Union Club Fundraiser Raises over $32,000 for AGGV

AGGV PRESS RELEASE – NOVEMBER 30, 2017: 

 

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria has received a cheque for over $32,000 from the Union Club of BC following a highly successful Art+Fare 3 Gala.  The event which took place on Sept. 23 raised money to support programming for children and families at the AGGV.

The Gallery has a long history of engaging children of all ages in art and art-making and this support ensures they will continue to provide Family Sundays, school tours and workshops, resource guides for teachers outlining projects and activities suitable for K-12 students, and the New Extreme Mentorship Program that puts local artists together with young people who are artistically inclined.

“We are most grateful to the Union Club of BC, for their support of programs which assist us in bringing art to children and families throughout the Capital Region,” said Jon Tupper, AGGV Director. “It was a fantastic event bringing art and art lovers together.”

Art has played an important role for the Union Club of BC throughout it’s long history. Two of the earliest members of the Union Club of BC were architects  Francis Rattenbury and Samuel Maclure, both also founding members of Victoria’s arts community. As well, the Union Club of BC  art collection dates at least back to the time when the Club moved into its clubhouse on Douglas Street in 1885. In recent years  the Club has endeavoured to underscore its engagement with the community through  lively programs of art activities including events such as speakers and demonstrations, exhibitions, and further art acquisitions which reflect the personalities, events and places of British Columbia.

Art+Fare has raised over $65,000 for the AGGV’s children and family programs since it’s inception in 2015.  Art+Fare 4 is scheduled for Sept. 22, 2018.

The Oriental Club Welcomes Members of The Union Club of British Columbia

The Oriental Club is delighted to welcome Members of The Union Club of British Columbia when they visit London.

The Club, situated in a quiet cul-de-sac close to Bond Street has forty bedrooms, offering a range of accommodation from single rooms to luxury suites. The Dining Room offers a wide range of menu options from the traditional Roast of the Day and Club Classics to more contemporary, seasonal dishes and, of course, the famous and ever popular Oriental Club curries. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served from Monday to Friday in the Dining Room. The Calcutta Light Horse Bar and Terrace provide an alternative to the Members’ Bar and serve food throughout the day, including Oysters, Burgers and Salads. The Calcutta Light Horse Bar is also open on Saturdays offering a hot and cold food menu and a sandwich menu is available on Sundays.

All Club rooms and the Courtyard are open to ladies, gentlemen and children over eleven years old. Accommodation may also be reserved, subject to availability and a range of private dining rooms are available.

All Members of The Union Club of British Columbia will be offered a glass of Champagne to welcome them to the Club. I look forward to seeing Union Club Members and their guests when they are in London.

Best wishes,

Matthew Rivett,

Club Secretary

www.orientalclub.org.uk

 

17 of London’s Most Exclusive Private Members’ Clubs, Ranked by Price

London’s private members’ circuit has come a long way since the days of the stuffy gentleman’s club.

The capital now boasts one of the most diverse selections of clubs in the world.

While areas such as Mayfair and Pall Mall are still synonymous with the members club scene, an explosion of more accessible, affordable, and arguably trendier clubs have shaken things up.

Whether you are looking for a well-being sanctuary, to indulge in the world of fine wine, fine art, live performances, and intrepid exploring, or just somewhere with cool rooms where cool-looking people hang out, each club has its very own niche, making it ever trickier to pick the right one.

We’ve rounded up a selection of London’s most exclusive private members’ clubs, which cost between £150 to over £5,000 — or the cost of a new car — for an annual membership.

Scroll down for a sneak peek inside some of London’s best clubs, ranked in ascending order by the price of a standard annual membership and joining fee.

 

DISREPUTE, SOHO – £150, NO JOINING FEE

Disrepute, a “hidden gem” nestled within an opulent Soho basement, offers an expertly curated cocktail menu and an atmospheric space perfect for secret late night sessions. It is one of the most reasonably priced members’ bars in London.

Membership privileges include priority reservations, the ability to book in parties of up to 12 people, and free access to special events, talks, and masterclasses.

A members’ bar not in the conventional sense, according to the club, applications are welcome from people of all backgrounds and persuasions. Non-members are also welcome to book a table, subject to availability.

 

L’ESCARGOT, SOHO – £450, PLUS £250 JOINING FEE 

Set in a Georgian townhouse in the heart of Soho above London’s oldest French restaurant L’escargot, the chic Upstairs Club is accessed via a psychedelic carpeted spiral staircase.

It’s a secretive hideout away from the hustle and bustle of the capital. There is an air of eccentricity to the club which offers its members access to a series of private rooms, including the salon noir, salon bleu, and salon rouge, which regularly host performances and general debauchery.

Under 28s can obtain a reduced membership of £250. If you don’t have a proposer, you may be asked to visit the club and meet with one of the membership team for a drink and a brief introduction.

