By Ernest Jaeger, Charge de Presse Provencial Honoraire
One of New Jersey’s premier catering locations, the Palace at Somerset Park has welcomed our bailliage very warmly on previous occasions. To celebrate the spring season, our chapter of the Societe Mondiale du Vin returned to the Palace for another wonderful evening hosted by Maitre de Table Hotelier Alan Fried, beverage director and sommelier at the Palace, and Chef Rotisseur Justin Di Bianca, sous chef at the Palace.
With serenades from Mondiale members between many of the courses, we enjoyed a dinner that spotlighted some excellent vintages and outstanding food. We were greeted at the Palace with a lavish hors d’oeuvres buffet. Highlight of the presentation were elegant small glasses of salmon vichyssoise, unique, creamy and delicious.
The fellowship of the cocktail reception spilled into the dinning room where spotlighted large tables held magnums and jeroboams of the evening’s wines, a very dramatic presentation indeed. Fried introduced the first wine, a popular Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio 2006, as waiters served a first course of diver scallops with confit of duck, cranberry leek compote and a truffle vinaigrette. The wine provided the perfect backdrop for the sweetness of the scallops and confit. Guests each commented on how well the diverse tastes of the dish complemented one another.
An equally successful second course of jumbo lump crab with daikon, blood orange, avocado and fresh wasabi was a very refreshing dish, escorted by an equally refreshing Chateau D’Esclans Garrus Rose 2006.
The third course chestnut dusted breast of squab with butternut squash, royal trumpets, crispy lardoons and roasted pearl onion was perhaps the highlight of an extraordinarily wonderful meal. Everyone at our table commented on the perfection of the squab; in fact, one guest said, “This is the squab against which all other squab will be judged.” The Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro 2000 successfully highlighted the succulence and sweetness of the dish.
A delicious Pertinace Macarini Barbaresco 2001 was poured with ginger snap crusted rack of lamb with truffled parsnip purse, fava beans, porcinis and natural jus. The lamb was perfect, cooked on the rare side of medium rare.
The finale was also excellent; a rich panna cotta was beautifully presented with cantaloupe and Port wine granite and early summer berries. A Banfi Rosa Regale 2006 was an equally wonderful treat.
The evening was brought to a close with hearty applause for the kitchen brigade and service staff. Bailli Provincial George Muller and Bailli Robin Jacobs presented gifts to Di Bianca and Fried. The fellowship and hearty applause of these final moments of the evening accompanied us out into a clear and warm spring night.
