Lunches
22 April 2024 Bill Alexiou-Hucker and Voula Price
Food review by Mark Bradford and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
A full house on a showery Easter Tuesday saw our immediate past president and acting Food master Bill Alexiou in the kitchen with friend Voula Price, presenting Greek Easter Surprises for the first mixed luncheon of the year. Voula and Bill cooked on our last mixed lunch in November, and they again attracted a large turnout of members and guests. It is well-known that nobody leaves hungry when Bill is involved in a lunch and today was no exception.
Canapés
These were aplenty. We started with mini-Greek salads on pita, having dehydrated Kalamata olive flakes, micro-diced cucumber and tomato, and feta with whipped basil.
Following this tasty plate was stewed octopus on china spoons, charred to produce a smoky Greek flavour. Very tasty with the charring working well.
Finally, we were served a Melinzana Salata (eggplant salad) of flame-roasted eggplant, parsley, lemon, olive oil and sesame seeds (a Greek version of baba ghanoush).
Entrée
Sitting down to an entrée, we had Avgolemono – a traditional Greek soup at Easter, with chicken broth, rice, lemons and eggs. Voula gave an interesting presentation to the room of the significance of the painted Greek eggs on our table for this dish, including the etiquette of eating them in a group.
Main
Today we were served Pasticcio, a Greek version of Lasagne. Whereas the latter usually incorporates pasta sheets, Pasticcio has special long pasta tubes designed for this traditional dish. The pasta was cooked al dente and served with a Marouliesalata (lettuce salad), having lettuce, dill, lemon and olive oil. The dish was a great match for today’s wines.
Dessert
The cheese master was given the day off, and we had a tasty baklava dessert of filo pastry, walnuts and syrup. Delightful, served with an impressive French sauternes.
Thank you, Voula and Bill – much thought and effort went into today’s Greek-themed lunch – a lively atmosphere around the room today with good company, wine and food.
Wine
A full house greeted the ladies to our first mixed lunch for 2025. Further lunches are planned for later in the year. We were very lucky to secure our erstwhile President Bill Alexiou and his charming co-chef Voula to do their Greek Easter Feast, which indeed it was. See the Food Report for more details. Needless nobody went home thinking about cooking dinner! The lunch wines were as follows.
We began with our House Champagne, the Jacquart Mosaique NV. Nice and cold, crisp and fresh, perfect for the pass arounds of which there were plenty!
Upon being seated, we were presented with a Margaret River Chardonnay from Nocturn wines 2021 13%. An enjoyable wine, now 4 yo and drinking well. A wine in good balance, crisp acidity with citrus flavours of grapefruit and lemon. Nice clean finish. A good example of a modern style Chardonnay.
The first red of the day was a classic Australian Grenache from the master winemaker Stephen Pannell. Sourced from fruit in the Blewitt Springs and Clarendon regions of McLaren Vale, this 2020 vintage wine was a classy demonstration of this grape variety. At 14%, medium to lightish body, distinct tannin influence with a very dry finish. An abundance of fruit flavours, such as raspberry and strawberry, all combine well to produce an excellent wine.
We then moved on to a Society favourite, the Paolo Scavino Dolcetto d'Alba from 2022 13.5%. Medium to full body wine lots, of dark fruit colour, soft mouthfeel with tannic presence. An easy drinking wine from the Piedmont region of Italy, best consumed when under 5 years of bottle age. At 3 years old now, this wine is a perfect lunch wine, not too heavy and finishing with a smooth, clean finish. Excellent selection.
The final wine of the day was the Chateau Gravas Sauternes 2009, 13.5%. Our Winemaster Nick Reynolds provided us today with a treat not often served at our regular lunches, a French Sauternes from the Sauternes district. Vintage 2009 was rated an 8/10 year for that region, and this wine reflected its fortunate vintage origin. Good balance between crisp acid and orange flavours on the back palate. A powerful, clean but lingering finish. A great way to end the afternoon!
15 April 2025 Steve Liebeskind
Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
In the kitchen today was our well-regarded chef Steve Liebeskind.
Canapes
Bismark herring on Pumpernickel - herring, cream, red onion and grated green apple. Steve advised it was his mum’s recipe ..loved it.
Goat’s cheese in pastry shells with a spicy beetroot chutney.
Adrian Coote prepared some smoked trout mousse in vol-au-vent with wasabi mayo, topped with fish roe. Lovely texture, the wasabi was dominant.
Main
Hot smoked salmon on Asian vegetables and mushroom/miso broth, with crispy salmon skin and topped with red caviar.
Asian vegs - wombok, bok choy, snow peas, julienned and enoki mushrooms.
A great dish, love the flavour mixture with the smoked trout infusing its smokiness into the broth. The broth was poured into our bowls at the table, ensuring it came at temperature. Good textural balance, the snow peas added some crunch, not forgetting Steve’s signature crispy salted salmon skin. Members asked for the recipe ..we have to wait till next time!
Much effort and thought went into the dishes today, much appreciated by members and reflected in their comments.
Thanks Steve.
Salad
Cheesemaster Mark Bradford presented a Fromager D'Affinois Buche Double Crème, a white mild cow’s cheese from France.
Located close to Lyon in the Rhone Alps region, the name d’Affinois is a play on ‘affinage’ – the French word for the ripening process of cheese. Using an innovative method called ultrafiltration, Jean Claude Guilloteau pioneered a new method of cheese making in the 1980s that created a luscious and velvety cheese naturally richer in proteins and minerals.
Cheese is made in Belley, a small town nestled at the foothills of the picturesque French Alps, surrounded by ancient forests and famous for its many waterfalls, and local farmers supply the dairy with luscious milk from their herds of Montbeliardes and Holstein cows that graze on dense pastures nearby.
With a thin white mould rind, and a paste that gradually develops a mild, sweet, creamy flavour, this double crème cheese has a silky mouth feel and creamy subtle flavour.
Accompanied with a green salad with walnuts and dried muscadelle grapes.
Steve generously provided some aperitif and fortified wines for our lunch.
Wine
The chef du jour was our Steve Liebeskind, who produced a superb dish of hot smoked salmon with a miso broth and matching greens. Preceding the main were some delectable pass arounds, including one of my favourites, Bismark Herrings, yum!
