Sunday, May 9, 2010

Cutler and Co - 7 May 2010

Zoe and Gaby

We've agreed not to post about the last official Posh Dinner Society meeting in November last year. It was at Cecconi's and we felt that it just didn't qualify - partially due to the poor service and underwhelming food, and partially that we had a cast of thousands (really only 8 people: Zoe, Hugh, Gaby, Barry, Liz, Peter, Gerry, and Peter's friend from SF).

So, it's been a while and Zoe and I, the only members in Australia agreed to hold a small, but quorate, meeting at the intended venue of the last catch-up: Cutler and Co.

It was a good move to go for dinner - even with just the two of us (in fact, maybe better for it!).

We started with fabulous drinks (Aperol and blood orange juice for me and Campari and pink grapefruit for Zoe) - with the mixers served in beakers which was a bit of a flash back for both of us. Then we moved on to a carrot salad (cooked, raw and pickled) and confit ocean trout. Yum.

Mains of roast suckling pig - not a whole one - and pheasant. The pheasant was a first for both of us. The breast meat was not particularly flavoursome though the quince helped, but the crumbed leg meat (recreated as a drumstick) was richer and tender. The pig came with a lovely barley risotto.

I went for the deliciously desserty ice-cream sandwich with salted caramel. Somewhat uncharacteristically Zoe chose a dessert over the cheese, and was rewarded with the best dish of the evening: steamed quince and suet gingerbread with chestnut icecream. It was just delicious - not too sweet, but the richness of the quince and the warmth of the ginger was just delicious. It was an inspiration for the winter puddings to come over the next few months.

We thought of you Liz and Peter, and hope that you get the chance to have a meeting of the US chapter of the Posh Dinner Society. You should definitely come to Cutler and Co when you're next back at in Melbourne.