Food review by Robert Wiggins and wine review by Richard Gibson

Steve Sparkles again

The ever-reliable Steve Sparkes was in the kitchen, reheating up a storm.  If you ever want a safe pair of hands in the galley, Steve is your man.

November 23, 2021 (a quiet nod to JFK 58 years ago)

CANAPES

It was all a quality show, with a bit of a throwback and transportation to my wasted and forgotten youth of the 70’s with the canapes presented as party pies and sausage rolls, plus the obligatory prawn cocktail on a cracker. It made me nostalgic enough to want to go home after lunch and watch Number 96 with Abigail and listen to a bit of Led Zep and Black Sabbath. However, I refrained from those urges and went to the pub instead for a couple of quiet ones with the boys.

Steve’s meal was supposed to be put on in the middle of winter, however, due to covid restrictions, it was delayed to the middle of November.  The weather was very obliging, with a relatively damp, cool day which went nicely with the fare that Steve served up.

The Pork and Fennel Sausage rolls and the Beef pies with crispy pastry, care of the Bourke St Bakery, came with some tangy sauce containing chilli and tomato and was washed down with two pinots, rather than the staple whites that are normally on offer for the aperitifs.

These were the Moss Wood and the By Farr.  From all accounts, the By Farr was by far the better wine as all I tasted was the Moss Wood which might have once been a good wine, (doubtful) but the fruit has long since departed leaving only the spectre of green acid behind.  The current cleanout of the cellar is long overdue as nothing lasts forever, especially mediocre wines… see the real wine report by Richard below.

LUNCH

It was quite a turn up for the lunch, with just about a full house as the word got around that Steve was in the kitchen and it did not disappoint. The main was a wonderful combination with both a piece of lamb saddle and backstrap wrapped together, with a delicious gravy that Steve remarked took more time and effort than any other part of the meal.  Steve was a bit disappointed that the exterior was not crispy enough and needed a bit more salt, however, it would have been hard to fault it.

The gravy was a blend of multiple kilos of chicken wings and necks, pressure cooked and reduced down, plus the bones from the lamb, which Steve sourced from Sutton Forest Meats, which is his go to for quality lamb. That is an enormous amount of work for a gravy, which is why it tasted so great.  I suppose this is one of the factors that separates the mediocre and good chefs from the great… if it was me, it probably would have been Holbrooks powder from the can.  My only complaint about the gravy was that the extra reinforcements arrived at the table after the meal had been devoured.  It was a temptation (resisted) to pour more gravy onto the empty plate and use the bread to sop it up.

The corn puree accompanying the meal was simply pureed corn off the cob mixed with cream. Sweet, simple, delicious and vibrant yellow colour.  Placed upon the puree was a mix of peas, carrots and both black and red beetroot (Keith you missed out), with a few small edible (hopefully because they were devoured) flowers sprinkled amongst the veggies.

There was also a small round of a potato, crisply baked, to assist with the gravy

The wines with the meal are provided by Richard Gibson

For the entrees, the Sangreal By Farr Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2010 & Moss Wood Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2010 were on the table.

The Farr wine (13% alc)is a single vineyard pinot produced from vines grown on the Farr family’s Bannockburn vineyards near Geelong. The area features limestone, bluestone and red ironstone terroir and Farr winemaking is in the minimal intervention camp;  70% whole bunch; open natural yeast ferment; unfined and unfiltered – it is aged in mostly new oak.  The nose displayed perfumed dark cherry fruit, some smokey notes and spice. The palate showed intense, ripe cherry/plum fruits followed by cedar/spice. Tannins were velvety and well-integrated, and the wine had considerable length.  Overall an expressive and powerful, yet balanced, pinot.

The Moss Wood (14% alc) appears to have been made from Mornington grower sourced grapes (handpicked; open natural yeast ferment; 12 months in French oak) - it being noted that Moss Wood also produce a Margaret River sourced pinot.  The wine showed bright, cherry/red berry fruit with spicy, earthy notes. The palate displayed attractive developed cherry and plum fruit, soft well-integrated tannins and nuanced oak.  It was an elegant, balanced wine with generous length. 

The room was divided on which wine was the best in this bracket (so we’ll rule it as a draw). Both wines went well with the tasty ‘comfort food’ canapes.

MAIN COURSE WINES

Wynns Coonawarra Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon

Vertical tasting – 2015,2010, 2006,1998  (all served with the main course)

The Black Label Cab Sauvignon is a perennial favourite of Society members – it has a deserved reputation for producing amazingly consistent varietal and regional characteristics.  The wine is produced only from the top 20-25% of Wynns Coonawarra cabernet fruit.

The 2015 displayed intense, attractive ripe dark fruit and cherry aromas with cassis/spice and chocolate notes.  On the palate, the wine was of medium weight and well balanced with soft ripe fruit with cedar/tobacco notes, fine polished integrated tannins and good length.  These characteristics were a common thread throughout each of the 4 vintages.  The 2010 was almost identical with similar levels of richness and intensity of fruit (but more developed on the nose), attractive cedar notes, palate softness and seamless balance – the main difference being that the tannins in the 2015 had not reached the same degree of integration/roundness of the 2010, which is ageing very gracefully and is in the peak drinking window now.

There was some considerable bottle variation amongst the 2006’s and in particular the 1998’s (being the only wine under cork).   The 2006 bottle on the writer's table displayed a well-developed nose but there was a shortness in the fruit with a consequent more ‘angular’ and less balanced palate which was dominated by tannins and acidity – but it was nevertheless still quite drinkable.  Other tables fared better with their examples and the fruit and overall balance of these wines held out well.

