My second opportunity in hosting the 1913 club was another challenging, but very entertaining experience into the culinary unknown. We gathered in the evening on Sunday rather than at noon because Robert was hosting a brunch that morning, and I was assisting him. And, as it was an extremely warm day (a high of 100), it was probably best that we did gather later in the day.
The first course on the menu was “Consomme Princess”. A consomme was to be prepared and then green peas and “tiny cubes” of chicken were to be added. However, the first three ingredients of the consommé were not available for purchase at the local grocery store – 4 lbs thickest part of hind beef shin, marrow bone, and knuckle of veal - why, I wondered, were these items not available? Are not these items on everyone’s staples list these days? Obviously not…so a substitution became necessary. Since peas were an ingredient of the soup called for in the menu, and the weather was as sultry as it was, I opted for a cold, curried pea soup. I thought that it would be refreshing way to start the meal. It was my first attempt at a “vichyssoise”, and we all agreed that it was delicious.
The potatoes were boiled and then smothered in the chive sauce. The chive sauce was actually a white sauce, but instead of the usual butter, shortening was used with the cream. It tasted somewhat different, but it was definitely very tasty. And, many thanks to Stacy and Eric for providing the chives which came from their garden.
The next course was the salad. It was – shall we say – the course of disappointment. The menu called for “June Salad” - a fruit salad of cherries, oranges, and bananas marinated with “French Dressing No. 2”. Cherries were in season and bananas are always readily available; however, the oranges were definitely out of season and were a bit bitter. Robert suggested afterwards that I should have used canned mandarin oranges, and they would have been a good substitute. “French Dressing No. 2” should be shortened to “French Dressing No”. It consisted of salt, olive oil, paprika, and lemon juice. Probably fine for a dressing on lettuce, but it did nothing to compliment the sweet flavor of fruit. This salad was then supposed to be served “in nests of lettuce leaves and masked with Mayonnaise”. None of us could figure out what the author meant by this so the mayonnaise was served “on the side”. The recipe for Mayonnaise dressing was also provided. It called for whisking together salt, cayenne, egg yolks, lemon juice and olive oil (the food processor did not mind helping one little bit with this endeavor). We all attempted tasting this dish, but with less than appetizing results. It will not and should not be attempted in the future……unless you have a particular enemy you would like to discourage.
At long last the salad course was over and it was onto dessert! And what a splendid way to rebound from salad calamity than to have a delectable cherry pie! (Again cherries make an entrance in the menu.) I must sheepishly admit though that I did not prepare the pie. While sweet cherries were available, sour cherries were not. I could have used canned cherry pie filling, but I thought to myself that old saying of which I am so fond of repeating “Six of one and half a dozen of another” so I opted for the frozen pie in the freezer section. Hey, at least I served what was on the menu – so it was not totally regrettable.
The second time of hosting the 1913 Club was definitely more subdued for me – of course, starting off the day at a brunch in which mimosas were free flowing did have a “quieting” effect on my emotions for the rest of the day….
