Induction dinner parties are always a time for joy, camaraderie, and a good measure of revelry. Ours was all that and more as we celebrated a dozen new members into the Confrérie. Cincinnati Country Club was our setting, perhaps the oldest such establishment in the area and often sought for social affairs. Chevalier Jack Osborn served as club member host for the elegant surroundings on a sunny spring evening. We entered the clubhouse greeted with flutes of Laurent-Perrier and nibbled on shrimp tempura, lamb chop lollipops and more.
Bailli Provincial Midwest John Burson presided over the induction with erudition and good humor. After inductees were admitted we had a special presentation of donated funds to support culinary education through our growing relations with Midwest Culinary Institute. Cincinnati State President Dr. John Henderson accepted the check to everyone’s delight. Mondiale ceremonies came next with wine and song that would continue through the night. Using a recently created a ceremonial vinestock grown at a local winery, Bailli Provincial Midwest John Burson dedicated its inauguration and promptly put it to work.
Dinner consisted of classic dishes with a modern nuance for which the club is long known. A rich and savory tower of crab was teamed with a lyrical Kim Crawford Pinot Gris from New Zealand. Avocado vichyssoise hinted of chicken, mint, and lemon while matching wonderfully with a great Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc from Martinborough. The salad of greens, Maytag blue, and candied walnuts made a magnificent presentation with edible flowers.
Prime tenderloin, served with morels and mushroom demi glace and paired with two elegant reds, provided hedonistic pleasures. How to choose between Château Haut-Carles and Shafer One Point Five? Have both, of course! As we savored the great food and service each table as well as new members set about composing verses for the Boar’s Head Carol. Merriment ensued as we sang the praises of food, wine, and fun. One table sang a verse, then repeated the same translated into Spanish by a Venezuelan guest, and finally yet again translated into French by Chevalier Al Harmann. All were sated and happy at the conclusion of our feast in timeless surroundings.
J.T. Mayer, Chargé de Presse Provincial Midwest