Dinner at Peterhouse
I was at a dress-up dinner at Peterhouse, with the boys in white tie and tails or in black tie and dinner jackets, and the girls in long shiny dresses. The dining hall was candle-it and was very atmospheric. We had started the evening on prosecco until called into dinner. After Latin grace we were served with a spiced butternut squash soup flavoured with cinnamon. It was well done, and accompanied by a Peterhouse labeled white, a Chilean Concha y Toro chardonnay.
The main course was roast quail wrapped in bacon and stuffed with spinach and cranberry (brilliant). We helped ourselves to braised beetroot with marjoram (excellent), mangetout and broccoli florets, and Dauphinoise potatoes (delicious). The wine was a Peterhouse labeled red, again a Concha y Toro Chilean, merlot this time.
The pudding was an apple and pear treacle sponge with crème Anglaise. Unusually, I ate it all. The quantities and number of courses were sensible, which I much appreciated. With the coffee and mints came a Peterhouse ruby port, then more of the merlot. Afterwards a few of us sat outside at Brown’s across the road from Peterhouse, and enjoyed cohiba Havana cigars.