Without a doubt the highlight of July was the First Church Mid-Winter Community Lunch.
That’s if you could claim that peeling umpteen kilo of potatoes, parsnips and carrots is a truly thrilling chore.
Such is the local’s appetite to attend these fandangos that there’s little better than standing room in our church hall. And that’s not to mention the elbow jostling that takes place between grownups on the entrance steps – reminiscent of feeding the 5000!
And guests were far from emaciated, several qualifying for adjectives like portly or downright plump. Who’s to blame them when confronted by such regal fare.
This spirited queueing for pride of place put me in mind of sleeping out at Athletic Park whenever there was a test between the All Blacks and Springboks in the 1950’s and 60’s. Enthusiasm knows no bounds.
Now that this has turned into a culinary column you might as well see what tantalising guests’ salivary glands was. Here’s the menu which the team of talented church lady chefs concocted:
Entrée – A choice of 3 homemade soups – Mushroom and Bacon, Pumpkin, and Blue Cheese and Cauliflower, each served with Dinner Roll.
Main – choice of Beef Ragout, Hot Glazed Ham or Orange Caramel Chicken served with Potato Gratin, Honey Roasted Vege with Spinach, Walnut & Feta.
Desert – Cheesecake with a Winter Compote, Peach Crumble & Custard or Pavlova and Berry Compote, all with lashings of whipped cream.
All truly deserving of Michelin Star status. Not a sign of rice pudding, tapioca or sago. And not a brussel sprout in sight.
I forgot to mention the mulled wine which greeted each reveller as they entered our hall.
As Sam Neill reminded people Jesus turned water not into vodka but wine – an encouraging message for our local wine industry.
Upcoming events can be found on the Lions Martinborough Community Notice Board and our website www.martinboro1stchurch.org
