A Distinguished Club Hosts a Distinctive Dinner

By Vice Chargé de Presse Ken McCrory

"It was a dark and stormy night ..." - well with due deference to Snoopy, and literary cliches, it was more like a dark and cold night. What else would you expect on December 4th in Pittsburgh?

The Pittsburgh Bailliage was lucky, however, since our dinner this night was at one of Pittsburgh's great private clubs, the Pittsburgh Athletic Association. The giant wood burning fireplace in the lobby and the holiday decor everywhere brought immediate warmth and good cheer. Located in the Oakland section of the City, the PAA is neighbor to some of Pittsburgh's greatest institutions. The University of Pittsburgh and Pitt's famed Medical Center surround the PAA's majestic club building erected in 1911 and modeled after the Grimani Palace in Venice. Carnegie-Mellon University and the Carnegie Museums are only a block or two away. Speaking of neighborhoods, Oakland is also home to the most famous neighborhood in the world - Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. Located just down Fifth Avenue from the PAA are the studios of WQED-TV - the set for this overwhelmingly popular children's show. Fred Rogers himself is a member of the Club and Dame de la Chaine Rene McDougall was hoping to get his autograph for sons, Duncan and Keegan (we all suspect that Rene wanted it for herself).

The club and its congenial staff, under the expert direction of General Manager, Howard Kaler, seemed as comfortable and warm as Mr. Roger's trademark sweater. This feeling was heightened when we stepped into the reception room and were greeted by the spectacular sight of the Chaine logo done in chaud froid - not to mention a glass of Perrier Jouet Brut. A truly amazing assortment of hot and cold hors d'oeuvres were positioned around the room. In addition to the Chaine logo, a central table held salmon in aspic, crabmeat hoelzel, chicken paté, cold turkey, shrimp and crab legs among other items. The table centerpiece was a large angel ice sculpture. Chefs at food stations around the room served hot items such as a saddle of veal in demi glace, shrimp barsac and mushrooms sauteéd in sherry.

Just when we were full, PAA Club Maitré d' Mark Wolford announced dinner! The doors to the elegantly columned main dining room were opened to reveal impeccably appointed tables laden with gold and silver dinnerware and centered by red, white and green floral arrangements.

The magnificent table settings were only the prelude to even more magnificent food and wine. We found that Executive Chef Bob Kernicky and his staff had only teased us with the amuse bouches. As waiters poured a 1987 Olivier LeFlaive Chassagne Montrachet, the first in what was to be an awesome array of wines, Banquet Director Barbara MacQuown announced the first course in flawless French - paupiette de sole a la mousse d'homard - a combination of sole and lobster in a crawfish sauce - for those of you who didn't live in France for a year, or didn't receive training at the Hotel School of Lausanne like Barbara.

Chef Kernicky's next course was cream of wild mushroom soup en croute. Chevalier Stan Pollock won the prize for peeling his croute open as neatly as if it were hinged. Chevalier Vigdor Kavaler burned his tongue on the soup but the anesthetic of the accompanying Sandeman Royal Corregidor Oloroso Sherry quickly assuaged the pain. A superb filet of pork with Jonathan apples, in a veal reduction with a hint of Calvados accompanied by a 1987 Michel Gaunoux Pommard Epenots, was followed by an interestingly presented sorbet served in a small frozen grapefruit carved into a basket with two frozen lemons beside it.

The PAA reached into the back of their cellar for a 1979 Ducru-Beaucaillou to accompany a presentation of perfectly done lamb chops and then followed with a 1983 Gruad Larose served with the salad course.

To close out one of the greatest wine accompaniments in recent memory, we were offered a 1986 Chateau Rieussec perfectly married to mocha crepes filled with white chocolate mousse and a puff pastry swan with semi-sweet chocolate mousse all set in a chambord sauce by pastry chef Patty Finnerty.

Speaking of married, newlywed Chevalier Tom Allen asked bride Judi if this is the type of meal he could expect every night. Judi's reply was lost amidst the laughter of all the longer married folks at the table.

As the Chaine members and guests prepared to depart, a final surprise awaited us - a holiday wrapped gift box of petit fours. A gracious gift from a gracious club to end a warm and gracious evening.