 

QUO VADIS, SOHO – £500, PLUS £150 JOINING FEE

Quo Vadis, easily recognisable by its iconic neon street sign, is another of Soho’s members’ haunts. The club consists of a first floor bar and lounge, and a dedicated members’ restaurant, which serves quintessentially British cuisine. The second floor is home to the “Blue Room,” an intimate, atmospheric lounge with open plan bar and first rate sound system.

It is popular among Soho’s creatives, foodies, and more generally seekers of relaxed business and serious pleasures. Members can enjoy £5 Martini Hours on Thursday and Fridays and half price Pie and Oyster Mondays.

Under 30s benefit from a discounted yearly rate of £300. The club doesn’t have a blanket policy for membership and says it instead looks at case by case applications, accepting people without airs and graces who are interesting and happy to be themselves.

 

THE CHELSEA ARTS CLUB, CHELSEA – £579, PLUS £250 JOINING FEE

The Chelsea Arts Club has a rustic and bohemian charm. The club centres around the Billiard Room, the Dining Room, and the secluded garden. There are also 12 bedrooms which members may book.

The club counts painters, sculptors, architects, poets, photographers, filmmakers, writers, actors, and musicians among its members, whose work is exhibited at the club year-round. Its parties are said to be “legendary.” There is no dress code.

In addition to offering a discounted rate of £210 for under 30s, the club distinguishes between “town” and “country” memberships, with the latter benefitting from a reduced rate of £403.

The Chelsea Arts Club says it has a waiting list for new applicants, who have to be sponsored by two existing members whom they have known for at least two years.

 

ALBERT’S CLUB, KENSINGTON – £650, PLUS £250 JOINING FEE

A newcomer to London’s private members’ scene, Albert’s Club opened its doors to the “Royal Borough” of Kensington and Chelsea in 2016. Albert’s says it provides local residents with an alternative to its Mayfair rivals.

Inside, the décor is “quintessentially classic peppered with eccentric British twists,” the walls are lined with Colefax & Fowler wallpaper, and there are two mahogany wood-panelled bars, a lively nightclub, and a restaurant run by ex-Cecconis chef Alessio Piras.

Lifetime membership can be obtained for a one-off payment of £2,500, or annual membership is £650 with a £250 joining fee. All members are required to be proposed by a current member, or to come in for a quick tour with their membership director.

 

CENTURY CLUB, SOHO – £750, PLUS £250 JOINING FEE

Launched in 2001, The Century Club sits behind a discreet front door on Shaftesbury Avenue. It boasts four floors of members’ club fun, including Soho’s largest roof terrace.

Given its proximity to the theatres of London’s West End, it is frequented by people in the arts, media, and entertainment industries.

The club also offers an out-of-town reduced annual membership at £550, and an overseas membership of £400, plus a joining fee of £250. Under 30s membership costs £400, and the joining fee is waived.

To apply for membership, prospective members need to complete an application and attend an informal meeting with the head of membership.

 

THE HOSPITAL CLUB, COVENT GARDEN – £850, PLUS £250 JOINING FEE

The Hospital Club is a unique private members’ club targeted at the world of creatives located in the heart of Covent Garden.

The seven-story building has an award-winning TV and music studio, a gallery, restaurant and bars, a screening room, 15 hotel rooms (open to non-members) and a live performance space, The Oak Room.

The club has a reputation for showcasing emerging and established creative talent via its gallery and member spaces.

Under 30s and under 27s benefit from discounted annual subscriptions of £515 and £450 respectively, and the joining fee is waived.

 

SOHO HOUSE, SOHO – £1,100, NO JOINING FEE

Soho House at 76 Dean Street is a Grade II-listed mid-Georgian townhouse spread over four floors. It’s popular with the neighbourhood’s media crowd.

The club’s courtyard provides one of the few al fresco dining spots in Soho. The club also boasts the Screening Room, a fully air-conditioned 43-seat cinema offering a varied programme of advance screenings and new releases.

The membership application process is the same for both Soho House and Shoreditch House – you apply online with a couple of paragraphs about yourself and two current members as proposers.

Yearly membership costs £1,100 for a local house member (access only to the house you apply to), or £1,650 for an every house member (access to 18 Soho Houses around the world).

 

SHOREDITCH HOUSE, SHOREDITCH – £1,100, NO JOINING FEE

Shoreditch House is situated on the top three floors of the old Dickensian Tea Building in East London. It draws London’s “it” crowd.

The club is one of the few London private members’ clubs to offer a rooftop pool, which gives members stunning views of the city. It offers a number of other areas for members and freelancers to chill out, including the Sitting Room, the Square Bar, the Snug, Cowshed Spa, and the House Kitchen, which boasts a wood-fire oven.

