Each year, the Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic (CASA) donates a themed dinner for eight persons to raise funds for Niños Incapacitados, the all-volunteer organization lakeside organization that helps Mexican families who require financial assistance to pay for ongoing and/or major medical related expenses for their children.
This year CASA prepared a meal replicating the last 11-course, first-class menu served on the Titanic before she met her fate on April 12, 1912.
CASA’s members did their best to recreate the splendor of the time thanks to the generous offer from David and Carol Van Gorp to use their gorgeous home – complete with all their heirloom antiques, silver, crystal and portraits. The infinity pool overlooking Lake Chapala made this the perfect venue.
Among the touches that made this extraordinary dinner such a hit was an exact duplicate of The Daily Graphic newspaper, which featured the first-class menu with paired wines. There were also actual Western Union telegrams addressed to each guest with an interesting tidbit about a new game that was sweeping the United States called baseball.
All 11 authentic courses were cooked by individual chefs from CASA and paired with outstanding wines.
Said guest Rick Jenkins: “We sat at a beautifully decorated table overlooking a spectacular sunset-lit lake. Our hostess and servers looked ever so cute in their 1900s attire and mustaches.”
Opined Sharon Smith: “The food was wonderful, and the presentation was unbelievable. One has to experience it to believe it.”