First wine today was the French white wine Aligoté, from Blouctet Garnier Bichot 2021, 12%. This wine was perfect for the pass arounds. Crisp, pale yellow with strong citrus flavours. Quite dry, but with great mouth feel leading to a nice clean finish. This grape variety comes from the Burgundy region where it is in much demand as a good quality, reliable white wine for an array of dishes. It certainly went well today.
Second wine was the Bannockburn 1314 Chardonnay 2018, 13.5%. A wine named after the year of the Battle of Bannockburn. This wine from the Geelong region of Victoria nearly blew my head off with just one sip. Pow! An explosion of heavy oak, high alcohol and some residual sweetness. Last time I drank a Chardonnay like this was in the mid-80s when Chardonnays were over-oaked, too alcoholic and full of sweet buttery overtones. I can accept that some may still like the 80's style, but not this little black duck!. The modern style, restrained, taut and fruit-driven is my style now and there is no going back. I thought today's wine was out of balance and I did not enjoy it at all. Enough said.
The third wine was a delightful Beaujolais Villages from Dominique Piron 2022 13%. Made from Gamay, full bodied and tons of flavour. Medium weight with great integration of oak/tannin/acid. Quite a big wine, nothing like a light-weight Beaujolais Noveau, this wine would partner well with any dish requiring a full-flavoured red wine. An excellent choice Wine Master.
Next wine was a Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz from the Grampians region of Victoria. This wine was first produced by the legendary wine maker Colin Preece, who created this easily recognisable style in the 1950s. A big wine as always, this Preece style combines spicy shiraz with firm tannins and restrained oak, producing a voluptuous, mouth filling wine with a powerful, satisfying finish. A lovely wine.
Final wine for the day was a beauty, the 2006 St Hugo Cabernet 14.5% from Coonawarra. A delightful wine, medium body, big colour from ripe dark fruits and an intense flavour. A very impressive mix of tannins/acid/ oak, all blended with perfection on the palate. Upon tasting there were beguiling hints of cedar, leather and eucalypt. It was a real joy to have with us today our member Phil Laffer, who in his winemaking days with Jacob's Creek, was the winemaker of this wonderful wine. Sincere congratulations Phil, on a job well done. A great thing to have the man who made the wine 16 years ago with us today to enjoy in our company the rewards of his work. My wine of the day!
8 April 2025 David Madson
Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
Our Chef of the Day was David Madson. He’s now claimed this lunch as his own, he’s cooked it for the third year in a row after the AGM.
Stephen O’Halloran, our new President, hosted the lunch. He thanked our immediate Past President, Bill Alexiou, and the Committee for all their hard work in ensuring our Society’s sustainability and continued success.
Steve Liebeskind was elevated to life membership. He’s been a long-standing member and valued contributor to our Society, and his nomination was voted on by the members on the day.
Congratulations, Steve. Well-deserved.
Canapés
Keith Steele prepared prawns in Marie Rose sauce and served them in cos lettuce cups.
James Tinslay, back for the third week in a row, baked puff pastry cups stuffed with halloumi, prosciutto, and peanuts. The pastry was washed with honey and apricot jam.
Both were popular with members today.
Main
David presented his version of Poulet Basque, or Spanish chicken. Chicken breasts and legs (skin on) were braised in white wine and stock with baby potatoes, oranges, chorizo, tomatoes, onions, olives, and peppers.
The dish had great flavours, with some heat on the palate. The chicken was perfectly cooked and moist. Dave advised that there was a lot of preparation involved, including chopping and cutting, two days in advance.
Roger Straiton, who spends a lot of time in the Basque region of France and Spain, commented favourably on the authenticity of the dish. Many comments reflected this, as well as the food being a great match for the wines today.
Two types of freshly baked bread were served this morning: a sourdough white and a black bread from Harris Farm.
Thanks, Dave!
Cheese
Mark Bradford, in theme, presented “Mahon Menorca,” a hard cow’s milk cheese from Spain rubbed with olive and paprika.
Named after Mahon, the capital of the rocky island of Menorca in the Balearic Islands.
Cheese production on the island has a history dating back to 3000 BC. Two ancient dairy cattle breeds, the red Menorquin and the black and white spotted Frison, graze on dense island grass and are milked on small family farms called ‘fincas’. Traditionally, this cheese was bound in cloth, giving it a distinctive square shape. The rind is rubbed with olive oil and paprika, which imparts a rusty-orange colour to the exterior. The wheels are then ripened for a minimum of six months on wooden shelves.
When mature or ‘curado’, the cheese retains its milky character, develops a nutty flavour, and has a characteristic tangy finish.
Accompanying the cheese were some mixed nuts and white chocolate buds, which worked well.
Wine
Today's lunch followed upon the conclusion of the AGM of the Society. Thank you to those who attended the meeting, a vital event for any Corporation. A very healthy turnout ensured we had a full quorum for the meeting. After the formalities of the meeting were complied with, we proceeded to a delightful lunch prepared by Dave Madson. The main was a Spanish-style chicken dish, which, put simply, was bloody delicious! Well done Dave.
First wine of the day was a Spanish white, a Valminor Albarino 2022. We enjoyed this wine a few weeks ago, and it was a winner then, and nothing has changed since then. I think that this wine is a perfect aperitif wine, fresh, crisp and full of fruit flavours, but all in perfect balance, resulting in a satisfying finish. Mr Winemaster, can we have some more please.
The next wine was one of several wines donated by the cook himself from his Hunter Vineyard. Many thanks Dave, for your generosity.
The wine was a Glandore vineyard 2011 Tempranillo 13.9%. A medium to light weigh wine with strong fruit flavours, lively acidity and a rounded finish, typical of this grape variety. An enjoyable, easy drinking style of wine, perfect for a lunch.
The third wine of the day was a cracker, the Dehesa La Granja Familia Rivera Tempranillo 2000, 14%. A wonderful wine now 25 yo, but still vibrant. Fully mature, but no sign of ageing. Silky smooth with complex tastes of plum, spice, leather and tobacco, all blended in together to produce a brilliant wine. Can we get some more please Winemaster?
Next wine was the Glandore Vineyard Savagnin 2022. To my knowledge, this is the first time we have seen one of these wines. A quality white grape from the Jura region of France. A crisp, dry wine with strong citrus flavours and high acidity. It would be a great aperitif wine. A zesty clean finish.
