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Welcome to a fine new season of delectable
wines, scrumptious foods, and grand camaraderie. I trust you look forward
to these too infrequent gatherings of our Pasadena Wine & Food Society
as much as I do. Our membership is set for the season at our maximum of
50, and we welcome six new members into the fold: Tim Barz, Simon Harrison,
Mike LeRoy, Tom Murray, Tom Rubbert, and James Van De Voorde.
The season's first event, a quickly arranged Sauternes tasting
at Caltech's Athenaeum Club, was held on the 18th of September.
Even with short notice, we were still able to attract about 20 members
from our Society. The tasting, let by Vintex's Bill Blatch of
Bordeaux, was an excellent one. We tasted a wide range of Sauternes
and Barsac, including the recently released Chateau d'Yquem 1998.
Last season's four events were spectacular. We opened the season
at Valentino, one of the country's great Italian restaurants.
I served as Dinner Chairman, knowing full well that owner/proprietor
Piero Selvaggio would take care of most everything. He did, and I basked
in all the undeserved credit given to me. Next up was Napa Rose in
Grand California Hotel in Anaheim. Dick Shapiro and Ben Stafford served
as Co-Chairmen and worked with Napa Rose Chef Andrew Sutton and General
Manager Michael Jordan (both accredited sommeliers), who prepared a
wine-focused menu of wonderful combinations. Dave Davis separately arranged
for a private pre-dinner soaring excursion next door at Disney's
California Adventure. In March, the Society presented a combined tasting
and dinner at the Huntington Ritz-Carlton in Pasadena. Chairman John
Glanville, ably assisted by Co-Chairmen Alan Arora and Jim Ciccolo gathered
together Paso Robles winemaker Stephen Asseo and wine educator Yvonne
Rich, to lead the group in a tasting of California and Australian reds.
Then Chef Craig Strong presented an absolutely marvelous meal, incorporating
a number of the tasting wines. Finally, Board Treasurer Tony Phillips
chaired an absolutely smashing Spouses Dinner at Annandale Country Club,
where Chef James Harringer treated our mixed group with a full menu
of beautifully presented delicacies.
At this writing, the season's first black-tie dinner event, chaired
by John Webb, is set for Monday evening, 17 November, at Nick & Stef's
steakhouse, a Patina Group restaurant in downtown Los Angeles. John
has worked closely with Patina's Joachim Splichal, and the test
dinner promises us a mouth-watering experience. Our three 2004 event
dates are scheduled for 2 February, 22 March, and 17 May, all Mondays.
Events Chairman Chuck Livingstone will have further information about
these events as we move into the season. And if we can identify other
appropriate ideas, we'll try for more.
I'm looking forward to it all.
Dave Felton
President
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