Ox Cheek and Fillet Steak

... served with asparagus and other vegetables.

This was the main course served at our college Gaudy held this evening. It is thought that the word "Gaudy" is derived from the Latin, "gaudium", meaning "enjoyment" or "merry-making". This was our so-called "101 Gaudy" whose name reflects he original 101 Students at our foundation.

There was certainly enjoyment and merrymaking. Our chef masterminded some outstanding food, and our Steward came up with a range of excellent wines. Here you may see a spectacular desert dish, which involved thin slices of rhubarb (almost "rhubarb crisps"), sorbets and fruit purées, along with some sumptious creamy things.


To make clear that we have not forgotten our monastic origins in this sea of gluttony, you should observe the occupants of my table standing while they await the intoning of the preprandial grace. You can see that the tables are laid out in a rather exhibitionist fashion; one typical touch is the serving of butter shaped in the form of card characters!

After the Dinner, Port, Toasts and (very short) Speeches, we made our way to another building to drink some of the college's own "special cask" Isay Single Malt. Here are friends and colleagues - Laurence, Martin and David - at this stage of the evening. They look cheerful enough, so the merrymaking worked to some extent, and they seem not to be overcome by excess. But they are experienced men: the one on the left is a Medic, the other two are Chemists (on the far right, the immediate past-president of the Royal Society of Chemistry).