I had a work event out at the Northport Yacht Club (in Long Island) and though it was a bit difficult getting out there (in retrospect maybe the day before the first long weekend of the summer isn't the best time to travel out on Long Island) it was a beautiful room.
Dinner was buffet style with a lovely selection of salads to start (greens, fresh veggies, garbanzo bean salad, corn & black bean salad, tomato & mozzarella etc). This was very tasty except for the fresh mozzarella - I think living in New Jersey has spoiled me as every deli here makes their own and the one served here just wasn't good. On to the main courses..... a nice veggie medley, roasted potatoes, chicken francese, a white fish (I skipped it as my plate was already quite full) and a carving station with roast beef.
The best part of the dinner was that unlike most of my work events which double as educational hours this meeting was part wine tasting! Since I am very interested in wine recently I was excited to hear what Les Howard of Pindar Wines (Long Island, NY) on the science of making wine.
At my first wine tasting I felt that there were a lot of similarities in perfumery and wine so a class on wine for those in the cosmetic chemistry field would be interesting and just a few months later here I was! We went over three varietals from Pindar - 2 whites - Voignier and Chardonnay and a red - Cabernet Savingnon (I think!). I really enjoyed the Voingier as it was light and crisp with a nice fruity aroma - mainly pears. This wine was aged in oak barrels that had been used 3 times already so they aren't so "oaky".