Chaîne des Rotisseurs Dinner

Chaine Dinner, Cleopatra's Banquet at the Green Man

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Confrérie de la Chaine des Rôtisseurs
ASSOCIATION MONDIALE DE GASTRONOMIE
BAILLIAGE DE THAILANDE

D'PEARLS BEFORE A SWINE
Cleopatra's Banquet at the Green Man Phuket

The most celebrated banquets in history occurred on three successive nights in 42BC in Tarsus. The first was lavish, the second sumptuous, and all eyes were on the third. The hostess, Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, and previously the paramour of Julius Caesar, had playfully wagered Marc Antony, one of three leaders of the Roman Empire, that she could provide the most expensive picnic in history on her Royal Barge by spending about five million Baht on a dinner for two.

She served Mediterranean Mezze to open, and Marc felt his bet was won until Cleopatra ordered the second course - a cup of strong vinegar into which she dropped one of her priceless pearl earrings, allowed it to dissolve, and drank the mixture. Antony declined the matching pearl and admitted she had won.

In honour of this stylish feast, The Green Man gardens will host a Mediterranean meal for rather less than 2.5 million baht each. Vinegar can be offered, but if you want to drink pearls you will need to provide your own earrings.

The wines have been drawn from across the Roman Empire, and the whole night has been designed with no thought to anachronism.

At 6 p.m. you will be offered White and Red Sangrias to cool you.

Aubergine & almond dip, olive & anchovy pâté, and crème de fromage aux câpres & saumon
will emerge at 6:30 or so accompanied by
Cleopatra's Red Pearl
The Green Man's own take on Cleopatra's vinegar and pearl drink which shall remain a secret for now (but it is safe to assume that it will contain wine but neither vinegar nor pearls). You will also have
Botter Prosecco di Valdobbiandene and Botter Prosecco Raboso to help the canapés down.

7p.m. will see us repairing to our tables for the first course spread, consisting of a stylish choice of hot and cold tapas and salads. Your table will groan with
Salmon and mascarpone herb croquets, shrimp cocktail with a cognac & apple sauce, spinach & goat-cheese pastry
Octopus in a Mediterranean pepper sauce
Dalmatian Risotto with a white wine & saffron reduction, shrimp pasta in a homemade tomato sauce with a Mediterranean Herb & truffle emulsion
Mediterranean cheese balls rolled in sesame, paprika paste, aubergine dip, and three exotic salads.
This will be accompanied by lashings of
Quintarelli Bianco Secco 2006
a stunning white of unusual blend.

After that you'll need a palate cleanser, and we shall move to the very thing; The Green Man's hush-hush
Trou Méditerranée.

Cleopatra held etiquette important in her very proper banquets, noted from those she had attended in Rome, so she knew you needed a meat course.
But her meat courses were not as we know them. And to commemorate this, around 8 p.m. we shall present to you in turn; a
Wagyu Tartare with an anchovy & cognac reduction
Lamb slowly braised in milk & herbs with asparagus & carrot, and
Venison Steak on dried pears with Cranberry mousse.
These will be accompanied by
Domaine la Provenquière Vin de Pays d'Oc Cabernet Franc 2006
Conde de Valdemar Rioja Gran Reserva 2000, and
Cantine Lenotti Di Carlo Amarone Classico 2001.

Once this has passed away, you should be ready for your dessert, a
Baklava together with
Bosnian Coffee and Aspbite.
Speeches and presentations around 9:15 if we have made it through in one piece.

A Hookah will be available for those wishing to indulge.

Marc Antony was an educated patrician, a carouser, drinker, and gambler, boring in the company of women, known to suffer from depressions, and called vulgar by his contemporaries. He could have been a Rawai bar-owner.

Cleopatra so charmed Antony at the banquets that he spent the winter of 41 BC with her in Alexandria. On 25 December 40 BC she gave birth to his twins. In 37 BC, Antony visited Alexandria again en route to war with the Parthians. He renewed his relationship with Cleopatra, and from then on Alexandria became his home. He married Cleopatra according to the Egyptian rite, although he was at the time married to Octavia Minor, sister of his fellow triumvir Octavian. He and Cleopatra had another child, Ptolemy Philadelphus. It all sounds a bit like Chalong really. So look out for the effects of this feast.