The fourth floor features a glass walled gym looking out onto a backdrop of yet more awesome views, complete with spinning room, free weights, sauna, steam room, and comfortable changing rooms.

As with Soho, yearly membership costs £1,100 for a local house member, or £1,650 for an every house member. Hopefuls can apply online here.

 

67 PALL MALL, ST. JAMES’S – £1,250, PLUS £1,250 JOINING FEE

67 Pall Mall is London’s first private members’ club for wine lovers. Born from “a passion for fine wine and a frustration at the egregious mark-ups on the capital’s wine lists,” the club’s mission is to make the world’s finest wines accessible to its members at sensible prices.

It offers over 500 wines by the glass using Coravin’s revolutionary wine access system, as well as an extensive list by the bottle from all corners of the world. The club’s wine list is expertly curated by 67 Pall Mall’s Master Sommelier, Ronan Sayburn MS.

The club also offers a Members’ Reserve facility, which allows members to store up to two cases of their personal wine collection in the club’s cellars to enjoy by the bottle in the members lounge as and when they please.

Candidates require a proposer and seconder from within the club’s existing membership.

 

MORTON’S CLUB, MAYFAIR – £1,500, PLUS £1,100 JOINING FEE

Morton’s private members’ club has been at the forefront of Mayfair’s elite social scene for the past 40 years. The Grade II-listed building overlooks the length of London’s exclusive Berkeley Square.

The first-floor restaurant, with its lofty ceilings and panoramic balcony for summer al fresco dining, is the focal point of the house. Morton’s head chef, Dario Avenca, has devised a Mediterranean-inspired menu and the club claims to boast the largest wine list above any of its competitors.

Potential new members must be referred by two existing members. Applications are to be made to membership secretary Stephen Howard.

 

HOME HOUSE, MARYLEBONE – £1,940, PLUS £295 JOINING FEE

Home House is an exclusive private members’ club in London’s Marylebone, which “fuses 18th century splendour with 21st century style.”

The club’s facilities include a boutique health spa, a garden for al fresco dining and drinking, two restaurants, numerous bars, The Vaults decadent party rooms, elegant bedrooms and suites, as well as a full calendar of social events including legendary members’ parties throughout the year.

According to the club, “the best bit is that there are no stuffy rules, in fact there really aren’t any rules at all. Well, just one: ‘Nudity is discouraged.’ Naughtiness, on the other hand, is de rigueur.”

The club offers a number of different membership packages, including an under 35 annual rate of £1,275.

 

THE ARTS CLUB, MAYFAIR – £2,000, PLUS £2,000 JOINING FEE

As its name would suggest, The Arts Club attracts people connected to or passionate about art, architecture, fashion, film, literature, music, performance, photography, science, theatre, and TV/media.

The 18th Century townhouse at 40 Dover Street in Mayfair counts Charles Dickens among its former members. It prides itself on being a hub for creatives and entrepreneurs to meet and exchange ideas.

The club’s art collection, curated by Amelie von Wedel, remains at its very core, highlighting international trends, as well as maintaining a focus on British-based artists.

Under 30s benefit from a reduced annual subscription of £1,000, plus a joining fee of £1,000. New members are accepted on January 1 each year.

 

DEVONSHIRE CLUB, THE CITY – £2,400, PLUS £2,400 JOINING FEE

Another relative newcomer, the “unashamedly luxurious and glamorous” Devonshire Club, located in the heart of The City, opened its doors in 2016.

Housed on over 60,000 sq ft in a Regency warehouse, it boast 68 bedrooms, a 110-seat brasserie, three bars, four private event rooms, a members’ gym, glazed garden room, outdoor terrace, and a private courtyard garden.

The club offers members an opulent space to both relax and conduct business and attracts the likes of financiers and city professionals, as well as creative execs based in Shoreditch and Hoxton.

Many of its members come through referrals, and every potential applicant is put forward to the membership committee. The club also offers “Debenture Memberships” for £24,000.

 

THE NED, BANK – £3,000, PLUS £500 JOINING FEE

London-based Soho House and New York’s Sydell Group joined forces to create The Ned: the newest private members’ club to arrive on the London scene.

Set in the former Midland Bank building, it boasts 252 bedrooms channeling 1920s and 1930s design, nine restaurants, a range of grooming services, as well as “Ned’s Club,” a social and fitness club where members have access to a rooftop pool, gym, spa, hammam, and late night lounge bar.

Ned’s Club Upstairs has a heated pool overlooking the London skyline and two converted domes with outdoor terraces for eating and drinking. The Roof Bar features a retractable roof and heaters, and offers views of the City and St Paul’s Cathedral, with an international menu prepared on the rotisserie grill and wood oven.

Behind a 20-tonne, two-metre wide vault door is The Vault bar & lounge, an all-hours cocktail bar lined with thousands of original safety deposit boxes, ideal for a nightcap.

