Annual Club Dinner

This event is probably the social highpoint of the club’s year. A not to be missed evening which just seems to get better and better. Our Social Secretary Diana Carpenter masterminded the whole event. The lay-up and decorations were done on the prior Wednesday. Thanks to everybody who pitched in that night and got the job done.

One of Diana’s first priorities was to contact ‘Food for Thought’ about the menu. After some discussion the following was settled on:-

The starters were Baby breaded camembert with cranberry relish, Cream of winter vegetable soup with parsnip crisps or Smoked Bacon Caesar salad. The main course choices were Salmon supreme en croute with white wine sauce, Slow cooked lamb with red wine and rosemary, Chicken breast stuffed with brie and fig with a cider sauce or Butternut squash and mushroom tart. All served with potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

The dessert choices were Chocolate caramel salted tarte, Mulled wine fruits crème bruleè or individual Eton mess. This was followed by Cheese and biscuits and coffee.

Next the colour scheme for the table settings was decided (these things don’t just happen you know). Leo & Anne Bond kindly offered to take care of the raffle again; another box ticked.

On the night only 35 tickets had been sold, our lowest number ever. Undeterred, members were met by Rodger who was dispensing pre dinner cocktails. The bar also seemed to be doing well and everybody was chatting away when Diana announced that dinner was served.

The service was slick and efficient and the food very good. During the first course our Treasurer, Joan Walkden, stood up and explained that, while on holiday, she had walked into The Hobart YC (otherwise known as The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania) and presented their Commodore with an AQSC pennant. He immediately enquired where AQSC was.

Joan explained it was on the River Thames in England quite near Hampton Court Palace. The Commodore had heard of Hampton Court Palace and presented a Hobart YC pennant to Joan to be hung over the bar in the clubhouse.

Nigel was able to project some pictures of this event and before Joan sat down some reciprocal shots were taken to email back to the Hobart YC Commodore.

The second course got underway, the wine flowed and time passed surprisingly quickly and before we knew it cheese and coffee was being served. Before Leo & Anne’s raffle got underway Nigel made two presentations, the first to Joan Bray, an engraved vase recognising her 23 years as club Secretary. The second, a bouquet of flowers to Diana for organising the annual dinner. He also thanked “Food for Thought” for all their work. Nobody seemed in a rush to leave and it was going on 1:00am before people started drifting. It was a great evening.

Mike (DJ Still Fits Okay) Baker