The final wine was the Glandore Ginger Rose Shiraz 2022 13.8%. Just 3 years old, this baby is headed for a very bright future. Would love to see it in say 5 years. A very typical Hunter Shiraz, medium weight, full of spicy flavours and high acidity. Even at this stage, an elegant wine with a seductive finish. Full of promise for future years.
1April 2025 Rob Guthrie
Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
Rob Guthrie was in the kitchen today for our fifth and last ‘cook off’ for our Chef of the Year award for 2024.
Canapés
Assisting Rob with canapés were Paul Mitchell, Julian Parmigiani, Stephen O’Halloran and Bayne Kelly.
A lot of preparation was evident with the starters today, well appreciated with many positive comments from members.
Paul Mitchell first up with home-made choux pastry with smoked ocean trout, dill and cream fraiche filling. They were topped with homemade pickled onion and dill.
Julian produced filo pastry cups filled with ricotta, basil pesto and sun-dried tomatoes.
First time assisting today was Stephen and Bayne, topping some Jatz biscuits with goat’s cheese, white anchovies and a black olive.
Main
The main course was a crusted lamb rack, inspired by the late Bill Grainger. The crust was made from oven-toasted sourdough bread broken into crumbs and mixed with Italian parsley, garlic, olive oil and lots of lemon zest and seasoning.
The lamb, which had been French trimmed, was prepared by searing the fat side, then coating with Dijon mustard and pressing the crumbs in. It was cooked on high heat to crust and crunch the crumbs and allow the lamb to come to the table pink. It was served with cherry tomatoes on the vine that were roasted in olive oil with garlic pieces.
The jus was made from roasted veal bones and vegetables reduced over 18 hours, then strained to form the demi-glace. This was later combined with chicken stock and further reduced, then seasoned.
The side dish of French beans and mangetout is an Ottolenghi recipe, the beans and mangetout were blanched, dried, then combined with roasted hazelnuts, orange zest, chives and flaky sea salt. The dressing was a mixture of hazelnut oil, olive oil and orange juice. It was served at or close to room temperature.
The mash was made by running cooked potatoes through a potato ricer, then blending with butter and sour cream.
The meal was accompanied by wholemeal sourdough from the Organic Bread Bar in Darlinghurst. Loved this bread.
Many favourable comments on lunch today, showing why Rob is a contender for Chef of the Year. Some said ‘the best lamb they’ve had in our society’!
Thanks team.
Cheese
Most people guessed the cheese today presented by Mark Bradford, Testun Di Barolo, a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese from Piedmont, Italy. I thought it came to the table in perfect condition today.
The name testun loosely translates to hard-headed, referring to the texture of the cheese, and Barolo is the local red wine.
Beppino Occelli creates cheese in the Lange region, where the alpine pastures provide rich feed for the local cows, goats and sheep. Known as formaggio ubriaco or ‘drunken cheese’ this specialty of Piedmont is aged in traditional wooden barrels containing the grape skins of Barolo wine. The marinade leaves a purple stain which gradually penetrates the rind of the cheese leaving a very distinctive wine barrel flavour.
The wheels are then aged for a further two months in Langa marc and Barolo wine during which time the cheese develops a rich flavour, semi-hard texture and lingering sweetness. The flavours of the cheese and grapes mingle together to create a flavour that is bitey, creamy, sweet, winey, buttery and sharp all at once.
Dried fruit of figs, apricots and dates was the accompaniment.
Wine
Our Chef du Jour, Rob Guthrie, put on an excellent meal in the form of a rack of lamb with all the trimmings. The pre-lunch pass arounds were of a high standard, leading to a delicious meal enjoyed by all. The lamb was cooked to perfection. See the food report for full details.
We started the day with an Italian white, a Cincinnato Bellone 2022 13%. I really liked this wine, crisp, full of flavour but also very dry. A typical classy Italian white wine that went so well with every canapé. This is the wine I can imagine myself drinking on a warm summer day in Rome at some trattoria, tucking into an antipasto. Heaven. I hope we have some more in the cellar. A winner. We also drank a bottle or two of Gavi with the canapes. Those of you who are regular readers of my reports will be aware of my love of Gavi. A terrific wine for a pre-lunch drink. Enough said.
First of the red wines was the Yalumba Menzies 14% 2012. A Cabernet from Coonawarra. This wine was a wonderful example of a quality aged Australian Cabernet. Now a 13 yo wine drinking, I think, at its peak, but with plenty of time left. All those delightful Cabernet flavours were there, rich muscular dark fruits, a little tannin, great balance of all component parts. Velvety smooth with a silky finish. A great wine. My wine of the day. When drinking this wine, I was struck by how distinctive this wine was from my other favourite Australian Cab, the Margaret River wines. I have always felt that a top MR Cab is very close in terms of aroma and taste to a quality Bordeaux. This Yalumba wine is, however, in my view, a different style, a unique Australian taste and flavour, quite distinguishable from other Cabernets. Thank you Winemaster, a treat!
The second wine was a little ripper from Tuscany, the Tenuta di Ghizzano Veneroso Terre di Pisa. 2010 13.5% If you can remember the full name without checking the label, you deserve a large glass of this superb wine. 2010 was a great year in Tuscany, so my research advised, and this wine showed the full benefit of a top vintage.
Italian wines are food-centred, and this wine drank perfectly with the main course. A blend of Sangiovese with a little Cabernet added in. Elegant, restrained tannins with a clean and persistent finish. A powerful wine with plenty of time ahead, great with food without attempting to dominate the flavours. Just edged out by the Yalumba for my wine of the day.
The third wine was the Domaine Leflaive Macon-Verze Chardonnay 2015, 14%. With the cost of high-quality French White Burgundies continuing to rise like a Saturn rocket, we are indeed lucky to enjoy this wine. Well done, Winemaster, hope it did not bust the budget! This was a delightful wine, redolent with citrus flavours of apple and grapefruit with buttery overtones. Rich and voluptuous with a seductive and sensual finish. A delight. My thoughts at the time were that this wine was a little bit lost sandwiched between two powerful reds. It still, however, shone as a fine White Burgundy.
