Silver Anniversary

Our Latest Event - The "Minutes"

The Silver Anniversary Dinner

Wines and Goodies

The BFSNSL Silver Anniversary Dinner was held Saturday, February 19th, 2005 (just a few months after the actual anniversary of the first Funi dinner - 8 December 1979).

The members gathered, arrayed in their semi-formal splendour at the home of our Host, Donald Mitchell, at 1127 Dalhousie Street. Arriving around 6:30, we all indulged in a small libation (M'algrà and Zonin) and had a group photo taken to commemorate the occasion. A general toast to the Society was drunk with an appropriate champagne (Marques de Monistrol) , and a presentation and toast to the Vice-Chairman for the Secretariat was held, for which he is very grateful and humbled. The members sat down at table at 7:15 amid discussions of who would be sitting where, and disputes regarding the order of the courses - which one would think had been pretty well settled after 25 years, but there you are.

The introductory course was served by Mr. Perina. This was served with a slice of apple, to combat cholesterol. The course was sliced goose liver (foie gras) from Quebec, marinated for 2 days in spices, salt, sugar and cognac, in a jellied brown sauce of veal and Madeira, the whole served with a dash of white truffle oil. The accompaniment was two bottles of Grand Pre Pomme d'Or.

The soup course, served by Mr. Macleod, was Billi Bi - described by Craig Claiborne as "perhaps the most elegant and delicious soup ever created." The soup contains the essence of five pounds of mussels, shallots and cream. Served with Pio Cesare Chardonnay.

The Fish course was served by Mr. Bagg with vegetables by Mr. Gillis. The fish was scallops and shrimp in a teriyaki ginger lemon garlic sauce and maple smoked salmon, served on red chard. The vegetables were fennel slices braised in pink grapefruit compote, and wild and basmati rice with mushrooms and basil, in plum tomato boats. The wine with this course was the Moondah Brook Chenin Blanc.

The next course was Mr. Lemon's salad, which was so beautifully presented that it was almost a shame to eat. The ingredients were asparagus, red onion and oranges, and the dressing was creamy, delicious and undisclosed. The wine was the Lurton Pinot Gris.

The meat course was Mr. Flute's Beef Wellington with Stilton, served with a Perigueux sauce with Madeira and morels. This was complemented with Mr. Gillis' Puree of an array of winter vegetables dotted with butter and sprinkled with leeks, celery seed and paprika, and steamed asparagus spears with walnut-lemon butter This course was served with the Botter Marche Sangiovese and the Painter Bridge Zinfandel.

The "sweet versus savoury" debate was discarded for this occasion, and Mr. Wood's dessert course was served simultaneously with Mr. Smith's fruit and cheese.

The dessert was a (Jost) Nova Scotia Maple Wine Mousse.

The cheeses were Edam, Cheddar, Havarti with jalapeno, Port Cheddar with Stilton, and Extra Cream Brie. The fruit was blackberries, strawberries, Cape gooseberries, starfruit, kiwi, melons, pineapple, bananas, nectarines, pears, apples, plums and grapes, accompanied by a non-fat yogurt dip.

Wines with the dessert/fruit/cheese were the St. Urbans-Hof Riesling, the Langenbach Silvaner, and the two Ports.

Throughout the meal and afterwards, there were several toasts: to the Society, the course preparers, "absent friends", past speakers and others.

***

Special thanks to Rachel, who was good enough to give up the use of her home for the evening so that the Funis could assemble for this occasion. The Ladies also had a dinner at the Whitlem residence, although there were no reports of tuxedo-clad ladies (or gentlemen) in attendance.

Wines selected by Brother Mitchell and Brother Wood.

Two of M'algrà Cortese 2002 (Italy) $7.00

One of Gianni Zonin Gambellara 2002 (Italy) $7.83

Two of Marques de Monistrol Reserva Cava Brut (Spain) $11.38

Two of Grand Pre Pomme d'Or apple eiswein (Canada - Donated by Mr. Perina)

One of Pio Cesare Dilei 2000 Chardonnay (Italy - Donated by Mr. Macleod)

Two of Moondah Brook 2003 Chenin Blanc (Australia) $14.60

One of Jacques & Francois Lurton 2004 Valle D'Uco Mendoza Pinot Gris (Argentina) $9.82

Two of Botter Marche 2003 Sangiovese Agricoltura Biologica [organically grown] (Italy) $12.69

Two of J Lohr Painter Bridge 2002 Zinfandel (California) $11.56

One of St. Urbans-Hof Mosel-Saar-Ruwer 2003 Piesporter Goldtröpschen Riesling Spätlese (Germany- Donated by Mr. Wood)

One of Langenbach Rheinhessen 1977 Dalsheimer Sauloch Silvaner Auslese eiswein (Germany - Donated by Mr. Smith)