Saturday 9 February 2013

Chef de Cuisine

President Patsy Paton welcomed members to a tasteful evening of poetry and fine dining and reminded everyone of events in Memus Hall this month - Whist Drive, Tuesday 19th and ‘Shakespeare in Love, Friday 25th.
She introduced our guests, Donald Cameron and Fraser McKenzie from Blairgowrie who gave an entertaining, but very professional cookery demonstration accompanied by a uniquely appropriate poetry reading.
Donald produced a succession of tasty dishes in little time, with standard household ingredients, covering fish, meat, vegetarian and sweet courses.
Not to be outdone, Fraser assisted in the culinary background but came to the fore with recitations of Scottish poetry on the theme of nostalgic memories of childhood, featuring the smell and savours of homemade soup and clootie dumpling and the anticipation of the annual Easter egg.
Members were encouraged to learn a new cookery skill, flaming the top of creme brulee and baked Alaska.
Caroline Lang thanked the gents for the accomplished demonstration and the self evident time well spent in the preparatory work that lay behind an evening of such polished showmanship.
(from the top - Baked Avocado in Cream Cheese and Basil sauce, Chicken and Mango with Rice and Tai Green Curry sauce, Baked Haddock in Parsley Crust, Creme Brulee.) 

Special thanks to Emma Smith and Mary Freidrich for this month's photography and  to those who did their best to step into the photographic breach.

Competitions –
Individual Sweet – 1, Patsy Paton, 2, Sandra Boath, 3, Margaret Mackie. 
Knitted Socks – 1, Sandra Boath, 2, Pat Harrow, 3, Ella McKay.
Flower of the month – 1, Margaret Mackie, 2, June Rae, 3, Caroline Lang.