Sir Peter Ustinov & Onion Soup



I think we all have at some time during our lives thought of who we would love to have at a dinner party. At a very young age I fantasized about hosting Winston Churchill and Peter Ustinov at such a dinner event, and never believed that this might happen. I thought Winston Churchill was a great statesman, a remarkable orator, a brilliant man and slightly naughty. After all, he had one too many cigars, and few too many whiskeys! The idea appealed to me.

Peter Ustinov had the most brilliant sense of humour, the most brilliant repartee, and was a most brilliant actor, with also that tinge of naughtiness in his eyes, but, as said, never in my wildest dreams did I believe that I might some day welcome either one of them at my dinner table.

However, a few years back I received a phone call requesting me to make a booking for a mister Ustinov. I took the booking without thinking any more about who this individual might be. Lo and behold a few days later in walked Sir Peter Ustinov with his wife Lady Helene Ustinov. I was all but bowled over, but managed to retain my composure and showed them to their table.

I found Peter Ustinov was everything I ever dreamed he could be. He was the most gracious, I dare say, humble and friendly human being. He spoke with every waiter, and told me in conversation that he spoke eight different languages fluently. Close to their table there happened to be German speaking people, and he conversed with them in German. I cannot say it enough times that he was absolutely wonderful, as was his wife who was exceedingly gracious, very down to earth, spoke English beautifully, switched into French and whatever languages they could speak. They treated the restaurant staff as equals, and not at any time looked down on the waiter who was serving them.

By the end of the meal he called me back to the table. My legs were quivering as he held my hand and said "I must tell you my dear, this is the best onion soup I have ever tasted, and I have had onion soup in many locales." I was extremely flattered, and he continued "may I kiss you?" and he kissed my hand as gently as a gentleman should kiss a lady's hand.

The onion soup recipe will follow on Monday!!

Freda

Every Captain has a Captain



Some years ago we were invited by a function coordinator to do a dinner for a large company, and she would not say who the guest of honour was. Instead she had a code name for this important guest, but knowing the company she was working for, we were quite sure that we knew who this special guest was. However, as the name was not disclosed to her, it was not disclosed to us.

Came the great night, one car after the other drove into the private parking area of the restaurant. First was the South African police, blue lights flashing on their vehicle, followed by a series of stretch limousines, followed by more police, whilst the person who organised the dinner ran around the restaurant like the proverbial "blue-arsed fly." Then she was at the front door of Le Canard, ready to greet this guest of honour. However, prior to that, the captains of South African commerce, professional, and business industry, also arrived in their chauffer driven vehicles.....with or without body guards.

Now we had an army of body guards, the said "captains," and the unknown guest. Out of the first car stepped Bill Gates, who was shown into the room where he was going to have his dinner. All and sundry were very subdued as they waited for Bill Gates to start the proceedings of the evening, and he happens to be very plain, polite and friendly. He had a choice of food to order. He settled for a three course meal comprised of simple dishes, and the evening proceeded.

Towards the end of the event, one of these captains of the South African business industry had a fit of bravado. Picking up the menu he stood up, and appoached Bill Gates' chair. Suddenly all the other captains started rushing around. One brought a card out of his pocket, another took a serviette, and another a piece of paper, and they actually formed a queue one behind the other in front of Bill Gates. They did not ask him for his autograph, but the ring leader piped up "Would you mind signing this for my son?" The next one got one better and said "This is for my grand child," but not one of them had the guts to say "I would like to have your autograph" which in time could be worth a lot of money! So they all stood there, and Bill Gates very graciously signed whatever they asked him to sign.

That night I learned a wonderful lesson. I learned that "every captain has a captain" above him, and I am wondering who the British Queen looks up to, because she appears to be looking up to nobody! Surely there must be somebody she stands in awe of!