The final wine was a John Duval Entity Shiraz from the Barossa, 14.5% 2015. This winemaker is a legend in his own time, making Grange Hermitage for Penfolds for years and now making some superb wines in his own name. His wines are amongst my favourites. This wine presented as a full-bodied Barossa Shiraz, packed with deep dark fruit flavours, spice and near perfect tannin /oak mix. Now 10 yo but plenty of time ahead. Rich, ripe and supple, a delight to drink.
We were fortunate to be able to drink three first class red wines today.
25 March 2025 Roger Straiton
Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
Our favourite ‘Franglais’ Roger Straiton was in the kitchen today cooking for our Bordeaux wine lunch.
Canapés
Roger kicked off with some room temperature scallops sitting on a Marie Rose sauce and black pudding slices. Loved the combination of flavours of this canapé.
Paul Thorne followed with white anchovy and cream fraîche wasabi sauce on warmed blinis.
Assisting again today James Tinslay prepared our favourite his sausage rolls. Today they were Moroccan style made with a dipping sauce of passata based with garlic, eschallots, parsley and Kashmiri chilly for a touch of spice.
The best ever.
Main
M. Rosbif cooking pork?? Sacré blue …
Not easy to cook for 54. Today’s menu was pork with mash and brocolini.
The pork rack was roasted then portioned into cutlets for plating.
It was served with mash, and a tarragon, mustard, white wine cream sauce to go with the broccolini. Roger made a black apple sauce for the pork, its main ingredient after the apple was activated charcoal.
It not easy cooking pork and getting it right, especially when there is such a large number.
The pork was pink, moist and perfectly cooked. No qualms about pork portion size today.
Roger praised the assistance of our kitchen brigade for their help today.
Merci Roger.
Bread baguettes from Taste Providore Woollahra.
Cheese
Our Cheese Master selected a washed rind cow’s milk cheese from France, Fromager Des Clarines.
Closely related to Vacherin Mont d’Or, this small cheese is designed to be eaten from the box. Made near the village of Cleron high in the mountains of Franche-Comte, it is traditionally made at the end of the milking season, when the limited amount of milk is rich in fat and protein.
Eat it at its best when the orange rind develops a ‘ripple’ and the interior breaks down to a rich sticky, creamy texture that oozes from the centre of the cheese – hence the box.
It was served with spoons as suggested.
Roger accompanied the cheese with Majool dates from California
We celebrated Dennis Cooper’s birthday with a rousing birthday song and a 1988 Armagnac.
Wine
Our Chef du Jour Roger Straiton cooked for us a delicious piece of roast pork, expertly cooked and presented. I am sure nobody went home hungry! My comments on the wines for the day are hereunder,
The aperitif wine was a 2021 Muscadet from the Loire district, 12%, An excellent way to begin our festivities with an all French line up, The wine was from Domaine de la Combe, sourced from the Melon de Bourgogne grapes, I have always had a soft spot for Muscadet, since a trip to France some time ago. Without doubt, a perfect wine to go with any seafood, especially oysters, fresh, crisp, beautiful fruit, perfectly in balance with an enduring clean finish. Garcon, a plate of Brittany oysters s'il vous plait.
This is what I would describe as a happy wine, everyone drinking it has a smile!
I am afraid to say, however, that is where the bonhomie for the day ends, as my tasting of the red wines to follow was a letdown. I, of course, speak solely for myself,
Today we tasted our Wine Master's selection of Bordeaux reds from vintage 2010. We had three wines from the Medoc region, one from Graves, all Left Bank wines, and two wines from the Right Bank region of St Emilion. A little bit of geography first. The wine making Left Bank of the Gironde river runs from Bordeaux for a distance of approximately 50 kms to the north and is a strip of land approximately 12km wide hugging the Gironde river, Here the predominate grape is Cabernet Sauvignon, with some Cabernet Franc and a little Merlot, This area is the Medoc, Graves is outside Medoc, still on the left bank and a little to the southwest of Bordeaux, The Left Bank is home to more rock star wines eg Lafite, Latour than the Right Bank, although it must be said that the Right Bank is home to the world's most expensive wine Ch Petrus, incidentally a wine 100% Merlot,
Getting back to the red wines today, I must say that generally I was disappointed, save for the last two, the Clos de Marquis and the Haut Bailly, with the exception of these wines, none of the others had anything like that instantly recognisable nose of a quality Bordeaux. Sadly, to my taste, most of the wines today were hard, tannic and unyielding, with excessive alcohol, causing them to be unbalanced. The average alcohol content of these wines was 14.3% compared to the average of other quality Bordeaux reds which hover around 12% to 13%. My short comment on each wine in the order of service is hereunder.
Ch Lanessan 14% - Dull and flat, hard and unyielding, I for one am not going to hang around for another 15 years for it to open up!
Ch Sociando Mallet 13.5% - A bit more approachable, hints of an enjoyable finish, but still closed, I don't have time to wait, see you later,
Ch La Serre 14.5% - In my view, the least inspiring of an uninspiring lot. No lift on the palate, sour tasting, acid gone, well on the way out.
Ch La Dominique 14.5% - Again high alcohol, but reasonable balance, plummy fruits, enjoyable finish, the best so far,
Ch Clos de Marquis 13.5% - At last a wine approaching a good Bordeaux. Excellent oak/tannin/fruit equation. Firm but restrained finish, just wish it would open up a bit more!
Ch Haut Bailly 14% - Pick of the bunch, just ahead of the previous wine, A fair bit more opened, elegant, seductive and complex. This is a bit more like it, beautiful dark berry fruits teaming up with gentle oak, a lingering finish on the back palate. My wine of the day.
18 March 2025 Chilly Hargrave
Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
Near full house for Chilly Hargrave in the kitchen for our fourth ‘chef of the year’ cook off.
Canapés apace
James (the baker) Tinslay up first with puff pastry scrolls with butternut pumpkin, ricotta, cheddar, gorgonzola, spec, hot chorizo, Kashmiri chilli, paprika, seasoning and smothered with egg and maple syrup and lots of butter. Delicious.
Big fan of Chilly’s terrines. Today it was chicken, pork and veal and green peppercorns served on mini toasts and topped with cornichons. Rich, textural and flavoursome with a lingering peppery aftertaste.
Yours truly followed with a tuna tapenade on cucumber topped with bull horn pepper. The tapenade was simply blended and the ingredients were tuna, olives, capers, anchovy, garlic, parsley and mascarpone.
