The first cook off featured Ted Davis assisted by Gareth Evans. This time, roles were reversed, with Ted assisting the Welsh wizard as he visited Spain for a representation of his tapas-style meal, with a series of finely wrought courses in succession. First, though, canapes in the form of salt cod (bacalao) croquettes by Ted Davis: hand-shredded and still textured poached cod with a touch of potato in balls coated in freshly fried breadcrumbs; and marinated button mushroom caps enfolding a piece of pan fried chorizo, on a toothpick. Both buzzing with Spanish flavours, and both well complemented by a 2012 Pewsey Vale Riesling from wine master of the day Hilton Chapman, fresh clean and enough acid to cut the richness of the fish and sausage.

Then came the tapas progression, necessarily condensed by timing restrictions to force two courses on the plate at a time. There was a cold octopus and chopped potato salad in a lemon-based dressing; chicken sausage pieces enlivened with white wine and sherry and served with seedless green grapes; some simple okra, still crunchy and lacking the gumminess often found; well-cooked and therefore soft and gelatinous honeycomb tripe with chickpeas, tomato and paprika; some extremely well received morcilla, or black pudding, served with a crumble of speck bacon and toasted breadcrumbs; and a mild chorizo sausage with haricot beans and some mysterious fresh chilis which tested many ( and which Gareth may have identified as Bishops Crown peppers). All this was washed down with a Deliciosa manzanilla sherry, which matched some of the milder meat courses as well as the okky, and a 2006 Embruix Priorat red, also from Spain and predominantly grenache, high (15.5%) alcohol but in balance with nice tannins which undercut the bigger meat dishes well. In summary – ole!

The meme from Spain stayed to our gain with the cheese, a classic semi-hard Queso Iberico from Central Spain, made from a mix of cow, sheep and goat's milk with a lovely sweet nuttiness and a distinctive embossed rind showing the imprint of the dried grass bands used in the manufacturing. It was back home with the matching wines: a soft and savoury 2005 Tyrrells Stevens shiraz and a bigger, more assertive shiraz cabernet from Rosemount at Mudgee, a cleanskin but picked correctly by many as the Mountain Blue.

The coffee from master Spencer Ferrier, was from El Salvador, an Arabica clone medium roasted to produce a soft and sweet brew on the palate with a fairly short finish. Nothing short, though, about the birthday wine from Leigh Hall, a1978 Baileys Vintage port, intensely sweet and spirituous which will be going strong long after most of those drinking it.

Finally, let's repeat the plea from the Acting President Keith Steele that members, and their guests, book for the remaining cook offs. We can't guarantee that future chefs will be able to repeat the loaves and fishes exercise that Gareth pulled off, and you may be turned away if you haven't booked.