The Best Australian Blogspot?

If you want to see the best, visit Drinkster. This blog, edited by Philip White is magnificent, cartoons from George Grainger Alldridge, with a wonderful irreverent approach by a local expert. The site links to Drankster, this is a tasting notes site, un-allied and un-biased, looking at wines currently for sale in Australia. Enjoy!

Treasurer's Report

Wine and Food Society of Ballarat
Receipts/Payments Year ended 31 December 2010 (unaudited)

2009/2010
RECEIPTS
5960.00 Subs/Wine Levy 6250.00
24490.00 Dinner Fees 24960.00
110.20 Bank 219.00
Wine Sales 5078.68
Bank Interest 83.82
30450.00 SUBTOTAL 36372.50
PAYMENTS
18660.00 Catering 19864.86
38.60 CA Annual Fee 40.90
Refunds 120.00
3971.97 Wine Purchases 18724.67
350.00 A and P Society 350.00
471.50 Insurance 556.50
50.00 Miscellaneous 100.00
374.00 Subs, WFS 374.00
24026.27 SUBTOTAL 40349.93
6423.73 Excess/Deficit (3977.43
TOTAL 36372.50
Balance B/F 10552. Deficit for Year (3977.43)
Balance 31/12/2010 6574.98

February Dinner

709th Dinner 17th February 2011

AGM

CRAIGS HOTEL

President : ROBERT CAMPBELL

CANAPES
House smoked king fish, celeriac and apple remoulade
Confit pork belly & pickled onions on toasted brioche

Veuve Cliquot vintage 2002

FIRST COURSE
Eye fillet beef tartare
pommes gaufrette, quail egg

Domaine des Nugues Fleurie 2008
Cullen Cab Sav Merlot 1995


SECOND COURSE
Duck leg confit
Beetroot puree, crispy pancetta
cabbage fondue, truffle sauce

Coldstream Hills Reserve Pinot Noir 2004
Akura The Gullies Central Otago Pinot Noir 2002

DESSERT
Summer berries semifreddo
citrus crème anglaise

Balbi Soprani Moscato Asti 2009

CHEESE PLATE
With fig and walnut rolada ,lavosh, crackers

Redbank Emily Matilda Vintage Port 1985

FOODMASTER Robert Campbell
WINEMASTER :Philip Dover

CHEF Phillipe Desrettes

Wine master's report

Winemaster’s report for
Ballarat Wine and Food Society 2010

It is with great pleasure that I present my second winemasters report for the year 2010
This year has been an enjoyable but challenging time to match the menus of Dennis Chamberlain and the other members of the committee who have shared this duty
The 700th dinner at Craigs was definitely a highlight of the year and I must thank John Nelson for the guidance he gave for such an important occasion .You cannot go wrong with the likes of a bracket of 20 year old Penfolds Grange and Bin 707 !
I have learnt that you CAN serve a French champagne for a third course of Ben Veldhuis’s lobster risotto with saffron!
I have been able to use some of the new fresh wines that Jim Patterson is bringing into the cellar
A Spanish Albarino was a good match for Europa’s superb Fennel soup with Chorizo pear and parmesan ravioli and a local Barossa ‘Running with Bulls ‘Tempranillo was a good foil for Peter Fords Vietnamese pork trio .
My favourite wine for when no other wine will go (smoked eel and horseradish ) ie Pascal Jolyvet Sancere Pouilly Fume again did the trick!
Once again I must thank John Nelson and now Jim Patterson for the excellent additions to our more diverse style of cellar
I look forward to another year of interesting and hopefully satisfying food and wine matches



Philip Dover

President's Report 2010

PRESIDENT’S REPORT FOR 2010



2010 has in many ways been a year of achievements.

Dinners have been of a high standard with Dennis Chamberlain organizing these for the first 6 months of the year prior to his departure to Queensland. They have since been organized by a rotating Foodmaster.

Phil Dover has done an excellent job as Winemaster and has always been willing to be innovative.

Bob House has stepped into the role of Secretary and has galvanized his computer skills admirably. Bob’s greatest innovation has been the promotion of a Blog. This is accessible to members and the public alike. The Blog contains a list of dinners and menus so I need not repeat these in my report.
Electronic payment is now the main means of payment to the Society.

Jim Patterson has applied his energies to building on the previous illustrious work of Cellarmasters. $5000 worth of wine was auctioned publicy and to members. Jim has increased the number of European wines at the same time has reduced the total number of wines in the Society’s cellar.


Paul Hemming has been an efficient Treasurer but continues
to be plagued by occasional non-payment of Dinner fees.


The most memorable dinner was the 700th, hosted by Craig’s with an all star cast of former members. Food and service were excellent as was the wine.

