Industry Hosts Thank You BBQ – August 23, 2010
“It was a dark and stormy … ” Well, it was actually broken clouds and spotty sunshine when the “Volunteers” arrived to start preparations at 2:00 in the afternoon. This year, the Findlays hosted our BBQ. This function was started last year to recognize our industry members that put on events over the past year to show our appreciation for the ingenuity and hard work that they put into our dinners. The current Council members are recruited to set up the function, do the prep work and all the cooking – or at least that is what happened last year and what was supposed to happen this year. For some fortunate reason (for us Council members), Jan (our newly appointed Vice-Conseiller Culinaire) decided to do most of the prep work ahead of time – THANKS JAN!
Well, we arrived, moved all the equipment and supplies to the rear of the Findlay’s property, set up the tables and the bar and proceeded to admire our work. Patricia folded all the napkins while Carol, Mel and Jürgen “lovingly” laid the tables. Peter and Cindy brought in the table centerpiece flowers and kept us moving in the correct manner.
Finally, everything was set out perfectly, when Carol had a foreboding moment. She decided that we should wrap the silverware in the napkins and tuck them into the water goblets, “just in case”. Then as we started to hear “the dump trucks” rumbling, she decided with great acuity, IN WE MUST GO! A quick consultation with our hosts as to how we might accomplish this task, and off we went. The basement rumpus room was de-arranged and two tables moved in. Upstairs, we took over the dining room table. The country kitchen area was set for another group and finally, the covered portion of the deck was appropriated for the last table. Success. Nevertheless, we just made it as the first drops of rain started to fall.
So, poor Cindy and Peter had to put up with close to 40 guests in their home. However, we did reasonably well. People were scattered about the home and the covered area of the deck. While the guests enjoyed beverages of various types, Beat and Jan prepared a few delights to whet our appetites:
Barbecued shrimp sprinkled with pesto
Scallops tossed in soy sauce
3 kinds of Spolumbo’s sausage
During the reception, the heavens opened up with lots of brilliant sonic clatter, including at least two flash-crashes that were too close for comfort.
Jan conscripted his lovely wife Carla and our newly appointed Vice-Conseiller Gastronomique, Patricia to help out in the kitchen. When the time came, all the food was laid out on Cindy’s generous kitchen bar and away we went with buffet style service. At the end was Jan carving the perfectly BBQ’ed NY Striploin roast – a product of both his and Beat’s culinary experience.
At the end of our dinner, everyone gathered in the Great Room to salute our Industry Guests for presenting such wonderful events over the past year. Then David appeared with a beautiful Chain Logo embossed dark blue bag and presented Cindy and Peter with a present. It seems that this time of this year was very special for them.
All of us departed slowly with great memories of the event (leaving Cindy and Peter to survey the remnants of their home).
On behalf of the Council members, I would like to thank our Industry Hosts for putting on such magnificent events and to the Findlays for hosting the BBQ.