Main
Prawn stuffed salmon tail with potato salad and asparagus.
All the features we look for in a ‘coty’ dish were present today presentation, favours and textures.
The fish was stuffed with prawns, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach Parmesan and seasoning. A good texture and the flavour of prawns shone through.
The fish was basted with teriyaki and sweet chilli sauces giving a perfect gloss finish and sweetness to the dish. It sat on light cream sauce of roué, spinach, lemon juice and mustard.
Accompaniments were wild asparagus and a potato salad, cocktail potatoes dressed with mustard seed, dill, tarragon parsley, scallions, red wine vinegar and evoo.
Chilly praised our Rex kitchen brigade for their assistance today.
Great lunch thanks Chilly.
The bread was baguettes from Taste Providore Woollahra.
Cheese
Our Cheesemaster Mark Bradford presented ‘C2’ cheese from Bruny Island Tasmania. A raw cow’s milk cheese.
Raw milk cheese is still a very new concept in Australia and the Raw Milk C2 is the one that started it all.
It was the first raw milk cheese in Australia (way back in 2009) and being unpasteurised, is the purest expression of our craft.
C2 is the sort of cheese found throughout the mountains of France and northern Italy. A classic cooked curd cheese made in a traditional large form. C2 matures for 4 to 8months, during which time it develops a sweet aroma and a mildly nutty flavour. The rind is wiped every week to encourage the surface bacteria that provide this cheese with much of its robust integrity.
A well-seasoned salad accompanied the cheese dressed with evoo honey lemon juice and thyme. The salad comprised red leaf lettuce, frisée, rocket, radish and strawberry.
Wine
Fish was the order of the day, a salmon prepared by Chilly Hargraves. See Food Report for details.
The first wine for the day to accompany the pass arounds was a Leo Buring Leonay Eden Valley Riesling 2024. It is amazing how the senses of taste and smell can transport you in an instant, back decades ago, to events and experiences had at that time. This wine took me back to the late 60's early 70's when I was drinking Leo Buring's DW series of Eden Valley Rieslings made by the master riesling winemaker John Vickery. Today's wine was instantly recognisable with the style of those former greats. Crisp, abundant fruit of lime and apple with strong citrus influence. A powerful lingering finish, clean and crisp. The wine is only 12 months old and in my view is headed for greatness. Our Wine Master has with great foresight, secured for us several cases of this wine which we will enjoy over the next decade or so. Perhaps we could have a bottle or two in three year’s time to see how it is travelling. Should be even better then. A wine destined to be one of the gems of our cellar. My pick for the wine of the day.
Wine 2 was the Domaine Wachau Gruner Veltliner 2022. We had this wine last week and I reviewed it in my report on our lunch on the 11 March. Go back if you are so inclined to see what I said then. In a shorthand form, I can say that it is a very enjoyable white wine, a bit thicker taste than what we are used to, good acid/fruit balance. It makes for a refreshing change from our usual diet of Australian whites. A perfect food wine for fish or poultry.
The third wine was a Brian Croser Tapanappa Chardonnay from the Piccadilly Valley near Adelaide. Vintage 2022 This wine is described as the Tiers Vineyard 1.5 M. Sadly I only had a small glass of the wine, but it was enough to convince me that this wine is potentially a masterpiece. Give it 3 or 4 years to fully bloom. Lots of acid but balanced by superb, restrained citrus flavours. Croser constructs his Chardonnay in a predictable style, taught, disciplined restrained. No huge oak with butterscotch topping, this is a serious wine, no flim-flan stuff here. This wine is pure and controlled, even rigid, but the quality is there to see. Made in a style consistent with a quality Montrachet, a wine demanding attention, certainly not to be consumed in the company of some floozy, intent on distracting you into other directions! This would have been my wine of the day, just edged out however by my romantic and nostalgic memories of Leonay’s of the past, reflected in today's Leonay.
We then moved onto wine 4 the Valminor Albarino 2022 from Rías Baixas, Spain. An easy drinking, enjoyable, and fresh white wine. High acid, strong fruit flavours, medium body and satisfying finish. Perfect wine to go with a plate of calamari at some seaside cafe in Spain or Portugal. It is pleasing to see our Wine Master introducing us to a number of European whites not seen here often but more than welcome for something different.
The final wine for the day was an Uccelliera Rapace 2011 from Tuscany, a Sangiovese blend with Merlot and a dash of Cabernet. I really did not like this wine.
Our Wine Master usually provides us with wines of impeccable quality, but not always to everyone's taste. So it goes, you cannot please all the people all of the time and so on. Anyhow getting back to this Italian wine, I was depressed from the first sip. Huge colour, almost black, but behind that screen, nothing! A waste of time. The wine is marketed as a Super Tuscan, an esteemed badge placed on high quality Tuscan wines which had ventured into allowing Bordeaux grape varieties into the local mix.
Some of these Super Tuscans are superb, eg Sassicaia, but this wine, a super Tuscan? What a joke. Super ordinary would be more accurate. To be compassionate to this poor creature it began life in 2011, regarded as one of the worst years in Tuscany in recent times. The poor thing has never recovered from its impoverished youth.
Dull, flat and boring, with no joy for the soul! Acid gone, no hope of anything better if left in the glass for a bit longer. The wine had a depressing aroma, musty, dank and a vague smell of wet dog! A sad wine to finish off an otherwise enjoyable day.
11 March 2025 Bernard Leung
Food review by Mark Bradford and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
Chef of the Year 2022 recipient, Bernard Leung, was in the kitchen today in our third “cook off” for 2025. He was assisted by former President and two-times Chef of the Year Steve Liebeskind, so along with Team REX, quite some talent behind the bench. Bernie was reprising his salmon presented in April last year.
Canapés
Crafted by Steve, our first canapé was chicken liver pate with thyme and Grand Marnier on toast rounds topped with a cornichon.
Following this, Bernie gave us Vietnamese spring rolls with sweet chilli sauce. Given that they were factory made; surprisingly good.
Lastly, Steve presented the salmon ceviche he gave us at Bernie’s April lunch last year. Served on a spoon with Asian flavour, they had small cuts of salmon, coriander, onion and jalapeno, the sauce consisting of lime, fish and soy with a little sugar. Lots of flavours.
