by Julian Schultz
julian@oxfordwineroom.com
It was a catered affair…and 15 sophisticated gourmets/palateers were
awesome struck, open-eyed struck, open-mouthed struck by the delectable food of
…Struck Catering. Comely chef Barbara Cotter prepared-- and lovely Liz Beals
served repeatedly -- four hors d’oeuvres, followed by an imaginative and
innovative dinner of two lavishly “embroidered” entrées and completed with
two “pretty please-sweet Barbara and Liz-I-want-more” desserts.
Our Les Compagnons des Bons Vins tasting group’s annual end-of-tasting
season-breakaway dinner was held this year at the home of gracious hosts Mimi
Grenier and George Neuman. The food, in conjunction with the 14 premium wines,
was so successful that I suggested to our leader and mentor Dr. Bob Ouellette
that perhaps we might add “food” to group’s name.
I
thought he seemed perplexed as to the name in French, and I suggested that he
consult with his leader and mentor, savvy wife-y Lucille Ouellette. Asserting
his masculine pride, Bob demurred and said he would cogitate on the matter and
get back to me.
Two
hours later Bob was on the phone with the addition to the name: “a table,”
to read Les Compagnons des Bons Vins a Table, The Friends of Good Wine at the
Table. I congratulated him. Honorably he gave credit to whom I had suspected it
was due: savvy wife-y Lucille Ouellette. Thanks Lu. I knew you could do it!
Struck Catering has prepared our breakaway dinners in the past, so we all
conditioned ourselves to arrive with empty stomachs and eager palates in
anticipation of the food and wine. Being responsible adults we reluctantly
practiced restraint as we sought to gourmandize (how an epicure comports
him/herself) – not, gormandize (gluttony) – requiring palate discipline and
willpower of the highest measure.
Each Compagnon is expected to arrive with a bottle of his best or most
interesting or an unusual wine. We had all three.
The wines. White: Puligny-Montrachet 1999, Chassagne-Montrachet ’97,
Meursault ’94, Montagny ’00, BV Chardonnay Reserve ’00, Rutz Chardonnay
Reserve ’99, Montou-Salon (Loire, Sauvignon Blanc) ’01.
Red: Chateau Mouton-Rothschild ’75, Chateau Palmer ’84, Victor Hugo
“Opulence” (meritage) ‘99, Valpolicella Amarone ’97, Spatburgunder
(Germany’s Pinot Noir) ’96, Clos Pegase Cabernet Franc Reserve ’97,
Carmody McKnight Caberent Franc ’99.
We males announced that we intended to taste all 14 wines, but promised
to make a mighty endeavor to limit ourselves to 1 and 1½ ounce pours of these
magnificent wines.
I
think the pulchritudinous distaff halves of our members purposely didn’t
sample all the wines, their gracefully accepting their subservient fate as being
designated prudent drivers; thus, they permitted their better (?) halves to
cheat with heavier pours.
The hors d’oeuvres:
Skewered
scallops with orange sesame dipping sauce; they pampered the most persnickety
palate, and I observed no one disdaining to pop seconds and thirds into their
salivating mouths.
Crisp
wonton pastry cups filled with Thai marinated chicken salad; very tasty and
delicately seasoned, they did not diminish the subtle complexity of the wines we
sipped with them.
Chopped
mixed mushrooms with shallots and onions in Madeira wine, encased in phyllo
dough; I eagerly accepted seconds and thirds with my Rutz Chardonnay and
Puligny-Montrachet – California and Burgundy representations of chardonnay.
The Grenier/Neuman home became a Paradise in the Parlor.
Duck
in miniature Yorkshire puddings; hands, hands everywhere, hands reaching for red
wines with one hand, hands reaching for white wines with the other, and our
voices crying out loud to Liz to hurry down with seconds and thirds of the duck.
Between sips of the red and white wines, discussion ensued whether red or white
wine better suited the duck. I was too busy enjoying my red and white wines
equally. And I didn’t want to distract myself from my euphoria by getting
embroiled in the debate, which at times I thought bordered on friendly (?)
acrimony. Fie on that!
As
we sipped away opinions became more strident and heated. Fortunately, Barbara
and Liz invited us to the buffet table where the food was now available.
Displayed
before us in colorful and mouth-watering presentation was the dinner.
The
dinner. Grilled swordfish with red onion marmalade and cilantro/almond sauce
with wild and basmati rice pilaf. With a white wine, without a white wine –
heck, even with water – the swordfish was as delicious as I have ever eaten. I
was hard pressed not to scoop up a second piece to marry with my Clos Pegase and
Montagny wines. Smiles of satisfaction ringed our table, acknowledging that this
swordfish was NOT dry, but rather moist and tender. Some of us at our table
mouthed our congratulations to Barbara or made rounded thumb and forefinger
gestures of pleasure.
We
reveled in the perfection of the tender, juicy sliced tenderloin – prepared
both medium rare and medium to suit the palate; dried cherry chutney and
caramelized onion sauce augmented the flavors of the beef. “Luxurious dining,
indeed” Dr. Roland Caron murmured. Amen.
