Spit Roast in the Park 31 January 2016

• Posted on 18th April 2016
• in Event Reviews
• by webmaster

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Review

Spit Roast in the Park
31 January 2016
Manly Warringah War Memorial Park (Manly Dam)

This was the second ‘B B Q’ organised to start the Chaîne NSW culinary year and the second one was as good as the first.

La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs grew out of an association of goose roasters and I could think of no better way to mix our extraordinary tradition with friends, family, with children and grandchildren. Of course, being a Chaîne event this was no ordinary B.B.Q.

On arrival we were directed to a table groaning with an array of starters. I was particular impressed by the combination of flavours in each of the starters.

A glass or two of the very acceptable and well-structured G.H. Mumm Brut complemented the food.

This review however focuses on one dish – the duck. Our resident ‘chef’ for the day, Tamas Pamer, Vice Conseiller Culinaire, chose duck rather than goose because of quality issues and it was a good choice. Duck is not an easy protein to get perfect and often chefs swamp duck with sauces to mask dryness and make up for an often limited flavour. This was not the case on this occasion. Tamas simply took care with a quality product and the result was perfection.

To accompany the duck Tamas and his team had chosen a 2013 Dandelion Vineyards Damsel of the Barossa Valley Merlot. I am not a great Merlot fan but this wine worked well with the duck and accompaniments. The wine was medium bodied, and had medium oak.

The white wine on the day was a Riesling, a 2014 Harewood Estate Frankland River Riesling. This wine was highly rated James Halliday in his 2014 Australian Wine Companion and it was a perfect wine for the day.

Quality produce, interesting flavours, perfectly cooked duck, great food all around, well-chosen wines, conviviality. Hey we must be at a Chaîne function.

John Studdert
Vice-Chancelier NSW
Echanson d’ Australie

The Menu

To Start With

Marinated grilled garden vegetables, marinated olives, buffalo mozzarella, tomato

Australia’s famous salumi board, pickles, grissini, focaccia

Yarra valley goat farm signature cheese, avocado, roasted pumpkin, fennel, French dressing

Asian slaw, organic grilled chicken, lime dressing, mint, feta cheese

From the BBQ Spit

Ale brushed spit roasted dry aged Muscovy duck

Wood fire grilled green prawn, paprika aioli, lemon, olive oil

Ashe baked jacked potato, garlic dip

Assorted homemade dips

For the Kids

Organic chicken sausage from the grill in pretzel bread

Mini chicken burger, pickles, heirloom tomato, beetroot

Vegetable crudités with dips

Make your own Fairy Floss

Grandmother’s Bakery

Chocolate peanut butter slice, salted caramel popcorn

New york cheese cake, pistachio, cherry

Vanilla flourless cake, chocolate

Raspberry panacotta

Beverages

Champagne, G.H. Mumm Brut Cordon Rouge, Reims, NV

2014 Harewood Estate Frankland River Riesling

2013 Dandelion Vineyards Damsel of the Barossa Valley Merlot