These were highly applauded by the members, and a good build up to the salmon main.
Main
Wonderfully presented, Bernie served us Tasmanian salmon and pea broth, based on a recipe by Heston Blumenthal of the Fat Duck fame. Bernie used boiling water to remove the salmon skin. He then brined the salmon (5% salt, 5% sugar) for an hour to firm up the fish, then sous vide at 52o, the skin being crisped in the oven for 180o for half an hour. The ham and pea broth was made from a stock of smoked ham hock, leek, onions and carrot, slowly simmered for over five hours. The stock was then blitzed with the peas and put through a strainer, the process retaining the fluorescent green colour to contrast with the pink salmon. The salmon and stock were accompanied by a tarragon and mint oil, orange and fennel salad, some leftover shredded ham from the stock, peas, and some smoked salmon roe.
Only praise from those taking the floor to comment, and little wonder Bernie recently won Chef of the Year.
Cheese
Today’s cheese was Challerhocker, an artisan Swiss cheese from St Gallen in the north-east. Malty and sweet with a spicy finish, Challerhocker is a 21st-century Swiss cheese and was first introduced to the Society at Bernard’s salmon and broth lunch last year.
With a change in regulations during the 90s, the Master Appenzeller Cheesemaker, Walter Rass, created a new cheese using rich pure Jersey milk, and a secret blend of wines, herbs and spices. He aged it for 8 months and named it ‘Challerhocker’, meaning ‘sitting in a cellar’. The washed rind produces a robust, tacky rind and contributes to the nutty aroma of the dense white paste.
The cheese was served with bread and a dressed salad.
Wine
Today we were spoilt by Bernie Leung who produced a superb salmon dish with green pea broth. Truly excellent. I will allow the food reporter to describe this dish in full along with the excellent pass arounds. The Wine list consisted of one red and four whites, details for which are set out below.
First wine of the day was a very drinkable Brian Croser Tapanappa vineyard Riesling 2015, from the Eden valley at 12%. I was very pleased to be able to report that the wine was in pristine condition and drinking beautifully. Clare and Eden Valleys are my two favourite districts for Riesling in Australia. My research tells me that 2015 was rated as a top year in the Eden. Bright and clear, the wine showed still considerable acid for a 10 yo, but this was balanced by terrific fruit showing lemon and lime zest flavours with some floral flintiness. Dry, with firm acidic finish. A really enjoyable wine.
First wine for the main was a Domane Wachau Gruner Veltliner 2022 from Austria at 12.5%. I really liked this wine, so do a great number of Australians, for good reason. A medium bodied wine, with apple and pear flavour overtones. Quite acidic, but in good balance. An excellent partner with the salmon main, that dash of high acidity just cutting thru the slight natural oiliness of the fish and broth. Most enjoyable.
Second main course wine was a 2012 Baron de Ladoucette Pouilly Fume at12.5 %, from the Loire. This wine was a straight Sav Blanc, now close to a 13 yo regard being had to the French time of harvest. The wine was a deep yellow colour, indicative of age, but still showed some delicate citrus flavours, a rich mouth filling texture and sufficient residual acid to enable it to finish well. Worlds apart from the Sav Blanc made here and in NZ. This wine seemed to be the crowd favourite amongst the whites, although from my perspective, I could not help thinking that we were seeing this wine 6/7 years past it's prime. Then it would have been a stunner. It was a great example of how French SB can gracefully age.
We then moved onto my traditional foe in the WFS Cellar, Rhone white wines, namely, Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier in whatever combination. We seem to have a bottomless stock of these wines, which make far too frequent appearances at our lunches. Today's agent of evil was a Guigal Cote du Rhone Blanc 2022 at 14 %. The wine was made from all three of these grapes in unspecified proportions. I am a fan of Guigal red wines, always consistent and predictably good value. I wish they would stick to making reds and ditch these whites. Readers of my wine reports over the years will be aware of my long-held antipathy to the wines. The reason, in my view they are oily, unctuous, excessively mouth filling, and lack sufficient acid to finish in any enjoyable crisp fashion. In sum, fat and flabby. Tasting these wines today did not cause me to change my expressed views in any way, however some other members may of course hold a contrary view, which is fine, please feel free to drink my share.
The final wine of the day was the Stella Bella Cabernet from Margaret River 2019 at14.3 %. A really nice wine that went perfectly with the terrific cheese sourced by Cheesemaster Mark Bradford. From the outset the wine showed outstanding Cabernet flavour, blackcurrant, plum, leather and a hint of cherry. Rich and chewy with a silky finish. If you are looking for an example of what a quality Cabernet should taste like, this is your wine. My pick of the wines for today.
4 March 2025 Hal Epstein
Food review by James Hill
Food
Hal Epstein was in the kitchen as our Chef of the Day.
Canapés
Sicilian olives in oil and lemon.
Fresh seasonal figs wrapped with prosciutto.
Mango salsa with a good chilli heat served in pastry cups. Hal said he pulled back on the chilli and most thought it just right.
Melon and bocconcini on sticks with home grown Thai basil (horapa). Hal served this last as a palate cleanser after the mango salsa.
Main
Hal always tries something different when he’s on the hobs today it was pork ribs, those with a long history in our Society couldn’t remember this being served before.
Pork ribs, baked cabbage steaks and beans. Hal kept it simple without compromising flavours. The ribs were served with red cabbage ‘steak’ topped with yoghurt and dill and with green bean with egg and vinaigrette.
They were delicious. Hal got the quantity almost, right down to the last rib, there were those wanting more! Eating them with your fingers was de rigueur.
The ribs were marinated in Serrano sauce from Texas made with cucumbers, garlic and lime and tajin seasoning comprising lime chili peppers and salt. They were baked in foil and flashed on the grill.
Bread country loaf from Baker Bleu, a white sourdough with a chewy caramelized crust and moist crumb.
It was a success, canapés and main greatly appreciated by members today.
Thanks Hal.
Cheese
Our cheese Master, Mark Bradford, presented a white mould cow’s milk cheese from France “Ferme de la Temblaye
It came to the table in perfect condition room temperature,runny initially some ammonia on the nose but none evident on the palate
Traditional-style French brie produced on the farm and presented in a wooden box. Ferme de la Tremblaye are located southwest of Paris and produces a range of goat’s and cow’s milk cheeses. With a focus on environmental responsibility, the B Corp approved farm has adopted the agroecology model of sustainable farming that works with nature.
