Several months ago the rector, Monsignor Mark Crisp, announced at one of our monthly management meetings that his Holiness Benedict XVI, was coming to St Mary’s on the last day of the Papal visit. We were given very brief details of what this visit would entail but we were informed that he would be eating lunch here. The Rector provided me with a list of things the Pope couldn’t eat. Also a list of who would be eating with him and I began to realise what a difficult task it was going to be.
I have prepared and cooked food for some important people during my career, including the Queen Mother, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor and my mother-in-law Eileen! But this was an amazing opportunity and I wanted to make an impression.
Straight away I began to dream up recipes involving exotic ingredients, should it be a German meal, should it be an Italian meal or should we give him a traditional English meal, the possibilities were endless.
Along with my colleagues, we would have the mammoth task of preparing and serving a three course meal for 120 VIP’s who were to dine that day with the Holy Father and a buffet for 300 people who were attending the college on the day for many different reasons concerning the Papal visit.
Numerous dishes were tried out but with the Pope’s hectic schedule and the constant changes to his itinerary it was becoming very difficult to come up with dishes that could be served really quickly to 120 people as we were told that the three course meal had to be served in one hour!
We decided to serve spinach and ricotta tart as the starter because Anne, the college cook of 25 years, is well known across the whole Archdiocese for her wonderful pastry. This was served with a side salad with a sharp tasting fresh tomato and basil dressing. The main course was the top part of the lamb’s thigh battered out and stuffed with a fresh cranberry and lemon thyme stuffing and the sauce was made from a fresh lamb stock with cranberries served with dauphinois potatoes. The vegetables were thinly sliced runner beans, baton carrots and roasted parsnips.
I am sure that anybody who has visited Oscott College over the last 25 years has been served one of Anne’s delicious steamed puddings. It was decided therefore the most famous dessert linked to Oscott College, homemade treacle sponge and fresh custard, would be ideal to serve on this very important day.
The dining room was laid out beautifully with crisp, new white linen table cloths and napkins. Fresh flowers of blue and yellow adorned the tables and the staff were kitted out in stunning black and burgundy outfits. The service turned out to be very successful, smooth and on time. Judging by the empty plates and positive comments everyone was either very hungry or they really enjoyed their food. I prefer to think it was the latter and that the Holy Father went upstairs for a brief rest with a taste of the wonderful food the students have enjoyed here at Oscott for many years.
It would be impossible to mention everybody who took part in the cooking and serving but it will be a day that we will not forget in a hurry. ■
Photo: (L-R) Maggie Wilson (Cemetery Manager), Anne Clibbery (Catering Manager) and Mark Carroll (House Manager)
