this wine at the time. The next two were classic Italian styles at the very top of the tree but poles apart in just about every aspect. The Brunello was drinking beautifully with light tight tannins and may go on for many years. The Barolo was a forward modern style with the rusty meniscus that you would expect from Nebbiolo. A great trio.

For the next set, the Cabernet Franc seemed a little unsettled with a metallic taste. The Tasmanian Pinot Noir was of a lighter strawberry fruit style but well-made if a little simple. However, a good Australian lighter Pinot. The By Farr Shiraz divided the room. It was elegant and the perfume of the 5% Viognier showed through very strongly. It seemed a little bit prematurely aged and the Viognier may have been overplayed.

Cheese and coffee. James Healey had selected a Perenzin Formajo Ciock al Vino Rosso from Veneto. The young cheese is kept in fermenting grape must for 10 days which imparts a mildly spicy wine-like flavour to this semi-hard cheese. Some of the grape skins are retained on the rind creating a striking visual element on the plate. Much enjoyed and a first for most.

Spencer Ferrier in absentia provided us Papua New Guinea peaberry. It. It was of a sweeter style but full-bodied. Peaberry is the round single seed produced in the coffee fruit occurring in less than 5% of the harvest. Again, this coffee was made with a little extra dosing which was much liked.

We had some 45 people for this wine lunch and the chef of the day thanked his assistant David as well as the kitchen staff led by Pete for their attentive and robust assistance.

20 June 2017 - CoTD Gary Patterson

We had Gary (Patto) Patterson in the kitchen today assisted by Graham Gardiner. Gary is clearly a believer in providing super fresh food for the society and as such, turned up with many raw ingredients, with the bulk of the work to be done at Rex. It was a learning experience for Graham in second time assisting.

Canapés. We had two canapés both based on puff pastry. Both were made freshly just before being placed in the oven. The first was feta cheese, parmesan with spinach and the other was based on feta cheese triangles. Both of them much loved with only crumbs left. The pastry was beautifully cooked and finished with egg white to get the desired baked look.

Aperitif wine. The aperitif wine was Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet 2013. Muscadet is a wine on the up and up throughout the wine world. It is made from Melon de Bourgogne and is fresh, dry but still fruity. Typically, it divides consumers and today was no different. I thought a beaut wine to cut through the oil of the pastry.

Main course. On the main being tabled the first thing that stood out with the variety of colour on the plate. Red “lolly” tomatoes, yellow squash, mushroom and yellow rice. The main event, roasted pork loin, was served on potato mash with a beautifully crisp and consistent pork crackling. The pork was correctly pink in the middle and besides comments about the squash being a little undercooked this was a very good main.

The wines. In the absence of our Winemaster James Tinslay presented the wines.

• Allegrini La Grola Veronese 2010 (cork, 13.5%)
• Blue Pyrenees Estate Cabernet 2009 (screwcap, 14%)
• Gibson The Dirtman Shiraz 2012 (cork, 14.5%)
• Tyrells Rufus Stone Heathcote Shiraz 2002 (cork, 14.9%)

I love contrasting wines styles and as we have become to expect this was another. The Allegrini being an IGT was of Valpolicella style wine except a blend of Corvina and Syrah. Rich but dry and the appellation showed through. The Blue Pyrenees wine had fruity up front Cabernet evident and drying tannins but was a little one-dimensional in terms of fading length and just upfront fruit.

Of the second group Gibson Shiraz was clearly the winner in my opinion. Despite being Barossa it was elegant and at 5 years of age had a wonderful intensity of fruit without being over sweet. The Heathcote wine on the other hand had stewed older style Australian fruit and was not that enjoyable. This view was shared by most throughout the room.

Cheese and coffee. The Taleggio cheese served by James Healey was a cracker. It came from Mauri in Lombardi and was of course pasteurised cow’s milk. Apparently, the ageing of these cheeses is a skill which leads to a mild and delicate melting, creamy cheese which is very aromatic. Some may say stinky.

Spencer Ferrier made good his threat from the week before by adding some Apko Gayo (just 10%) with the Colombian Guayata that was served the previous week. Like adding Viognier with Shiraz, the Apko Gayo influenced the base coffee remarkably. As Spencer was absent a show of hands was asked for those who had been there both weeks and certainly Spencer’s effort to blend the beans was a success.

Gary finished the lunch by thanking Graham for his perseverance with the “let’s prepare everything from scratch” approach and not forgetting Pete the REX chef who saved Gary’s bacon by noticing many kilograms of potatoes languishing in the corner all but forgotten just prior to service.

An enjoyable lunch.