Montrose - Daily Press

Bright yellow daffodils and bowls of fresh grapes,

Linen napkin roses blooming from crystal stemware,

The finest merlot swirling in the captain's decanter ...

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It was attention to the smallest detail, impeccable service and classic French cuisine that first class passengers savored aboard the Titanic. Billed as the largest ship in the world when it was built, the British passenger liner struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic on its maiden voyage in April 1912 and sank with the loss of nearly 1,500 lives. Today, 96 years after the tragic event, people are still fascinated by everything surrounding the Titanic, in particular, what first class guests were served at the last dinner, April 14, 1912.

"I love to play (create) with food," said Chef Inge Cheatham with a big smile as she introduced "The Last Dinner on the Titanic" culinary class held recently in a private home in Ridgway. The class was sponsored by Weehawken Arts of Ouray County.

Inge, a 23-year resident of Montrose, traces her love of cooking back to her childhood in Germany.

"I watched my parents cook our meals. They were both very good cooks," she said.

After receiving a diploma from the Haushaltungsschule cooking school in Furth, Germany, Inge went on to study in England and France (a branch of Le Cordon Bleu). In the early 1990s, she became the private chef for a five-star resort in western Colorado. She is now the chef of the catering firm, Gourmet du Jour.

"I like the 'one on one' exchange with people," Inge said, inviting class participants to gather round as she began preparations for her menu, which consisted of Creamed Barley-Whiskey soup, Chicken Lyonaisse with Hazelnut mousse stuffing, potato roesti and asparagus.

Since there were no exciting desserts listed on the Titanic menu, she chose instead, "Romanoff," a favorite end of the meal sweet of the Russian Czar and Czarina of the same time period. The dessert featured strawberries marinated in Grand Marnier (orange liquor) and Kirsch (cherry brandy) and layered with Chantilly cream.

The Titanic truly made culinary history on many levels.

"It (Titanic) was the first ship with refrigeration," Inge said, explaining that there were separate compartments for beef, poultry, fish, produce, etc. This state-of-the-art facility allowed passengers to indulge in fresh and in-season fruits and vegetables as well as all types of meats and seafood.

"There were 800 bundles of fresh asparagus aboard the Titanic, listed under 'exotic food,'" she noted.

During her presentation, Inge also made a point to emphasize correct cooking terms and procedures such as "mise en place," or everything in its place.

The French term is second nature to professionals and one of the hardest for novice cooks to learn, she said. Mise en place refers to having all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking. Another French term, Mirepoix, refers to a mixture of braising vegetables, most commonly diced carrots, onion and celery with herbs used to season soups, stews and other dishes.

"I've learned lots of cooking terms from Inge," said Ridgway resident Renee Cambria, who along with husband Craig, enjoy the art of cooking. Renee had previously taken classes offered by Inge.

Fellow Ridgway resident Max Kendall took lots of notes and listened intently during the class.

"I wanted to learn how to make a special dinner for my wife," he said.

But Max had another reason for attending "The Last Dinner on the Titanic." Three of his relatives were passengers on the ill-fated ship. One (the woman) survived. The other two (men) were noted as saying, 'I think I'll stick with the big boat.'"

"As I get older, the more interested I become (in the story of the Titanic)," Max said.

Although first class dinners on the ship featured a total of 11 courses (small amounts consumed throughout the evening), culinary class members relished in their own great food experience.

But it was more than sampling fine French cuisine, it was a chance to pay homage to those who lives ended so tragically 96 years ago this month.

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