Phoenix dinner at Girton College
I was guest of honour at the Phoenix Dining Society’s Autumn Feast in the Stanley library at Girton College. It was quite a lavish affair, starting with champagne beforehand. The first course was superb; it was caramelized onion, wholegrain mustard and goat’s cheese tartlet.
Then came roast pheasant supreme with Brussels sprouts and chestnuts, thyme, roast carrots and boulangere potatoes served with bread sauce and gravy. There as a huge quantity of pheasant, though I did without the Brussels sprouts, of course.
Finally came crème brulée, though this being Cambridge, they called it Trinity Burnt Cream. Unusually this was baked with raspberries in it. The wines were a Domaine Gayda ‘Cepage’ viognier 2009 and a Chateau Rousseau de Sipian 2005 Medoc, but since my speech came at the end of the dinner, I could only sample them sparingly…