Thursday, 27th October 2022
A Spring Table
La Salutation
Welcome to the Spring Abbot’s Table!
Understandably, the most prominent topic of conversation at the turn of each season, is the weather. I recall enjoying a morning cup of tea with a community of monks at Bolton Abbey in County Kildare at the beginning of one spring when, upon looking out the scullery window, I stated “oh look, it’s raining”, to which the monk in charge of the dairy replied, “you’re stating the obvious!” It appears that it rains on most days in Ireland, no matter the season.
In these times when it’s possible to get out-of-season produce all year round, it might seem obvious that certain produce will appear in the markets or on the supermarket shelves in due season. But every season is different, so for those of us who love to cook, it is sheer joy to see beautiful new-season’s produce appear in all its glorious local freshness – autumn mushrooms that smell of the earth, sweet juicy winter citrus fruits, tender spring lamb, or the sun-ripened stone-fruits of summer.
In this new ‘buy local’ era, cooks love to get their hands on interesting, exotic or hard-to-get produce, like the artisan cheese featured in this evening’s palate freshener.
Every menu and dining experience involves careful sourcing of fine produce, meticulous preparation, and the thoughtful creativity of passionate producers, cooks and front-of-house staff. We hope you enjoy our Spring offering.
Bon appétit!
Le Menu
New Norcia Bread
A selection of hand-crafted bread baked in the monastery wood-fired oven & New Norcia Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Entrée
Mousseline de poisson
A warm mousseline of West Australian schnapper with a light seafood broth and zesty mango salsa.
Vin: New release, New Norcia Abbey Chardonnay-Verdelho 2022
Plat Principal
Agneau de printemps
Oven-roasted loin of spring lamb, with spring green vegetables, Roma tomatoes roasted in olive oil and pomegranate vinegar, jus infused with herbes de provence, and yoghurt & mint mustard-cream.
Vin: Frescobaldi Castiglioni Chianti 2020
Musical Interlude
Rafraîchisseur de palais
A petite salad of creamy camembert from ‘Local Goat’ Artisan Cheese (Gingin) with lime vinegar dressing.
Dessert
Compote of exotic fruits and house-churned berry sorbet.
Vin: A shot glass of De Bortoli Deen Botrytis Semillon Vat 5
Café Gourmand
Coffee, New Norcia Abbey Port or Liqueur Muscat, and treats from the monastery wood-fired oven.
Le Vin
New Norcia Abbey Chardonnay-Verdelho 2022
This blended wine is crafted from ripe, hand-picked fruit and barrel-fermented to create a rich, flavoursome wine. It has peachy, tropical fruit characters with integrated oaky and yeasty flavours, excellent depth and a dry finish.
Frescobaldi Castiglioni Chianti 2020
A commitment to viticulture and to agriculture in general has always been a prominent hallmark of the Frescobaldi family, who have been producing wine in Tuscany for seven hundred years, beginning in the early 1300s. Thanks to the favourable soil and climate, Chianti Castiglioni reflects the characteristics of an area that represents and presents itself as a soft, pleasantly fruity wine noted for its strong and well-defined personality.
De Bortoli Deen Botrytis Semillon Vat 5
Deen De Bortoli was a true visionary of the Australian wine industry and at the forefront of innovation. This signature dessert wine from the Riverina is brimming with a sweet surrender of honey, apricot jam and marmalade. A cut of crispness on the finish sends it into the realm of sophistication.
