Thanks to James Hill for the food review.

Leigh Hall was in the kitchen this week after a sojourn in Europe with food inspired in the Basque region of southern France and northern Spain. Denis Redfern assisted in the kitchen and on canapés.

Canapés

Leigh served us four canapés (pintxos) to start the lunch. The first three were served warm in savoury tart shells (some gluten-free). In no particular order, we had sardine and anchovy that had some heat from the cayenne. Leigh informed us that it was a last-minute addition to spice up the canapé. Next was mushroom and chèvre and an olive tapenade. They were all full of flavour and had the authentic taste of the region.

On a recent hunting trip, Leigh had bagged a deer and we treated to his home-made venison salami and pickles.

Main Course

Leigh served 'Pimientos Rellenos' as our main. This was capsicum filled with beef, onions, garlic, parsley, red wine, pimento, cinnamon and pepper. This was topped with the sauce of onions, passata, white wine and garlic. To accompany this, we had corn and green beans that came to the plate with perfect texture and an abundance of flavour. Leigh had debated whether to skin and bake the capsicum, however, chose to serve as is.

It looked good on the plate and had all the colour of Spain and was delicious.

Cheese

Gary Linnane presented a cheese selected by our Cheese Master, James Healey. Most members guessed it as a Manchego by identifying the distinctive markings on the case. Not quite correct as was a Merco Iberico, a pasteurised mixed milk of cow, goat and sheep from central Spain. It came to the table at room temperature. The mixture of cow, goat and sheep milk gives this Spanish cheese a three-dimensional character. Regulations require that it contain not less than 25% and not more than 40% of anyone milk type and the flavour has elements of all three. The creamy texture melted in the mouth gradually releasing a rich full body nuttiness finishing with a fruity tang.

Coffee

Spencer continued his theme of a worldwide tour of coffee-producing countries today presenting a coffee from Guatemala, a smooth good coffee.

It was good to see a former member Roger Carpenter in the room today. He was visiting from Arizona where he is owner/sommelier of two restaurants. He credits his time at the Society with tutelage from the likes of Les Howard-Bath and John Thomas that helped make a career move. He welcomes any member visiting Arizona to make sure they contact him.