Who said members avoid mixed lunches? Even our President was among the 54 members and guests who assembled on the first day after the Easter break to enjoy some great food from Roger Straiton in the kitchen, and ditto wines, cheese and coffee from the usual respective providers.

Vinously, Paul Ferman started with an eclectic mix of a Bredif sparkling chenin blanc from Vouvray, a McWilliams Museum Release amontillado sherry and some still whites, chiefly the Tim Smith Eden Valley Riesling seen at previous lunches.A campari was provided to liven up the vouvray! All very refreshing but no fireworks. Not so some terrific canapes, actually prepared by Ian and Chris Witter: homemade ocean trout gravlax with a tangy sauce on pumpernickel, and a rich savoury duck liver parfait simply served on crispbread.

Roger promised, and delivered, quality fillet of beef, with whole Angus fillets roasted blood pink, sliced and served with a classic sauce chasseur made on mushrooms, herbs and heaps of booze, with some crunchy dutch carrots and some little potato croquettes completing the plate. It all turned on the beef, and Roger certainly delivered. So did the wine master, with a 2009 Ch Peyredon Bordeaux from Haut-Medoc, juicy but savoury, and a 2008 Crozes-Hermitage from Dom de Clairmont, also refreshing if a bit thin on fruit.

The cheese was another triumph, a soft and sticky but fresh and clean fromager d'affinois from the Rhone-Alpes region of France, buttery and sweet with a soft lactic aftertaste. Simple green seedless grapes were an ideal accompaniment. The first accompanying wine was a 2004 Providence "Miguet" chardonnay from Tasmania, fully developed and showing top integration of fruit and acid to yield a fine match with the cheese. Also a match, but an even better wine, was the 2001 Seppelts Chalambar shiraz from Victoria, also well developed with a rich fruit overlay on classy tannins, and certainly the best wine of the day. Assorted ½ bottles of sticky whites were also in evidence, and soon accounted for.

Spencer Ferrier wound things up by giving a choice of a coffee made on Aceh beans form Indonesia, with strong chocolate characters in the mouth and a good long finish; and English Breakfast tea, but not as Mr Twinings knows it. Two perfect ways to finish a standout meal.