The Founding of CCAT Gourmet

The idea for a gourmet club was hatched at the 1997 International Convention in New Orleans.

Rather than sit in a hotel, listening about how to give speeches, in New Orleans, A group of members decided to go out and get a great meal.

CCAT Chartered in June, 1991. First gourmet meeting was in February 1998 at Sandy Gordon's house, the theme was Cajun.

Lem Manchester and I are the only remaining charter members.

There were 5 successive district governors among our charter members, Bob Bradshaw, Mike Gopinathan, Jack Hoyt, Ray Johnson and Sandy Gordon. I count a total of 11 past district governors who have been members (currently 5).

Brennan's was the New Orleans Restaurant. We had a wonderful dinner and Ray Johnson chose the wines to accompany our dinner. Our first gourmet club meeting was a few months later at Sandy Gordon's House with a Cajun theme. I brought a pasta dish called the "Big Mamou". Joe made Bananas Foster. Tom Corrigan was a member back then and he made some sort of potato for almost every meeting. He didn't know much about cooking back then and his recipe seemed strangely similar no matter what cuisine we had as the theme that month. We teased him about it a lot.

• German October Fest theme at T. Corrigan's house. I made a dish called Rouladen and Spaetzle.
• Irish, St. Patrick's Day theme, also at T. Corrigan's house. I made Irish Soda Bread, one loaf with raisins and one without. Tom C. made homemade Beer.
• Indian food theme at Mike Gopanathan's house. I made a Spinach salad with Curry and Chutney. I remember Joe Carney attended that one and made a Mulligatawny soup.
• Cinco De Mayo in May ('98?) at Bill Barton's house. I made a Gazpacho soup with shrimp. Joe made Shrimp and cheese stuffed Chile Relenos with peach salsa....Yum. Bill and his wife made Margaritas. Ray made fantastic fresh Guacamole. Deb Grehn made Flan.
• Scandinavian (Winter time at Deb Grehn's house). It was my first try at making Roast Goose. (It came out awful.)
• Polynesian (summertime at Deb Grehn's) Ray made a punch that was wonderful. I attempted to make a Pina Colada mousse. It also came out awful. I still have that recipe, but you don't want it...believe me!
• We hosted a seafood theme BBQ at our house a few years ago in the summer. I remember Don Logie bringing Corn on the Cob that we roasted on the grill. Clyde brought clams that we grilled as well and served with prawn butter.
• April in Paris (the first time) was at Ray's a few years ago. Joe brought Duck a l'orange and I brought Crepe Suzette. I think Bonny Tandy-Lebron brought a flourless chocolate cake.
• We had a vegan theme at Sandy Gordon's. Joe made an Eritrean Vegetable stew and teff flour bread
• We've had a few Winter holiday theme meetings at Arnie's over the years. One year I made stuffed mushrooms, 2 types: Spinach filling and a seafood filling.
• We had a Mediterranean theme at Harvey and Linda's. I made a Lemon tart for that.
• We've had several meetings with a Cajun theme. I think last year around Marti Gras time the Cajun meeting was at Paul and Susan's and I made a Bourbon Pecan Cake. I made that same cake for one of the meeting again this year.
• We had a Spanish theme meeting at Don Logie's. Joe made Paella. I made Chorizo in puff pastry appetizers. Somebody made Sangria.
• We did a Tapas theme one time. I think that was at Lem's.
• Harvey and Linda hosted a meeting in the summer. I'm not sure if the theme was Fruit or Just summer foods, but I brought a pineapple marinated Grilled chicken that was over marinated (cause the chicken to get a bit mushy), but otherwise good.
• Harvey and Linda also hosted a cheese theme meeting once. I think Joe made a cheese cake and Harvey and Linda served some great fruit and cheese on a tray.
• I know we had an Italian theme meeting, possibly at Lem's. Joe brought fresh homemade pasta. I brought Chicken Cacciatore.
• I also brought a "Molded Cold Chicken Curry Salad" to Sandy's once. I remember Arnie got a photo of it. I think the theme was cold foods. That was the meeting where Linda almost choked on a shrimp and Sandy had to perform the Heimlich maneuver on her.
• Paul and Susan hosted a Russian theme meeting last year around Easter. They had some very unusual items at that. I think Joe brought borscht.
• At Ray's a few years ago we had Persian or Turkish theme. I made some sort of Chicken and rice thing.