The 1998’s were on the whole disappointing and should have been consumed some time ago.  The writer's table bottle was particularly poor as the wine displayed fading, stewy oxidised fruit and lacked structure.

All wines were 13.5% alc.

CHEESE

The cheese was a traditional Tasmanian clothbound semi-hard cows milk cheddar in a 16kg wheel from Pyengana

Pyengana Cheddar is made by hand in north-eastern Tasmania using fresh Tassie milk from nearby farms and their own modest herd of Holsteins. Building on a dairying history of 130 years in the region, Pyengana Dairy has evolved to combine the best of traditional techniques and modern innovation to create their award-winning farmhouse cheddar.

One such innovation is that the Pyengana cows are able to decide their own milking frequency by taking themselves on a short walk to the dairy and through a milking robot, before being rewarded with a back rub. (I think a few of the members would be up for that; come to think of it, maybe that’s where a couple of them disappeared to after lunch!)

Apart from this robotic milking and pasteurisation of the milk, Pyengana Cheddar is made according to traditional, handmade techniques that date back to the turn of the century. The curds are formed using a technique known as ‘stirring’ and after hooping, the wheels are clothbound and pressed. These are then matured for up to 12 months on pine shelves at the dairy where the natural microflora plays a crucial role.

The symbiotic relationship of the developing surface moulds and cultures helps to develop a fine-textured, crumbly body, along with aromas reminiscent of summer grass, herbs and honey, and a long, sweet and nutty flavour.

This was all topped off with a 1962 birthday Armagnac from Roger Prior.

As one member remarked, how lucky are we to be living in this country at this juncture in time.

As a nod to Steve’s Australiana theme, a word from that wordsmith Austen Taayshus

Sitting at home last Sunday morning, me mate Boomer rang

Said he was having a few people around for a barbie, said he might cook a burro or two

I said, "Sounds great, will Walla be there?"

He said, "Yeah and Vejja might come too"

So I said to the wife, "Do you wanna go, Anna?"

She said, "I'll go if Ding goes"

So I said, "What'll we do about Nulla?"

He said, "Nulla bores me to tears, leave him at home"

 

We got to the party about two and walked straight out the kitchen to put some booze in the fridge

And you wouldn't believe it, there's Boomer's wife Warra sitting there trying to plait a puss!

Now, I don't like to speak ill of Warra, but I was shocked; I mean how much can a koala bear?

So I grabbed a beer, flashed me wanger at her and went out and joined the party

 

Pretty soon Ayers rocks in and things really started jumping

This Indian girl Marsu turns up, dying to go to the toilet, but she couldn't find it

I said to me mate Al, "Hey, where can Marsu pee, Al?"

He said "She can go out back with the fellas, she's probably seen a cock or too"

 

Well just then Warra comes out of the kitchen with a few drinks for everybody

Fair dinkum, you've never seen a cooler barmaid

I grabbed a beer and said, "Thanks Warra, tah!"

 

A couple of queens land at the party, one smelling pretty strongly of aftershave

One of them sat down next to me and I turned to him and I said, "Ya know mate, you reek of Stockade!"

It was a really hot day; Oscar felt like a swim

He said to Ina, "Do you want a have a dip in the river, Ina?"

She said, "I haven't got my cozzy, Oscar!"

Well Bo says, "Come in starkers, what'll they care?"

Ina says, "What, without so much as a thread, Bo?"

"Ah, perish the thought! Has Yucum been in yet?"

 

Well a few of the blokes decided to play some cricket

Boomer says "Why doesn't Wom bat?"

"Yeah, and let Tenter field"

He said I should have a bowl, but I was too out of it to play cricket so I suggested a game of cards

I said to Liptus, "Wanna game of euchre, Liptus?"

He said, "There's no point mate, Darr wins every time"

 

Well Bill said he'd like a smoke

Nobody knew where the dope was stashed

I said, "I think Marie knows"

But I was just spinning a bit of a yarn

Barry pulls a joint out of his pocket

Bill says "Great, Barry, a reefer!, What is it mate?"

"Noosa Heads of course. Me mate Ada laid 'em on me"

And it was a great joint too, it blue Mountains away and his three sisters!

 

Well I thought I'd roll one meself, I said, "Chuck us the Tallyho, Bart!"

He said "They're out on the lawn, Ceston, can you get 'em for us?"

Bernie says, "It's okay mate, she's apples, I'll get em for ya"

Just then Alice springs into action, starts to pack Bill a bong

And you wouldn't believe it, the bong's broken

I said "Lord how!"

"Hey man," somebody says, "will a didgery do?"

I said "Hummmmm, mummmm, mummmmm, mummmmm, maybe it'll have to"

 

I look in the corner and there's Bass sitting there, not getting into it, not getting out of it

I said, "What, is Bass straight or something?"

Boomer says, "As a matter a fact mate, he's a cop"

I said, "You're joking mate, a cop? I'm getting outta here. Let's go, Anna"

She said, "No way, I'm hangin round till Gum leaves. Besides, I don't wanna leave Jack around a party on his own

Have you seen him? I think he's trying to crack on to Wumba; he's already tried to mount Isa

And he'll definitely try to lead you astray, Liana!"

Thank you and goodnight!

 

Last line stolen from the great David Letterman sign off