Formal Dinner at Catz

-I tend to write exclusively in a strict narration without much character. But I assure you that as I continue to write my style and vocabulary will expand and I will learn how to incorporate much more than description into my blogs.-

Well where to start...

We arrived at St. Catz at 7.20 p.m. by taxi and proceeded to chat and snack before dinner was served. We then ascended to High Table (in the words of our Director, Deepak Mukhi) and sat at our designated spots. The first course was chickpea, chilli, and coriander soup, dinner rolls and fresh butter. The soup was delicious, having a refreshing profile given by the coriander with a near perfect consistency. The soup finished with a nice bite due to the chilli. Next, the main course consisted of Mistral's Chicken and garlic (recipe: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/31/dining/311frex.html), assorted roasted vegetables (leek, onion, squash, and mushrooms) and crusty, caramelized potatoes. The vegetarian option was a mushroom and butter bean lasagna which, I am sure, does not sound appetizing to many but let me tell you, I have never had a more delicious lasagna before. The ricotta was creamy and sweet, the beans melted in your mouth and there were spices that distinctly reminded me of some of my favorite meals while I could not put my finger on what they were. Next came the desert which was a Lemon tart with Creme Fraiche (excuse the lack of accents). After the desert we sampled assorted cheeses and fruits (including dragon fruit, lychee, dried figs and apricots as well as many other more common fruits). We finished the meal with coffee and then the toasting commenced.

The toasting was probably the most festive experience of the night. While not a common practice among students at Oxford, Deepak expressed his opinion on the importance of including the tradition of toasting. I too felt it worthwhile by the end of the night. All of the toasts given were heartfelt and some were even profound. They ranged from the mundane repetitions of sentimentalities towards our future at Oxford, to the eloquent and challenging rhetoric of future diplomats and politicians. Regardless of the oratory skills of my associates I walked away with a deep sense of gratitude to be counted worthy to be surrounded by so many intelligent and appreciative students.

The night was magical, poetic even. It was filled with laughter and discussion. We all shared something in common, the aspiration to be great. I only hope that our dreams are common in one matter, that they would be for the furtherance of good in the world. Good towards man. But I do not mean this in a bland, broad sense so as to not offend. I desire for intelligence to be used to further the goodness of my Lord. I believe that all good things come from God and if good is done on earth towards His creation, it honors Him. Let us not waste our gifts on foolish aspirations.

I have written quite a bit and still have so much more to write so I will wait to include my other experiences after I meet my tutors for the first time, tomorrow.

Alex