Just Cured - Experience Fine Foods

One day after my very long day Tuesday, we were invited to a Wednesday night dinner party. The directions were cryptic to say the least. “Turn south on a particular road; after about a mile, turn right into the lane just before the railroad tracks; keeping the tracks to your left, cross the gravel lot heading toward the large steel building; at the building cross over the tracks then make a hard right and hard left turn around the side of the building; at the end of the building, park in the lot just past the fence gate.”

What the directions didn’t tell me were that the path along the side of the building was about 11 feet wide with a huge fall off to the right and with grade level rails in the center of the path, and that the lot was a tiny alcove bordered by the building and many railcars.

Yes, we were in the center of a large railroad yard. We walked a hundred yards or so down the path between two rows of railcars parked nose to tail. At the end of the path was our destination — the beautifully restored 1922 private railcar known as the Chapel Hill.

The Chapel Hill was built in 1922 as the private mode of transport for cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and her then husband E. F. Hutton. In those days, the private railcar was the equivalent of today’s Gulfstream, Canadair or Falcon jet for the rich and famous. The Chapel Hill’s owners have restored her to a fantastic, near original condition. And you may charter her for the private journey of a lifetime.

Our journey was a mere stroll from the lounge to the dining room. A friend and colleague bid on and won this evening in an auction benefiting 7 Days for SIDS. The owners contributed an evening in the stationary railcar, and Jean-Robert de Cavel contributed food and wine for a dinner party of six. We were luck enough to be invited as one of the two guest couples.

Once we stepped into the Chapel Hill, it didn’t matter whether we were in a crowded rail yard or traveling to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach or Camp Topridge in the Adirondacks (two of Ms. Post’s homes and frequent destinations of this railcar). We were ensconced in the simple, elegant luxury that was the 1920s. Our host for the evening was Jeff, one of the Chapel Hill’s owners; and Jean-Robert and his wife, Annette, were our staff. Later, Jean-Robert and Annette were joined by the sous chef and the sommelier from Pigall’s.

We had cocktails and canapes in the lounge. After an hour or so, a series of chimes called us to the dining room. What followed was a jewel of a meal — seven courses paired with wines, mostly from Jean-Robert’s personal cellar (with one contribution from mine). The food, wine, setting and company made for a night I will remember for a long time.

I am supposed to be receiving a copy of the menu and wine pairings. I’ll edit the post to include it.

The menu and pairings:

Maine Lobster and Jonah Crab with pineapple, avocado, and bibb lettuce
Stephanie Tissot Vin Jaune 2004
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Warm Indiana Goat Cheese with dried summer fruit and pistachio, duo of arugula,
verjus and fig vinaigrette
Chateau La Garde Pessac-Leognan 2003
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Roasted Halibut with Local Zucchini Flower, roasted red onion, and a light truffle cream
Domaine Buisson Meursault 2005
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Rilette of Cochon Maison with fresh chick peas and bayonne ham pipperade,
duo of Banyuls vinegar dressing
Domaine Jablot Clos De La Servoisine 1er Cru Givry 1995
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Duck Leg Confit Risotto with corn, shitake mushroom, foie gras,
and a peppery grape compote
Chateau Gigonan Chateauneuf 2004
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Rack of Lamb with braised tomato, sweet garlic blue cheese flan, mountain rose potato, roulade of eggplant and Merguez, sauce Bordelaise
Chateau Lynch Bages Grand Cru Paulliac 1983
download make it happen free
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Assorted Sweets
Stephanie Tissot Spirale 2004

Many thanks to Jeff, Jean-Robert and Annette for their hospitality, and even more thanks to the party hosts, Ruth and Fred, for including us.

The following is in celebration of our little train ride to nowhere. Can you tell I am hooked on this embedded video feature?