The chicken and community: discuss
Last night was the last dinner in my 12 month reign as food master for the Ararat Wine & Food Society. It was a great experience to put together a series of meals for the society around different themes and with a great bunch of local chefs.
Last night we were at The Vines in Ararat where chef Sandy O’Malley excelled again with a very French influenced menu designed around a poultry/bird theme. We started with appetisers of foie gras, caramelised apple and walnut crostini and also smoked duck breast with pink grapefruit on witlof. The foie gras on caramelised apple, served on a sliced of toasted baguette was outstanding.
Entrée was the most flavoursome yet exquisitely sparkling quail consomme, with quail and pheasant pasties.
Giving my annual report as Food Master to the society
By the time we got to main the assembled crowd was fully in the swing of the evening and looking for another stand out. I served chicken casserole! But what a casserole, coq au vin, made the long way around with the sauce reduced separately (and for days) before the chicken and vegetables were cooked. The chicken was entirely infused with the favour of the wine soaked stock. For the first time in memory, when I stood up to tell everyone about the dish, the room exploded in spontaneous applause for the dish before I had said a word. A better dish, better executed could not have been found for a cold and rainy night in Ararat. The humble chicken outdid itself.
That only left dessert and it didn’t disappoint either. Sauternes baked custard with olive oil and Sauternes cake with Sauternes syrup and baked pears. This was served with a Chateau Roumieu – Lacoste Sauternes, utterly delicious.
I am now looking forward to what delights our new Food Master Peter Thomson and new Wine Master Chandra Ball will bring to the society in the next 12 months. Yum.
Related posts:
Cooking & Food, Rural Communities | Louise Sunday, July 12, 2009
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By Tim Wilson, Thursday, October 29, 2009 @ 10:27 am
I like your dress.