Jan 02 2010
Leaving Feast
If anyone hadn’t noticed, in September I quit my job to go to university. You know, for a second time. I had two leaving do’s, to allow for maximal food consumption.
For my formal do, the lab all went to the frankly marvellous Calistoga for a Wine Tasting Dinner. We’d opted for a Snazzy tasting (as opposed to the shorter Snappy option- they’ve all been renamed now however) which gave us 75 mins in which to be talked through five wines (and a mystery wine at the end to try and identify!) with canapés along the way, before going on to a three course dinner with coffee. My boss very kindly offered to buy wine for dinner, based on our group’s favourites from the tasting. Luckily for him none of the wines we tasted came in too pricey —although we did all love the mystery wine which retails at £20 (or the bargainous 2 for £25, not sure why I haven’t been back to pick two up!)—and they sell their wines in the restaurant for retail+£5.
Whilst I was a little surprised and disappointed that this included only one round of canapés it was nevertheless great fun and well received by everyone. We discovered that some people really like Shiraz where others do not, that Austin can spot a Zinfandel at twenty yards, and that yes, you can taste the difference in a well chosen bottle of expensive wine. We all also agreed that we’d be happy to pay fifteen or twenty pounds for a bottle of wine (circumstances prevailing) if only we knew it would be nice when we got it home. The biggest fear with spending that kind of money is that you’d get something unpalatable.
Dinner was scrummy too although by the end I had consumed rather too much to really taste my pudding- one of Calistoga’s famous pancake cheesecakes. I was then thrust into the spot light for a speech….I had taken some refreshment at this stage, so I fear was rather rambling. However I am told I said lots of really nice things about the lab, so I came off okay!
After that they indulged me with dancing at the Citrus Club. I was wearing uncharacteristically high heels (enough for Pink Justin to not recognise me ‘that looks like Helen- but Helen’s not that tall’) and had drunk an uncharacteristic amount so danced like no-one was watching and had to be held up at times. It was wonderful and I was ever so touched that one special friend managed not to let slip all evening of her disgust for the place (some months later, in passing conversation ‘and then they decided to go to the Citrus Club, and you know how much I hate that place’) and also that so many of my colleagues stayed out dancing into the wee small hours. 80s tunes for the win!
The following week, on my last day proper, we had a Molecular Genetics Lab Bring-a-Dish Picnic.
It wasn’t a full house as a lot of people were on holiday- hence the early leaving party- but there was still an admirable feast of food. Dougal (on special request) made two types of breadsticks. Dorsy made tablet. Hayley made brie and cranberry filo parcels. Ari made an Italian chickpea and rocket salad. Corinne made chocolate boobs (or perhaps they were nipples). Donna L made frickin amazing banofee pie. Jon made a huge caprese and a massive platter of salami and cured meats. I can’t remember what I made but I can remember that no one cared as much about it as they did that did that D had made bread. Spurned!
And then they gave me presents! I was la bunny le plus happy du monde, to steal a phrase from dear old Harv.
