The chef-in-chief today was none other than our well-known seafood cook Bill Alexiou-Hucker. But no seafood today. He was assisted by the smiling Peters, Manners and Squires with considerable years of joint experience with food between them.                                                      

Canapés. A delight of contrasting colours with thinly sliced cucumber topped with a yogurt and olives and bread rounds with a vegetable paste topped with marinated red capsicum.

Aperitif wine. The main starter was the Mount Horrocks Riesling 2009. Simply Watervale Riesling at its best. A real winner.

Main course. We then moved on to another winner that some may say is winter food. To scotch that theory Bill’s slow cooked beef short ribs in red wine, mash potato, pickled cabbage and sautéed mushrooms was superb. Wonderfully gelatinous, sticky and viscous. I think I liked it. A few thought there was kidney in the mix but it was simply one of the range of mushrooms Bill used.

The wines.

• Anne Gros, Jean-Paul Tollot LA 50/50 2012 (Minervois area) (cork, 14.5%)
• Burton McLaren Shiraz 2004 (cork, 14.5%)
• Gaia Agiorgitiko (Greece) 2012 (cork, 13.5%)
• Vincent Girardin Bourgogne 2012 (screwcap, 13%)

A good bunch of wines. The Gros/Tollot husband and wife are well known Burgundians but are doing great things in the Midi. The LA is meant to be approachable when young and is predominately Grenache with Syrah and Carignan. No wood, delicate, fruity and very drinkable. A country mile from the Burton which was classic McLaren. In cork there were no bad bottles and despite the 14.5% it was very elegant and soft and belies its age. Clearly a member favourite. And of course from a member named Burton.

The next pair were lighter with the Agiorgitiko made in an early drinking style but intense fruit and oak apparent but not over powering. The Pinot was delightfully clean and a perfect example of a fruit driven Burgundy entry level wine from an excellent maker.

Cheese and coffee. James Healey jumped outside the square and served a curd cheese, Trinity Cellars Goat Curd from South Australia. It had a light moist texture and wonderful to spread rather than cut. A delightful diversion. Bill supplied an amazing array of accompaniments with the cheese including fruits and traditional Greek honey sweets.

Spencer was back in town and provided Colombian coffee a favourite. He managed to get in term oleaginous (Oxford: Rich in, covered with, or producing oil; oily) to describe the coffee’s look and taste. Only a lawyer!

Bill supplied Ouzo flavoured Turkish delight to go with coffee and Paul Ferman followed with Greek grappa. A day for pushing boundaries and fun.

The President. Keith Steele, invited Colin Cooke to close lunch and we heard a thoughtful toast from Horace.

An excellent and well attended lunch.