A traditional-style brie with a soft, buttery paste and complex savoury flavours contained within a delicate, thin rind.
Wine
We are missing Steven O'Halloran's inspiring wine prose as he did not attend this lunch. The Cellarmaster is writing this but not taking his place.
We started off Hal's lunch with a Nicolas Bergaglio Minaia Gav del Commune di Gavi Roverto, which is a long way of saying a delicious Gavi from Piemonte made from the Cortese grape. Every time I serve this wine to accompany our appetisers, I hear only positive comments. It is certainly a crowd pleaser although many seem to view it every time as a newly presented wine. Fortunately they are consistent in their praise on each occasion.
For his main of pork ribs, Hal requested a chardonnay and a lighter red. The Chardonnay that we had was a 2022 Oakridge Hazeldene Chardonnay. Although more an entry level wine for this winery, it is well balanced with an appropriate oak treatment and more than sufficient body to cope with the pork and spice of the main course. The second wine was an Austrian blend of Blaufrankisch and Zweugelt from the 2014 vintage made by Pittnauer. The years have been kind to this wine which still retained much of its linearity and fruitiness while possessing a good weight. Once again, a good match for Hal's dish.
To accompany the cheese, as is rapidly becoming a tradition, we had a white to start, in this case a 2019 Hugel Classic Gewurtztraminer. The grape was meant to be a spicy, tropical fruit, and acidic accompaniment to the brie. Some appreciated it with the cheese, while others don't really like Gewurztraminer in any form so it got mixed reviews on the day.
After the plethora of whites and light reds, I then presented something that could best be described as a wine match to the coffee. A 2007 Wynn's Coonawarra Shiraz. While possessing some Shiraz characteristics, this wine was rather tired after spending so much time lying down in our cellar. I am pleased to announce that this was the last of this vintage in the cellar.
25 February 2025 Peter Kelso
Food review by Mark Bradford and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
Becoming a tradition, former President, Chef of the Year and Alexiou Trophy winner Peter Kelso was in the kitchen for the first Society Wine Lunch for the year today. Peter was presenting duck, always a society favourite. Paul Thorne assisted Peter with the canapés. Despite being the funeral today of wine icon and longstanding Society member Ray Kidd, who passed away on 14 February aged 98, the numbers for lunch were good.
Canapés
First to appear was Peter’s daikon patty, accompanied with a miso mayo dipping sauce. Plenty of serves - to appear at least twice - and a good match with the NZ Chardonnay accompanying the pass arounds.
The next was Paul’s blinis. These were topped with crème fraiche, mixed with wasabi and lemon juice with a fresh white anchovy on the top. Again, good with the chardonnay.
Main
Today’s duck was a Maryland, roasted with potatoes and served with an orange-based sauce with pan residue. This was accompanied by a bitter leaf salad that was lightly dressed. Favourable comments from the floor, noting the benign flavours with the semillons and reds alike.
Cheese
The Cheese Master presented a King River Gold log, a washed rind cheese from the Milawa region in Northeastern Victoria, renowned for its wine, produce and snowfields. Inspired by European methods, this surface-ripened cheese is regularly washed with a brine solution and matured in the former butter making room. The microflora there, combined with that of the local vineyards, imparts a slightly yeasty character, lingering savouriness with nutty notes and creamy texture. Peter accompanied the cheese with pears and toasted walnuts. Comments were favourable for this excellent Australian washed rind.
Wine
Today was the Festival of Tyrrells, save for an interloper from NZ. It was a wonderful chance to indulge with some of Tyrrells jewels from the Hunter ranging from 2006 to 2018 vintages. A rare treat, thanks to Nick Reynolds for his work in putting the show together.
The interloper was the aperitif wine a 2022 Kumeu River Chardy from NZ. An entry level Chardy, second behind their premium and more expensive Estate Chardy. With that in mind, the wine presented as a sensible, affordable drink to go with the pass arounds. Now 3 years old the wine showed some pleasant aspects, clean and crisp on the palate. Restrained stone fruit on the mid palate. I think the trick is to not expect too much from wines in this "good value" category. Just accept the wine for what it is, a drinkable, commercial Chardy to drink with the pass arounds, before moving on to the quality stuff.
We then moved onto the wines forming the Festival of Tyrrells. six of their best and fairest spanning 19 Vintages. 3 Semillon, and 3 Shiraz. Dear reader, please note that of these 6 wines 4 were from vintages that rated 10/10, according to Langtons.
I’m not going to examine each of the wines in detail, as frankly reviewing wines of the same variety is a challenge to say something different about each wine. Not like comparing a Malbec and a Sav Blanc!
Dealing with the whites first, they were all in great shape and testimony to the Hunter's ability to produce Semillon that is virtually bullet proof. None of the wines showed any sign of age and will seemingly go on forever. Of the three, my pick was the 06. Still gleaming and bright, showing all the classic Hunter aged Semillon features, waxy, lanolin and toasty. The 17 and the 15 are brilliant wines still going thru the development process. Great expectations are in store. The 3 reds on display were the 2018 4 Acres, the 2018 Vat 9 and the 2014 Johnno's, all straight Shiraz. Three terrific wines, hard to select a favourite. The 4 Acres came from a vineyard planted in 1879, one of the oldest in the Hunter. A medium to lightish weight wine, very typical Hunter Shiraz. Great fruit, well balanced, delightful, a joy to drink, strong fruit, great finish.
From the same year the Vat 9 was a softer style of wine, medium body, very elegant, superb integration of oak/tannin/acid.
Now at 7 years post vintage the wine has huge potential to develop into a Hunter classic. All the structures are in place.
My pick of the trio was the 2014 Johnno's, from a vineyard planted in 1908. Regarded by many as the best vintage for decades in the Hunter, the wine just exuded class from the outset. A bigger wine than the other two, clearly denser with more body.
Wonderful fruit, perfect balance, everything in harmony. Drinking now as a 11 year old, one can only see a virtually unlimited future of wonderful drinking ahead. Would love to see this wine in say 10 years time. I'd put my house on the wine still being magnificent.
In summary, a rare treat, we are indeed fortunate.
