Saturday night I went to Houston Steve's for the Third Annual Aubrey-Maturin dinner. He and Elisson do this every year. This is my second year attending. Elisson also invited Eric SWG and his wife, the lovely Fiona. There were fourteen of us in all.
What did we eat? Here's the menu.
I furnished some Sauternes to go with the Strasburg Pie. I also took a 2000 Pavillon Rouge (which is drinking really nice now and I have two more bottles of it in my cellar) and a 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape. Another guest, Stephan, brought some old (1974 & 1976) Bordeaux from his cellar.
Elisson left off the single malt scotch that we had after the meal.
A good time was had by all. Houston Steve and Elisson really knock themselves out to put on this dinner and I'm honored they have invited me the last two years. Without blogging, I would have never met Elisson or Houston Steve. After meeting me, Elisson joined the Sommelier Guild of Atlanta, then he brought Houston Steve into the Guild.
I'm so glad that Pope Albert I of the Church of AGW invented the internet.
Denny, it was a pleasure having you.
The connections I've made through blogging are pretty amazing, and they've led to several good friendships. And drinky evenings, too.
Posted by: Elisson on December 20, 2009 10:33 PMMy compliments to the Chefs, and the Sommeliers...Just the Menu presentation is a work of art. Someone said once that a Strasburg Pie is a suicide note! Without the internet, I would never have known that an American would appreciate Chateauneuf du Pape. I'm not being insulting here. I'm only suitably impressed that you do not stick to your own very good Californian wines
Posted by: Claudia on December 21, 2009 12:25 AMQuick question : what is a Strasburg pie?
Is it a pie whith cream and onions?
We call it Flamenküch...
Posted by: Prosper on December 21, 2009 05:21 AMOK - What is a "Drowned Baby?" The rest of the menu was amazing, and the artwork is just beautiful, but that one item really has me stumped...
Posted by: Jane Austen on December 21, 2009 05:48 AM"Drowned Baby" is prolly a name for something quite simple dreamed up to get certain groups foaming at the mouth...Most of the time, said groups usually have little or no sense of humor, or appreciation of the absurd. They live lonely, desperate, soulless lives, waiting for the chance to pounce in Righteous Indignation at each & every perceived slight, no matter how minor...Remind you of any bunch WE all know about ? Oh, BTW, Happy FOD, from the Global-Warming Challenged steppes of NE Tennessee....(grin)-Unca Sandy
Posted by: Sandy G. on December 21, 2009 06:36 AMWhat is a Strasburg pie?
Do a Google search and the top results will explain it all.
Posted by: Elisson on December 21, 2009 07:05 AM... what a wonderful party, food, AND group of fine people...... I had a great time!...
Posted by: Eric on December 21, 2009 08:46 AMDuck foie gras, wrapped in bacon and baked in a puff pastry loaf.
didn't know that. Alsatians know cooking !
And they know wine too. You should have try a Tokay or, better, a "Gewurtztraminer Vendanges tardives" (late vintage) with that.
Found the recipe for Drowned Baby:
One cup of stemmed raisins, one cup of sweet milk, three-quarters of a cup of chopped suet, one-half cup of molasses, two cups of flour, one-half teaspoon of soda, two eggs, a little salt. Steam one and a half hours in a covered dish.
Creepy name.
Posted by: MorningGlory on December 21, 2009 11:48 AMWhat?
No plum-duff?
Are you at least served by a Killickian-grousing servant?
Posted by: Unix-Jedi on December 21, 2009 01:20 PMPlum-duff? That's gunroom fare... or a Sunday treat for the midshipmen. But this was a Captain's Table dinner.
This particular Drowned Baby was really just a Spotted Dick (normally steamed in a basin), rolled in a towel and boiled. It would have been just as accurate - but a lot more off-putting - to call it a Wet Spotted Dick.
Posted by: Elisson on December 21, 2009 07:22 PMMaybe some people here didn't read the magnificent Aubrey-Mathurin series, and see the movie "Master Commander" with Russell Crowe. This feast is an authentic replica of the Captain's Table dinner.I'm very impressed. I think hosts and guests should also wear the uniforms...
Posted by: Claudia on December 21, 2009 09:07 PMClaudia - Houston Steve lays out his uniform and sword from the US Naval Academy. Stephan actually rented a shirt from that era and wore it but took it off before dinner.
Posted by: Denny on December 21, 2009 09:44 PMDenny - Now you're talking!
Posted by: Claudia on December 22, 2009 01:25 AM