Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran

Food

Our Chef of The Day was David Madson with his team James Tinslay and Peter Fitzpatrick assisting with lunch today following our Society AGM.

Canapés

Given that our apéritif window was more than usual the team responded with plentiful canapés.

First up was smoked trout terrine consisting of smoked trout, pitted Sicilian olives, EVOO, lemon zest and basil served on toasts. Great texture and flavour with the lemon zest dominating the finish on the palate.

Then followed pork and prawn patties made with garlic, ginger, fish and soy sauce, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, spring onions and coriander. They were a balanced texture and flavour hit, served warm on spoons topped with mango chutney.

James Tinslay prepared perfectly cooked chicken skewers that were marinated in soy, honey, ginger and garlic.

There are many favourable comments on the canapés today.

Main course

David presented meatballs and pasta. In this case, the pasta is mafalda.

It is a challenge to cook pasta for the multitude and David succeeded with the pasta “al dente” and meatballs moist and flavoursome, the key to keeping it moist was ricotta mixed with the pork and veal. The ricotta is a good binding agent for meatballs. They were cooked in house today and served with passata.

A good hearty comfort meal for autumn and well executed.

Sourdough bread was from Cornucopia Naremburn.

Thank you, David.

Cheese

Mark Bradford presented the cheese today an Italian blue cow's milk cheese that most members correctly guessing its origin.

The most popular form of Gorgonzola in Italy is known as Dolce Gorgonzola, the term used for young or sweet cheese.

The Mauri family make cheese using local milk from the lush pastures around their dairy in Lombardy and mature it in their mountain caves. Typically made from a single milking, the white interior has thick green lines of mould and a soft creamy flavour. The crusty rind bulges as it matures and develops distinct yeasty flavours reminiscent of Taleggio.

Gorgonzola Dolce is soft, sweet, with a subtle creamy texture, and piquant finish.

David accompanied the cheese with a mixed salad of cos, radicchio, endive, finely sliced red onion and herbs. Dressed with red wine vinegar, we needed some greens a good finish to the hearty dishes served beforehand.

Wine

Lunch today followed the AGM for 2024. An orderly meeting, with the members congratulating the Committee on their stewardship of the Society over the last year. Money in the bank and plenty of wine in the cellar, who could ask for more?

My wine report on the lunch today will be a bit of a dog’s breakfast for the following reasons, First, many wines were served before and during lunch meaning that every table had different wines and two, I misplaced my tasting notes.  By way of explanation, I was so giddy and discombobulated by the joy of being re-elected to the Committee, I relaxed my usual restraint with the aperitif wines and found that I was congratulating myself by sampling plenty of the 27 or so wines put on the table, a blunder on my part. Our wine master was conducting a clear out of various odds and ends, A good idea. With regard to the red wines each table received something different, so I can only comment on the wines I had, going from memory alone.

The first white wine I had was the Collector Chardonnay 2021, which we had a few weeks ago. I liked it then and liked it again today, despite words of disapproval ringing in my ears from some of our experts who regarded the wine as a model for poor winemaking! So it goes!  The second wine I had was from Orlando, a Chardonnay. I recorded the details which are now forever lost with my notes. From recollection, the wine was quite passable for an economy class aperitif wine. I did not record any of the many white wines that followed.

On our table, I recorded three of the wines that were served, although there may have been a fourth, that I did not taste. The first two were Italian, A Massolino Barbera D’Alba 2016. followed by a Podere Poggio Chianti Classico from 2015, a Sangiovese.  Both wines were excellent, the Sangiovese being much more full-bodied, with a stronger finish. Together they were a perfect match with the Italian meatballs and pasta.

The third wine I tasted was one of my favourites, the Seppelt St Peters Shiraz from 2010 as I recall. We have been fortunate in the past by having this wine on a few occasions, always a treat. In my view, one of the top half-dozen Shiraz in Australia. Enough said!

That’s all folks, sorry about this report, it was just one of those days. I am away next week, but back the week after. I promise to keep my notes secure next time.