Saturday 18 May 2024
Flashy
headed off this morning to the Hotel Intercontinental for the 10.00 am AGM of
LCDR. This was conducted in French and English with UN like instantaneous
translation via head phones for those who needed it. It was due to finish at
12.00 noon. It finished at 11.59 am, proving that LCDR do get some things
right!
Lady
P arrived to find Flashy in the bar having a refreshing Pinot Noir and joined
him for an Oringina, before we trammed it back to home via a neat little
neighbourhood café, where we had exceptional sesame tuna and average Caesar
Salad. Time for a rest before we head off again in the glad rags this time, for
the Gala Dinner at the Bordeaux Palais de la Bourse.
Expectations were high, as the Gala Dinner is the pinnacle of the international Chaine year. There are 350 delegates from 39 countries attending the dinner and the venue, the old stock exchange, is a magnificent building in the centre of Bordeaux.
Our Uber was on time and as we exited at the corner of the building, very large rain drops began to fall. Lady P’s 30 year old ball gown, a skimpy little number from the Adelaide Grand Prix days, was in danger of dissolving, so we took cover in an alcove until we could make the final 20 metres to the red carpet. Many comments on Lady P’s dress. A bit Sonya McMahon-ish, Flashy thought. (https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/from-the-archives-1971-sonia-stuns-white-house-20211026-p593ad.html).
We watched the intronization ceremony and were not surprised when there was a rush to borrow Flashy’s ribbon for the Western Australian Bailli’s induction. Someone, no names Norm, had obviously not packed sufficient ribbons for the entire ceremony. Oh well, on to the Camus cognac cocktails and Champagne and then into the grand hall for dinner. Did I mention, we were on table 5? Next to the stage and full of Chaine country presidents (Bailli Delegue) from Finland, Italy, Korea and Hungary. We had a great table. My Australian Bailli Delegue, good old Norm, was at the back of the hall.
The event was very well planned, with a choir of young people
entertaining and a menu that was of high Chaine standard. The let down was the
time it took to get going and served. We did not eat until after 9.00 pm and we
didn’t get home until after 2.00 am. The menu:
Landes green asparagus, peanuts and oyster vinaigrette accompanied by a thimble full of Sakura Masamune, Miyamizu No Hana, Japanese Saké. Black cod, yellow wine sabayon, favas, green peas and morels with a very nice Domaine de Chevalier, Semillion Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Pessac-Léognan. The main was also stunning. A beef fillet with bone marrow crust, ox tail stuffed onion and wild garlic, Bordelaise sauce. The red was Duluc de Branaire-Ducru, 2018, Saint-Julien. In French style, the cheese, served before dessert, was a Bordeaux blue cheese, port gel and rye and this came with another bottle of the previous red wine. The dessert came with a little perfume puffer bottle filled with Camus cognac to spray over the chocolate, pecan nut and salted butter caramel and mushroom ice cream.
Cognac Camus have sponsored the four days of the
Grand Chapitre and they have been unbelievably generous with their product.
When we sat down, there was a bottle of Cognac Camus XO on each table. Now,
because of the delay in serving the meal, the Bailli Delegue Italy, opened the Camus,
to the delight of the rest of us, and the table drank half of it while waiting.
No problem, they just gave us another one and another one and even slipped the
Bailli Delegue Finland a full bottle to hide in his pocket as we departed. As
if we hadn’t had enough! Vague memories of a taxi home and just not enough wind
left to have a nightcap. Must be getting old!
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