The Committee will lose John Nelson and Ross Wilkie who have rendered excellent and most generous service.
We continue to have difficulty recruiting new members and the Society’s viability continues to be an issue, with often only 18-20 members at a dinner. We shall address this, I hope, in 2011.
The President has been enormously supported by his Committee who have done an excellent job and we look forward to some new faces for 2011.


Dr Rob Campbell
President

Victor Gibson Final reminder

Hullo Councillors and member Societies



This email is a reminder to affiliated societies that the Registrations and payments for the Victor Gibson Weekend April 2011 in Sydney must be submitted by the 25th February 2011.



For your information an invitation and registration form is available above which should be completed and returned to the Convenor by 25 February



Those that have already registered will be contacted direct from the organisers, reminding them that the final payments are due on the 25th February 2011.

See Link below for more details
http://www.mediafire.com/?x8zdk604stnodr4
As this email has been addressed using three separate databases my apologies if you receive this email more than once





Regards

Garry Krischock

Federation of Wine and Food Societies of Austral

Runaway Bay Qld

Cellar Master's Report

Wine & Food Society of Ballarat

Cellarmasters Report for 2011

Thanks for the pleasure of being your Cellarmaster for the past year in which, under the guidance of your Committee, we have continued to revamp our Wine List to be more appropriate to current trends and tastes and to reduce our cellar stock with an emphasis on increased quality and variety.

Looking back to 1993 our Cellar stock numbered 2,045 bottles. As at the stock take at 31/12/2010 this has reduced to 1,690 bottles.

During 2010 we consumed 243 bottles, auctioned off another 240 and purchased 270 – a net reduction of 213 bottles. The Cellar still holds a large component of older vintage wines - in fact 46% (excluding fortified and sparkling) are 10 years + and we are not consuming them fast enough!

Our decline in active membership in recent years has caused the problem so we must either increase our numbers or reduce our Cellar by offering more to members - following our successful clearance last year.

The 2010 purchases cost $ 13,446 - an average of $ 50 per bottle and included a mixture of ‘ready to drink’ wines costing $20 to $35 and some interesting imports costing $70 to $ 130 (with the exception for the 2000 Dom Perignon @ $214).

New wines include many Spanish, French and Italian varieties that are becoming fashionable and offer a greater experience for your palates and offer you the opportunity to drink wines you may not otherwise be able to access!

Thanks to Phil Dover for offering a great variety of wine/food matches and to the many food masters for presenting interesting and challenging menus.

I will continue to update the Cellar list on our Blog which has been a great boon to the Society in communicating with members. Thanks Bob!

Jim Patterson

Notice of Meeting AGM

Notice of Annual General Meeting
Wine & Food Society of Ballarat
Craig's Hotel
Thursday February 17th 2011 7.00pm





Agenda
Apologies
Minutes

President's Report

Treasurer's Report

Cellar Master's Report

Wine master's Report

Election of Office Bearers    

President, Nominee Dr Robert Campbell
                                                      
Secretary, Nominee Dr Robert House
                                                      
Treasurer, Nominee Dr Paul Hemming
                                                        
Cellar Master, Nominee Mr James Patterson
                                                      
Wine master, Nominee Dr Philip Dover
                                                     
Food master, no nomination
                                                         
Committee members, Nominees, Mr Dean Stevens, Mr John Coco, Dr Malcolm Anderson, Mr Stuart Eaton
          
Proposed Fees and Levies for 2011 
                                                          
Proposer Dr Paul Hemming, Seconder Dr Robert House
        
Other Business                    

Constitutional Amendment; to facilitate possible admission of female members
                                                       
Proposed change of Clause 3:- "Men of good character, who have attained the age of 21 years and who are in general sympathy with the aims and objects of the Society are qualified for membership"
                                                          
To:-
"Persons who are in general sympathy with the aims and objects of the Society are qualified for membership"
                                                                      
Proposer Dr Robert Campbell Seconder Mr James Patterson
       
Any Other Business
       
Dr RJ House
         
Secretary 2/2/2011

February Dinner 2011

Invitation to the February Dinner





Members are advised that the 709th meeting, the AGM
will be on

Thursday February 17th 2011
At
Craig's Hotel
Lydiard St, Ballarat
At 7.00pm

Guest Food Master: Rob Campbell
Wine Master: Phil Dover
Dress Smart Casual
Guests are most welcome
Electronic banking via account:
ANZ BSB 013 520 ACCOUNT 008699266 is recommended.

Cost $120 per person

Reply to Rob Campbell
mailto:racam@westnet.com.au
RSVP Monday February 14th 2011


All members are invited to join the Committee, should anyone wish to be nominated, please contact Bob House
mailto:house@ncable.net.au