The
side dishes of sautéed asparagus and shiitake mushrooms with julienne roasted
red peppers were not found wanting. They graced every platter! Crisp, French
chewy dinner rolls, oven warmed, with butter swirls, completed the buffet table.
Yes, trenchermen stalwarts that we are, we heroically managed the
desserts: deliciously flavored fresh strawberry tart and a chocolate espresso
ice cream torte. Coffee and tea were offered to those of us so desiring.
As I noted the enthusiastic, eye-rolling pleasure with which we were
disposing of the tenderloin, its toothsome accompaniments, the desserts and the
variety of red and white wines in the glasses of my male counterparts – more
in them than 1½ ounces by almost twice – I reflected how fortunate we were to
have Dr. Bob Ouellette’s dedicated effort to keep our group viable and
successful for over 20 years.
After
almost four hours of gastronomic indulgence and conversation the dinner somehow
became wilder and more vociferous: We discussed the worrisome trillion dollars
national debt, the questionable economy stimulation of the Bush tax cuts,
Hillary Clinton’s new book, Bill Clinton’s enviable peccadillo with zaftig
Monica, the anemic bank interest rates and advantages of Massachusetts municipal
bonds, the volatile stock market and amateur vs. professional investors, the
intransigence of the Hamas and other Middle Eastern lunatics who would scuttle
peace plans there, the deplorable Red Sox relief pitchers, the possibility of a
woman president – maybe Hillary, maybe Monica with Bill as her groveling
intern.
Exhausted
and near out of breath now, we turned to more mundane subjects such as Dr.
Bob’s lous – err, stratospheric recent golf score, the great upcoming
Italian (June) and all-seafood/sparkling wines (July) wine dinners at the
Webster House restaurant, pornography and vile language in TV movies and their
effect on the morals and behavior of today’s youth, First Amendment rights and
could our founding fathers have imagined the nonsense/sometimes dangerous vocal
protests that abound today…skimpiness of the skirts of the sweet young things,
where we shopped for wine at wine shops with best prices and inventories. And on
and on…
The
women were congregated in an off living room area, discussing such fascinating
subjects as embroidery, cooking, recipes, shopping, clothes, household chores,
grandchildren, budgets, old time movies. So stimulating was their conversation
that they were reluctant to leave as the evening ended. Odd, I didn’t notice a
wine glass in any hand. Thank heaven for these responsible mates, our designated
drivers. How do we manage without them?
Another
eventful Les Compagnons dinner ended. The men shook hands in farewell, bussed
the ladies with ardor; the ladies bade one another good evening, returned the
men’s busses with equal ardor. We stepped into the dismal, rainy, raw night,
but thoughts of the closeness and caring of our comradeship this evening warmed
us.
All
was well with our world tonight.
Struck
Catering and Barbara Cotter may be reached at 130 Hamilton St., Worcester, MA
01604, phone 508 – 755 – 5953.
Art
lovers: Mimi Grenier is as talented an artist as she is a sweet hostess. She has
an exhibit of her enameling artistry at the Museum of Work and Culture in
Woonsocket. Its title is Evolution: 14 Billion Years Ago to Now; the inspiration
is based on Mimi’s life experience and travels. These figurative and abstract
works present an array of brilliant glass colors fired onto pieces of copper and
are affixed to sheets of slate or framed in wood.
Mimi,
a native of Montreal, lives in Worcester; has studied at the Worcester Art
Museum, the Worcester Center for Crafts, and in Avignon, France. Her work has
been exhibited in Montreal and in New England and is held in many private
collections. She has received several grants from the Worcester Cultural
Commission.
Aye,
Mimi, we hardly knew ye’! Congratulations.
Wine
Pick: Dry Creek Heritage Clone Zinfandel 2001, around $15-$16. Made with 15
percent Petite Sirah, the zin offers aromas and flavors of berries, allspice and
chocolate with hints of coffee; perfectly balanced with fruit acids and nuances
of black pepper, sweet oak and soft tannin, the zin finishes smooth in the
swallow and lingers in the aftertaste. A zin made the old-fashioned way, it has
to be good!
Wine
Pick: Caliterra Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile) 2000, under $10. Blended with lesser
amounts of Merlot and Sangiovese grapes; oozing with prominent flavors of
cherry, blackberry and raspberry and hints of toast, mint and chocolate; nicely
balanced with black pepper and fruit acids; medium-bodied with soft tannins, the
cab leaves a pleasing aftertaste; it has the imprimatur of Robert Mondavi.
Carmody
McKnight Merlot “Estate” 1999, around $16. Most interesting wine: ripe fruit
flavors of cassis and cherries with added complexity of smoky roasted grains and
dark chocolate, balanced with provocative spice, black pepper, fruit acids and
soft tannins. Limited availability; ask your favorite wine shop.
Email Comments to Julian at:
julian@oxfordwineroom.com