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

Food

Lunch today was a joint initiative between WFSNSW and Sydney Ladies WFS, presenting venison. The chefs were Rob Guthrie and Jennifer Darin. This was the first lunch cooked by a member of Sydney Ladies WFS.

Canapés

Sharon Wyzenbeek up first with a green gazpacho. The gazpacho had equal amounts of baby spinach and fresh basil, then green capsicums, green chillis, cucumber, avocado, fresh lemon juice, vegetable stock, and plain yoghurt. All blitzed together and seasoned with a prawn!

Rob Guthrie’s canapé was puff pastry rounds partly cooked, then filled with mushrooms, finished in the oven, then topped with goats’ cheese, green olives and black kalamata olives, and a touch of fresh thyme. The mushrooms were sweated down in olive oil, chilli oil, garlic and salt.

Steve Liebeskind created a ceviche that was served on spoons. It was a mixture of red onion, coriander and fresh salmon pieces that had been mixed with an Asian sauce (spicy with citric acid). The salmon was cured by the sauce with the onion, coriander, lime zest and chilli, adding flavour and texture to the ceviche.

Main

Venison served with beans and potatoes sounds simple, but a lot of thought and effort in today’s menu.

Jennifer marinated the venison backstrap for twenty-four hours in allspice, rosemary, evoo, the zest of sixteen lemons, balsamic glaze, and BBQ sauce. They were cooked on the rack for five minutes on one side and two on the other, then rested. Perfectly cooked, tender, and moist. It was served with an intensely flavoured sauce made with blue and black berries, honey, balsamic glaze, lemon juice, port and lots of pepper!

Once served it was topped with chives from Jennifer’s garden.

The potato was cooked with sweet paprika, dill, butter and salt. Thanks to Dennis Cooper, who cubed the five kilos of potatoes!

Rob Guthrie’s beans beside Jennifer’s venison were blanched, then dressed. The dressing was a combination of white wine vinegar, olive oil, roasted garlic and seeded mustard. When plated, they had a drizzle of fresh lime juice and a few roasted almonds

First class effort today, canapés, main and cheese appreciated by all today and reflected by high praise in comments.

Many thanks to our REX kitchen team for their assistance today.

Cheese

The cheese requested by Jennifer today was a “Red Kasanova”, a German semi-soft, pasteurised cow’s milk.

Many favourable comments on the quality, texture, and flavour of this cheese. It came to the table in perfect condition and temperature. It was the first time served at our Society in my memory.

Red Kasanova highlights the exceptional quality of the milk produced by the farmers who belong to the cooperative dairy Bio-Käserei Wiggensbach. The texture of this washed-rind cheese is absurdly rich and velvety smooth. When it comes to flavour, Red Kasanova captures the qualities found in hard mountain cheeses from the area, think garlic and onion notes, but in a cheese that has the texture of butter. While the outer rind can get a bit potent in aroma, the high fat content of the paste tampers down any aggressive flavours that would normally show from a cheese in this category. Despite its mouthfeel, the cheese remains firm in form.

It was served with some black grapes.

Wine

Today marked the 107th Anniversary of the signing of the Armistice in 1918, thus bringing to an end the War to End All Wars.  A very special day in Australian history, considering the appalling cost to our young nation at the time. On a much lighter note, today we had as our guests some of our womenfolk, including members of the Sydney Ladies WFS. A good roll up of 40 enjoyed a splendid lunch prepared by guest Chef Jennifer Darin and our Chef of the Year, Rob Guthrie.  See the food report for full details.

By way of wine, we got things underway with the best party starter on the planet, pink champagne on ice from Bernard Bremont NV. A truly excellent wine, a glass full of lively bubbles and plenty of flavour. Beautiful nose, crisp and mouth-filling, but finishing with a clean lingering aftertaste so typical of good French Champagne. I have always thought that pink Champagne adds a touch of glamour and excitement to an occasion. Many thanks to Chilly Hargraves for securing this fine wine for our cellar. 

Wine No 1 on the list for lunch was the delightful Kumeu River (NZ) Rays Rd Chardonnay 2021 @ 13.5%. A very enjoyable wine, colour gleaming gold /green, plenty of acid balanced by outstanding fruit. Lovely aromas and taste of stone fruits and citrus with just a dash of buttery hints. The wine was served with other wines to accompany the venison main course, and I think the wine was out of place with the rich flavours of the meat and sauces that went with it. Nonetheless, it was a first-rate wine, but stuck with the wrong company. 

Wine No 2 was my wine of the day, the Yalumba " Cigar " Coonawarra Cabernet 2008 @ 14%. This wine exuded the classic Cabernet package of intense black fruits, leather, cherry, tobacco and rich stewed fruit. Tannins were restrained and balanced by gentle oak. Drinking at what must be its peak in development, the wine still had sufficient acid to carry it through for several more years at least. A great drink. 

Wine No 3 was the Hewitson L'Oizeau Shiraz 1998 @14%. From a quality winemaker, this wine was, sadly, in my view, drinking well past its best drinking period. Now 27 yo, it was to me sad and tired with the dull, dank aroma of a wine that was well past its prime. I am sure that years ago, in its heyday, we would have enjoyed it very much as a high-quality Shiraz, but now the just detectable signs of former glory have been nearly eclipsed by the march of time. 

Final wine of the day was the Yalumba Virgilius Viognier 2021. Readers of this weekly review will be well aware of my thoughts about this wine. In short, I do not like it. Oily and unctuous, it is just not my cup of tea. Some people, for reasons best known to themselves, may like it, fine, go ahead, knock yourself out, but before you do, please have my glass.  The only redeeming feature of this grape is that when mixed in small proportions with quality Shiraz, it produces a wine of deep richness and lusciousness as typified in the famous Clonakilla Shiraz.