Freda

Knighthood Bestowed and Diamonds Recovered



King Henry VIII was known as a great lover of food, wine and women, and he once had a particularly fine meal. He was so pleased with it that he sent for the chef who prepared it. He asked the chef "What meat was it that I have just eaten?", to which the chef replied "It was loin your majesty." The King responded "that is not good enough, just bring me a raw piece of that meat for me to see," and the chef returned with a silver platter with a big chunk of loin on it. Henry VIII called for his sword, and exclaimed "henceforth it will not be known as 'loin,' I am knighting it and it will be called 'sirloin'!"

 

Now, I will be serving "sirloin" at our Soirée Culinaire on the 31st August, and what better wine to accompany this dish than Graham Beck Game Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon? I like the pairing of the meat with this wine, and of course Cabernet Sauvignon is known as the "king of wines, and the wine of kings." What better pairing could you have of meat and wine than that?

 

*****

We had a very interesting end to last week. Friday night we hosted a Chinese group whose eating tastes were quite different, and who were expecting food "a la minute." I had to explain very carefully that Le Canard is not actually a "Fast Food" restaurant. So, unusually for us, we settled them down with a cheese platter, and, having satisfied their initial hunger with cheese, proceeded with the normal hors d'oeuvres, main course and desert.

 

On Saturday night we had a very interesting group of people. They have been friends for the past thirty odd years, and they do not only plan holidays away together, but once every four to six weeks dine together. This time they had dinner at Le Canard, and had an absolutely wonderful time. However, at the close of the evening, just as I was about to fall asleep at around ten past midnight, the phone went and it was one of this group of diners who said that his wife lost a bracelet covered with diamonds.

 

Obviously he was very upset, but it was much too late to search for the item since there was nobody at the venue, and I responded that we will see to this matter in the morning. Because of other appointments, I could not undertake a thorough search of the restaurant that morning, and a cursory search revealed nothing. However, the matter was of great concern to me, since it was obviously a valuable bracelet, and, Le Canard being my restaurant, I did not like the possibility of an aspersion against the restaurant or any of my staff, which would have been a first for Le Canard.

 

Returning to the venue at around 5 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, I undertook a more thorough investigation, looked everywhere and still found nothing. However, I decided to check the ladies restroom, since women often remove their jewellery when they wash their hands or refresh their makeup. The bracelet wasn't around the wash basin, but I checked the toilet booths thinking that it was perhaps dropped behind a door. It was then that my little eye spied black spots at the bottom of a lavatory bowl, which I thought was most peculiar. I took the toilet brush and gently tried to check what these were, heard some tinkling, which made me realise that this was definitely some kind of metal. Hence I even more gently moved the item forward, retrieved it, and what was it other than the diamond bracelet!

 

After a good wash of both my hands and the bracelet, I phoned the husband of the lady in question who was highly delighted at the discovery, but I did point out to him that he must explain to his wife, a very dear woman, that she should be most careful when she goes to a toilet to ensure that the clasp of her bracelet is tightly fastened, because I found it with the clasp open!!

 

Freda

A hearty thanks to Jenny Cwrys-Williams & Crew!!



Today we had a superb tête-à-tête with the renowned and charming Jenny Crwys-Williams of Talk Radio 702, about our forthcoming Soirée Culinaire, a food, wine and music celebration, which will be held on the 31st August at Le Canard. The food was designed by myself, the music compiled by Miro Chakaryan (violin) and Jacob Swart (piano), and the wine suggested by a small panel of experts!!

Freda

Welcome to Le Canard!

 

 

 The past 25 years, being a Chef/Patron of Le Canard, have provided me with a depth of knowledge and wonderful memories.

 

I am inviting you into my world, which I hope will entertain you and offer interesting "PEEKS" into the lives of some of our guests, suppliers, and staff.

 

60 years of cooking and baking for family, friends and diners have afforded me a store of recipes and tips, some "don'ts" and lots of "do's".

 

Please join me and enjoy my regularly updated blog pages.



 

Freda