Food review by James Hill

Food

Near full house today for a remembrance lunch for Society members.

In the kitchen was our well-regarded Chef Steve Liebeskind with assistance from David Simmonds.

Canapés

Kangaroo tartare on biscuits topped with parsley. The tartare was made with pepperberry, shallots cornichons, mustards and Worcestershire sauce.

Good flavour and texture, no one picked the roo as protein.

Next up a chicken schnitzel with a honey mustard sauce of mustard powder, apple cider vinegar, egg, sugar, mayo and honey served at room temperature. Who doesn’t love a snitty.

it was great.

Lastly, a cold spicy pumpkin and coconut milk soup made with roasted pumpkin and onion with Thai green curry paste, chicken stock and coconut milk.

Main

Coq au vin, a nod to Paul Ferman who always cooked chicken when chef of the day.

Chicken marylands marinated in pinot noir with bay leaves, thyme and onions for 24 hrs. It was served with a sauce of marinade and beef stock, mushrooms, bacon, onions and a buttery creamy mash!

The meal was accompanied by Asian slaw rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, chilli, cabbage, red and white, carrots, bean sprouts, onions, coriander and mint.

Comments from members reflected the quality of the lunch today.

Thanks Steve.

Cheese

Our Cheesemaster Mark Bradford presented two cheeses from Woolbye cheese located in the Sunshine Coast in QLD. Both cow’s milk cheeses

One a triple cream Brie style and the other a washed rind. We’ve had cheese from this producer before, very good quality easily mistaken as French origin.

Steve served this with iceberg lettuce, spinach and roasted red pepper salad, a tribute to Neville Baker and Ted Davis, who prepared it often.

It was good to be reminded about this salad, texture and flavour, simply presented.

In between courses, we paid tribute to those members that we lost during the year and gave them the celebration that was accorded today.

Paul Ferman Cellar Master 2012-2019

Terry Stapleton President 1987-1988, 2003-2004

Terry McDowell

Roger Prior

Ian Masters

Peter Squires

Steve Zantiotis

Members spoke with personal reminiscences of those passed with others calling from the floor with tributes and anecdotes.

Lunch was closed with a traditional toast of Green Chartreuse and port to the lives and contribution to our Society of those that had passed.

It was noted that among the members present today there were seven Past Presidents and our incumbent in the room today.