Bastille Day Celebration
FDU - Vanderbilt Twombly Mansion
July 15, 2007
Victorian Splendor for Bastille Day
By Ernest Jaeger, Charge de Presse Provencial Honoraire
The skies were clear blue as we gathered on the campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison for the celebration of Bastille Day. The Chaine’s national office arranged for our use of the university’s stately Vanderbilt Twombly Mansion for the celebration. The mansion known as Florham in its time is surrounded by grounds landscaped by Frederick Law Olmstead who designed Central Park. What an elegant setting! Expansive lawns, elegant gardens, quiet reflecting pools, and majestic fountains provided the perfect setting for our celebration which also included members from the Bergen County, Lehigh Valley, and Long Island chapters. Bailli Robin Jacobs and members of our chapter were delighted to also welcome Bailli Provincial George Muller, Bailli Michael Aria of Bergen, Bailli Jerry Siller of Long Island and J. Michael Abrams, the president of Fairleigh Dickinson.
Members and guests gathered on the vast verandas of the mansion enjoying wine and hors d’oeuvres presented by Ben Aiello of the university’s gourmet dining services. The elegance of the day’s menu was signaled with the presentation of the first hors d’oeuvres, Osetra caviar with corn and chive blinis and Oysters Rockefeller. Guests walked the lovely grounds, chatting and nibbling on still more hors d’oeuvres, summer truffle fritters with honey and grilled figs with Gorgonzola and prosciutto. We sipped a Simonnet-Febvre Cremant de Bourgogne Brut. The summons to dinner brought us to a groaning board of elegant picnic specialties. From the rotisserie came suckling pig with a Kentucky bourbon glaze and free range chicken with a chipotle pepper rub.
The bounty from the sea included steamed Maine lobsters with drawn lemon butter and grilled Maryland soft shell crabs with Old Bay aioli. Jersey gardens yielded grilled asparagus, grilled corn on the cob, tomatoes with Aiello Brothers mozzarella and marinated new potatoes with tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion.
The outstanding quintet of wines served during dinner included an Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc Les Setilles 2005, Zind-Humbrecht Riesling 2005, Domaine d’Eole Provence Rose 2005, and Beaucastel Coudoulet de Beaucastel 2004.
The choices were so lavish and generous that we felt that the Vanderbilts were once again entertaining at the mansion.
Jacobs, assisted by Muller, Aria and Siller brought out Aiello for the chapter’s thanks and applause. The celebration was certainly one of Victorian splendor; the only things missing were croquet on the lawn and ladies in large hats.
