Back in to the Chef of The Year cook-off maelstrom today with Steve Liebeskind and cook-off number 4 being assisted by David Simmons.

Canapés. Two tasty starters today, the first being, beetroot relish topped with half an oven baked cherry tomato and a sprinkling of sumac. It was much liked. The other starter was a mixture of tuna, beans, anchovies, lemon juice and thyme on a toasted bread round. Also flavoursome.

Aperitif wine. Most members today had the opportunity to try two aperitif wines being the Philip Shaw Chardonnay 2010 (Orange district) and the Tyrrells Belford Chardonnay 2012. The Orange wine was a little sloppy with overworked wood, which at 8 years of age had begun to overwhelm the wine. The Tyrrells on the other hand was the wine preferred by most with oak also very evident but with enough acid and fruit to provide a balanced experience. The Belford is not a Vat 47 and needs to be consumed.

Main Course. Steve was recreating the dish that saw him selected to enter the cook-offs, rack of lamb. The lamb had been smoked and marinated for 24 hours and did not lack flavour. It was simply served on mash with asparagus, char grilled cauliflower and zucchini is in a tarragon, honey, marmalade and mustard seeds sauce. There was good contrast colour and texture, in particular the cauliflower which was the highlight of the vegetables. Some comments from members thought that the lamb was not as tender as it could be and with our steak knives hiding themselves somewhere in the building, there was a bit more work involved to cut the meat. The thinly sliced zucchini had a beautiful complementary role with the honey and marmalade, providing additional sweetness.

The Wines.

• Chateau Lanessan 2005 (cork, 13%)
• Taylors Jaraman Cabernet 2005 (screwcap, 14.5%)
• Lowe Block 5 Shiraz 2009 (cork, 14%)
• Lindemans Bin 1003 Shiraz 2010 (screwcap, 13%)

The main course wines pitted a left bank Bordeaux from the great 2005 vintage with the same vintage of a Clare wine from Taylors. Two Cabernets could not be more different. Both wines played to their origin with the Lanessan a good average non-classified wine with a dusty European finish. Some detected Brett, an observation which always has the potential to throw up arguments for how much is too much. The Taylors wine was very fresh under screwcap and was distinctly sweeter in the larger Australian style. The French wine was preferred.

The cheese wines saw quite a large Mudgee wine against elegant Lindeman’s Hunter Valley “Burgundy” style wine. The Lowe wine was well made but lacked the elegance of the Lindemans wine which is drinking particularly well despite it being only 8 years of age. The Lindemans was the favourite of the lunch for a number who spoke to the wines.

Cheese and coffee. For our fromage this week, James Healey provided us with Taleggio. This Lombardi sourced cow’s milk cheese was wonderfully ripe with the external mould showing well in the photograph above. This was a first-class cheese, mild and delicate with its creamy texture melting in the mouth. A wonderful cheese.

Coffee this week selected by Spencer Ferrier was Kenya Karogoto AA from a cooperative in Kenya. We have had this copy coffee before and it has always been well liked and today represented a fresh import batch which had only recently arrived at Forsythe coffee.

Two more Chef of the Year cook-offs left, be sure not to miss them.