Our Latest Event - The "Minutes"
The 2009 Dinner - Space Invaders |
Wines and Goodies |
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For the first time in a long time (maybe the first time ever) Paradise was rainy due to the presence of Hurricane Danny, forcing the festivities indoors. All members were in attendance. This was the 10th Funi dinner held in Paradise. * * * 29/30 August 2009 Hosts: Mr. & Mrs. GillisToastmaster: Mr. Mitchell Because of the inhospitable weather conditions, the Funis were forced to indulge in their pre-dinner activities around the Kitchen, instead of around the Pool. Earlier in the year, Halifax had entertained the British Invasion in the person of Paul McCartney (who sent his regrets but was unable to attend the Funi dinner) and multiple foreign invaders in the form of the Parade of Sail. As a result, the Funi Invasion seemed to be relatively small potatoes. Around 6:45, the Funis changed into their typical evening attire and gathered in the kitchen area (NOT by the pool, as had been our habit) to sample the Hors d'oeuvres. These were prepared and served by Brother Gillis and Lady Debbie, consisting of: cherry tomatoes peeled and soaked in vodka and seasoned with kosher salt and cracked black pepper, trout marinated in oil and dill and served with béarnaise sauce, stuffed mushroom caps, and stuffed tomatoes, both stuffed with ham, breadcrumbs, herbs and spices. Stuffed Funis followed closely behind. These items were accompanied by Pongracz sparkling wine (a) and Lindeman's Cawarra (g). Toasts were given to Bruce, Debbie and Narce during this course. The usual poolside pictures were out of the question due to the inclement weather, so the Funis assembled on the Gillis staircase for the customary group photo. This was not without grief, as Yr. Obdt. Servant couldn't remember how to start the *&%$#@ self-timer on his *&%$#@ camera! Fortunately, Debbie was able to obtain a useable group photo, so at least some semblance of tradition could be upheld. The participants then moved to the dining hall, where seats were allocated by Brother Mitchell, including a section set aside for the "Barmy Army" - a seating plan based on competition in the Ashes cricket match. During the soup course, it was announced that Gay has completed her courses and received her degree (B.Comm. and Certificate in Human Resource Management) cum laude, and Bob has submitted his thesis, received comments and responded, thus earning his PhD in Management and Human Resources. Congratulations were proffered all around. The Fish/Fowl course, served by Brother Perina and Lady Anne was salt cod and pork scraps served with finger potatoes, topped with red and black caviar and scruncheons and a sauce of whipping cream and concentrated fish stock (described by Peter as a "bloody complex dish"). Zuccardi Chardonnay (c) was the wine accompanying this dish. Between courses, there were conversations regarding fiddleheads (the ferns, not the violin parts) and how they should be prepared. The next course was the Salad, prepared and served by Brother Flute and Lady Margaret, consisting of various lettuce greens, yellow cherry tomatoes, wild blueberries, walnuts and blue cheese. Wine was Barefoot Pinot Grigio (d) During the salad, Brother Wood spoke about the Barmy Army and distinguished between those who were above and below the salt. Brother Bagg made the formal presentation of the engraved water jug donated to the Funis by Margaret Bagg. The inscription reads: "Presented to the Funis 30th Anniversary Summer Dinner, August 2009, on the wishes of our friend Margaret S. Bagg, 1916-2007". Before the meat course could be served, there was an interruption due to Hurricane Danny introducing a quantity of water into the basement area. Our hosts and several Funis were required to attend to the situation, which involved the sacrifice of a wet/dry vacuum and considerable shovelling and mopping of water and dumping barrels outside the premises. After the hurricane-induced festivities, Brother Macleod and Lady Linda served their meat course of roast beef tenderloin, accompanied by Brother Lemon and Lady Patricia's vegetables: mashed potatoes with goat cheese and lemon asparagus with almonds roasted in sesame oil. The wine with this course was Zuccardi Cabernet Sauvignon (e) The evening was capped with dessert, served by Brother Smith and Lady Clare: a medley of fresh fruit (clementines, apples, raspberries, green and red grapes, blackberries, plums, apricots, kiwi, black cherries and cape gooseberries. These were accompanied by the usual wines and liqueurs. During dessert, Brother Bagg rose to commemorate the demise of the Grad House, which has been demolished. There were many reminiscences about the history and happenings at that location, how many Funis had met each other there, and even encountered their spouse-to-be. Friendships formed at the Grad House have endured for thirty years or more. Brother Wood, Brother Flute and Brother Macleod were recognized for their contributions to the opening of the institution, and of course Brother Bagg was remembered as the long-time manager of the Grad House and a major attraction for the patrons. For savouries, Brother Mitchell and Lady Rachel presented an assortment of cheeses, grapes, crackers and breads, including Royal Blue Stilton, Wensleydale Cranberry, Double Gloucester, Gouda, Applewood-smoked Cheddar, and Brie. The following morning, the Funis and Friends assembled at various times to produce and consume breakfast. This included lemon pepper salmon and Willy Krauch thin-sliced smoked salmon, pork liver paté, bagels, toast, pastries, various condiments, juices, coffee, blueberries, muffins, croissants, grapes, bananas, kiwis, and cheeses left over from the previous evening supplemented by a Havarti with caraway, a Jalapeno Gouda and a Double-cream Camembert.
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Wines selected by Brother Wood.
a) Pongracz sparkling wine (South Africa) x3
Selected Images, etc. Images courtesy of David Smith and Debbie Gillis. Pictures will replace this page;
Click to see a picture of the complete group of Funis
Funis gather for the evening
No, really! Sean prefers fruit juice to wine...
(Will open in a new window) Click here to read about viewing Funi photo albums
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See the "Archives" for more material in a similar vein
