Marino Corazza MOVEABLE FEAST=20
IT’S Sunday May 29, and I’m at Sol’s very own, charming Sun=20 City. In the Soup Bowl, to be exact. At 6:30pm, it’s=20 showtime, folks: the Loeries.=20
‘Twas the time of year for the pulp and celluloid maestros=20 to receive their just accolades. Fiction, but nevertheless,=20 let’s not kid ourselves, this was the creme de la creme of=20 Azania’s advertising.=20
It started with a bang. A zillion black singers on the mega=20 stage opened the proceedings with the emotive “Sho, sho,=20 loza”, then the very essence and core of the target market=20 disappeared. Bingo, back to the ghetto. The show of=20 brothers and sisters among the “most gifted ones” was=20 almost non-existent.=20
There wasn’t much time to notice this, in an atmosphere=20 filled with oodles of wholesome fear and loathing imported=20 from Sandton. That’s what it’s all about. =20
This year’s clothing emphasis for the ladies was on the=20 decollete. And/or vertiginous, heart-attack-inducing little=20 black dresses with thigh-revealing splits on the side. All=20 this was generously spritzed with imported fragrances worth=20 enough to kick-start the Reconstruction and Development=20
As always, black tie was de rigeur for the males of the=20 species, who performed like irritated penguins. Me too.=20 When in Rome …=20
I have two confessions to make. First, I have some dusty=20 Loeries to my credit. Second, despite this, it was the very=20 first time I had attended this glitzy function. (It was=20 nice to be asked.) So the food boetie went along to write=20 about the food.=20
Standard-issue sustenance is nicotine, adrenalin sandwiches=20 and hooch. But while the awards were being dished out, this=20 is what was being dished up. =20
First, there was a salmon asparagus timbale, a very=20 delicate, pinky, rough-grained, gelatinous pate, served=20 with fresh dill cream. This was delicate and subtle once=20 splotched on the designer bread rolletjies, washed down=20 with lots of chilled famous brand-name wine.=20
This was followed by tournedos of beef masked with a=20 chanterelle sauce and accompanied by a melange of veggies=20 and potato cakes. =20
It’s not easy to serve and please this many screaming,=20 clapping people, but the fillet was medium enough and very=20 tender, the potato fluffy, light and crunchy, and the=20 palate was further pleased with generous quaffs of some=20 sturdy cabernet sauvignon.=20
The sweet was cold Amaretto sabayon with blueberries — an=20 excellent mixture of bitter, sweet and slightly sour=20 tastes. =20
There was coffee and a very interesting friandise to finish=20 off the meal — a chocolate statuette which one had to bash=20 to pieces to eat.=20
I spoilt myself with a malt Scotch, the cream of whiskeys,=20 and a cigar. =20
The whole affair ended at 1.30am Monday morning, with the=20 victors walking out with the birds in their hands. It was=20 great being there to learn.=20