The tumult and the shouting of the Melbourne Cup died, and rookie cook David Madson, assisted by Jim Tinslay, gave us a soothing and satisfying meal to restore strained nerves and wallets. We started with rare fillet beef pieces with roasted red capsicum on toasts, and a refreshing mix of watermelon discs topped with a dollop of chevre and chopped mint, as canapes, all washed down with a selection of whites and reds from the recent Hunter gold medal lunch, plus a variable but good at its best 2002 Tyrrells Vat 4 HVD Semillon, and Lustau fino and amontillado sherries, predictably good.

For the main course, David marinated chicken breasts in a North African (Moroccan) spice rub, then baked them till still juicy and served them, sliced, on a bed of well done , slightly chewy puy lentils, cooked with diced aromatic vegetables and with wilted rocket and mint added at the last moment, under a spicy, faintly sweet, yoghurt dressing. It was inviting, with a variety of textures, but the spices didn't shine as hoped and a bit of harissa heat would have added interest. Chasing the spice, the 1st wine served was a 2012 Hugel Gewurztraminer from Alsace, an entry level wine from this maker and showing it, with a broad, somewhat viscous, palate, forward nose and plenty of quite sweet aromatic fruit. Better with the food was a soft and savoury 2011 Pithos Rosso red from Sicily, low in alcohol (12%) but with a good spine of acid to cut the richness in the food.

The healthy main course led into an artery-blocking triple cream brie-style cheese from France, Saint Angel, from the same region and in the same style as Fromage D'Affinois, and just as popular with members. A simple fruit and nut bowl of almonds and mixed dried fruits accompanied it, along with a 2012 La 50/50 wine made by a couple of top Burgundy makers in the Languedoc region of France from Rhone area grapes, chiefly cinsault, carignan and grenache. Its humble origins betrayed its quality: firm ripe fruit well integrated with subtle wood and tannins and the choice on the day of a number of members. Also on offer was a local tribute to Austria, the 2009 Hahndorf Adelaide Hills blaufrankisch, "Eastern Europe's answer to pinot noir". A somewhat inadequate answer judged by this wine, with a good nose and front palate but developing a hardness on the finish.

An unidentified coffee arranged by Spencer Ferrier was rich and full in the mouth and in the Italian style, if a bit short on the finish. The accompanying sip of Armagnac from the 1930's, a birthday treat from Roger Prior, showed no such defects, a marvellous old brandy likely to outlast most of those present.