18 February 2025 Nigel Burton
Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
Nigel Burton was our Chef of The Day for the second “cook off” for Chef of The Year 2024 assisted by George Winyard and Greg Brunner.
Canapés
George started us off with some puff pastry topped with Parmesan, olives, prosciutto and rosemary.
Greg up next with Brandade de Morue on baked toasts. One topped with tomato and parsley olive tapenade.
Plentiful, great flavours and textured in both canapés.
Main
Nigel reprised his Marseilles Bouillabaisse. The name for this dish is derived from two actions bouillir (to boil) and abaisser (to reduce or simmer).
The stock was made up using the bones of fish blue eyed cod, barramundi and fennel to impart an anise flavour. To these fish, prawns, pipis and mussels were added to make up the Bouillabaisse.
The Rouille was made using traditional ingredients of saffron, chilli, egg yolks and white vinegar, served on a slice of baguette.
It’s no easy feat to serve different types of seafood and have them come to the table with the integrity of the flesh preserved. The stock had a great depth of flavour. Nigel advising that it was reduced from 15 to 12.5 litres. It was poured at the table to ensure a perfect temperature
A lot of effort evident in today’s lunch and Nigel brought it together with success. The number of different ingredients in today’s dish and salad totalled 38!
Our meal was made complete with a serve of fries for each table.
Thanks Nigel.
Steve Sparkes assisted with prep today with our head chef away.
Nigel sourced the ingredients of today’s lunch from ‘Get Fish’ at the fish market. A good reminder that society members get a discount when buying restaurant quantities.
Cheese
Our Cheesemaster Mark Bradford selected a Marcel Petite Comté for our enjoyment today, an unpasteurised hard cow’s milk cheese from France.
Marcel Petite was an affineur who specialised in the cool, slow maturation of Comté. Petite wanted his Comtés to be aged in their natural environment, near the mountain cheese dairies where they were made. In 1966 he discovered a defunct military fort in a forest of Haut Doubt, known as Fort Saint Antoine. The fort’s structure of cut and vaulted stone, covered with a thick layer of soil, provided the ideal conditions for “Affinage Lent” (Slow Maturing). Today, over 100,000 wheels are ripened for 10 to 20 months, in the Cathedral of Marcel Petite Comté.
Today, the practices of Maison Petite remain true to its founder’s innovative philosophy of simplicity above all things. The aim is to always offer a simply authentic product, deserving of the name Marcel Petite. When selecting Comté, the Marcel Petite cellar Master considers four key criteria: Delicacy, subtlety, intensity and depth of flavour. The ripening age is an indicator, but not the main criterion of selection.
Comte AOC Regulations
- Delimited area of production: Doubs, Jura, Ain, elevation 1500-4500 ft.
- Milk must be produced by local cows of the Montbéliarde (95%) and Simmental (5%) breeds. There are approximately 112,000 Comté cows.
- Minimum of 2.5 acres of natural pasture for each animal.
- Cattle feed must be natural and free of fermented products and GMOs.
- Each fruitière must collect milk from dairy farms within a 17-mile diameter maximum.
- Milk must be made into cheese within 24 hours maximum of the earliest milking.
- Only natural ferments must be used to transform the milk into curds.
- Wheels must be aged on spruce boards. Minimum ageing is 4 months, generally 6-18 months and sometimes even longer.
Green V Brown
Each wheel of Comte is graded before sale. Grading is based on appearance, rind quality, internal appearance, texture and taste. The best wheels are awarded a green label with the iconic green bell featured. The next tier is awarded a brown label. Any wheels that do not make the cut are not allowed to be sold as Comte.
A dressed butter lettuce salad with pickled shallots and herbs accompanied the cheese, loved it.
Bread rings from Raffael Bakery at Haberfield.
During lunch we marked the passing of former President Ray Kidd, an icon of the wine industry, well remembered by many members. Hilton Chapman and Phil Laffer shared memories of Ray’s long term membership of our Society and his many achievements and innovation in the wine industry. We then had our traditional toast of Chartreuse to Ray.
Wine
The theme for today's gathering was a Bouillabaisse prepared by Nigel Burton. An excellent meal thank you Nigel. See full Food Report.
In so far as wines were concerned we kicked off with a first-rate Hugel riesling from the Alsace region, 2022 12.5%. This was a perfect example of a quality riesling by Hugel, always consistent, you know what you're getting. Great fruit/acid balance with a crisp finish. A taste of residual sugar on the back palate, but not in any way cloying. A great wine with the pass arounds. Next on the list was a Ch d'Aqueria Tavel Rose 2022 14%. A grenache blend from Southern Rhone.
This was in my view a much more austere wine than the French rose from the Provence district we are used to drinking. Very dry, and somewhat tense in its make up, this was a restrained wine showing hints of raspberry and cherry. Finish was crisp. A much sterner style of Rose, but yet enjoyable.
Hot on the heels of the rose was another serious wine, the Bouland Morgon 2023 14% from the much acclaimed Corcelette vineyard in the Beaujolais region. This old vine Gamay vineyard produces one of the most popular Beaujolais in the Morgon which we are drinking today. A very different wine from the light bodied, fruity, flirtatious Beaujolais that is intended to be consumed within a year or two of release. The Morgon is much heavier, more intense and a more powerful wine, reflecting spicy, deep flavoured red fruits and a hint of meaty, earthy undertones. Powerful, yet elegant the wine demands attention. A most enjoyable drink. My pick for the wine of the day.
The second last wine was the 2016 Yves Cuilleron St Joseph Lyseras Blanc at 12.5%. A blend of Marsanne and Roussanne from the Northern Rhone district. I did not enjoy this wine at all! Perhaps it was my long held antipathy towards Rhone white wines which had coloured my assessment, or was it the fact that this wine was simply poor. It took only a few sips to lead me to think that the wine was flabby, lacking in acid and as a result, listless and tired. No joy here. Perhaps 9 years in the bottle was just a bridge too far for this wine.
The final wine was the Guigal Cote Du Rhone GSM 2010 at 14% from the Southern Rhone district. I have long been a fan of this wine, consistent, predictable, well made and good value. The Coca Cola of French red wines in my view. You always know what you will get. This wine was in my view a standard Guigal, but was being drunk way past its use by date. Still holding up reasonably well for a 15 year old wine, still drinkable but should have been drunk 6/8 years ago.