 

SOUTH KENSINGTON CLUB, SOUTH KENSINGTON – £3,500, PLUS £1,000 JOINING FEE

South Kensington Club is a health and fitness sanctuary inspired by the spirit of adventure.

Its offers a unique “Voyager Programme” headed up by polar explorer Christina Franco. The programme comprises three elements: a monthly lecture series, the opportunity to join tailor-made expeditions inspired by the lectures, and preparation and training for these adventures carried out by specialist fitness instructors at the club.

Other membership priveleges include a sky-lit gym, fitness classes and training programmes, a bathhouse (with a hammam, banya, and watsu pool), spa and beauty treatments, a Mediterranean restaurant, club sitting rooms, and a concierge service.

Membership starts at £365 per month, plus a £1,000 joining fee and an under 30s rate begins at £228 per month, with a £500 joining fee. However, the club offers a rate of £3,500 plus a £1,000 joining fee to members paying upfront.

 

5 HERTFORD STREET, MAYFAIR – PRICE ON REQUEST

5 Hertford Street is so exclusive and private that it wouldn’t reveal its membership price. We did, however, manage to get the above glimpse of its insides.

Described by Vogue as the ” loveliest club in London,” it is frequented by Hollywood A-listers and home to the impossibly cool Loulou’s nightclub for after dinner dancing.

Membership can be obtained only through application, but the word is some billionaires have been unable to score entry, so it’s best not to get your hopes up.

 

Donate to the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

In advance of September 23rd’s ART+FARE3, Club members are invited to donate to the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, in support of the Children and Family Programs at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.

For this reason, a donation station has been set-up in the Club’s main lobby. All donations received will be entered into a draw to win 6 bottles of Burrowing Owl Pinot Gris!!  The draw will take place during Art+Fare 3.

For further information relating to Art+Fare 3, please visit the Art+Fare website.

 

UC Steak Nights – Friday & Saturday!

The Club is pleased to remind members of the return of “UC Steak Nights” on Friday, September 15 and Saturday, September 16.  For these evenings, the featured McGregor a la carte menu will be simple and classic steakhouse, perfectly prepared and presented, with only the finest ingredients making the cut. Utilizing Chef Nicolas’ experience, the steaks will be king – properly aged, and simply seasoned to bring out flavour. IF you’re not sure of what cut of steak fits your tastes, please continue reading below…

So, what is steak? Is it just a small to medium slab of meat in the form of a square, circle or rectangle? Or is there more to the cut than meets the eye?

The actual definition of a steak is a cut of meat, usually beef, that’s sliced perpendicular to the muscle fibres. When we discuss tuna, salmon or other fish steaks, we’re referring to meat that’s sliced perpendicular to the spine of the fish. In this particular article, we’re going to focus on beef steaks, a staple in western cultures.

TYPES OF STEAK

There are many types of steak cuts, meaning the part of the cow that the steak actually comes from. Below are a list of the most popular cuts. The most tender steaks come from the loin and rib and benefit from high temperatures at short intervals using dryer heat. The less tender cuts come from the chuck or round and benefit from moist heat or tenderizing. Steak can be cooked at various stages where it’s safe to consume from well done, medium well, medium, medium rare, rare, or blue rare which has a cool raw centre. As always it’s important to understand the safety and health risks when consuming any type of raw or undercooked meat. Personally, my favourite way to eat steak is rare.

Boston Butt Steak

Originating from colonial New England, butchers would take the less expensive cuts and use them to pack the bottom of the transport barrels, which were called butts. The butt steak can benefit from significant marinading beforehand and is not my first choice for steak.

Chateubriand

Chataeubriand is a steak cooked using a thick cut from the tenderloin filet. Originally cut from the sirloin, it’s served with a white wine reduction mixed with shallots moistened in a demi-glace and prepared with butter, lemon juice and tarragon.

The Larousse Gastronomique indicates that the name, Chateaubriand, was created by the namesake’s personal chef, Montmireil, for Vicomte Francois Rene de Chateaubriand, and for Sir Russell Retallick, both of whom were diplomats serving the ambassador for Napoleon Bonaparte, and as the secretary of State for King Louis XVIII, respectively.

Chuck Steak

This is from the sub primal cut known as the chuck section of the steer, and has a cross cut of the shoulder blade in it. Since the bone is shaped like the number “7,” it is the so-called “7-Bone Steak.” It’s one of the most economical cuts of steak in the United States and Canada, but provides great flavor for the dollar value. Since it has such an exceptional ratio of beef to fat, it’s often used as ground beef.

Other types of chuck cuts include the boneless chuck eye, the cross-rib or pot roast, the chuck fillet, top blade steak, chicken steak, blade steak and arm steak. These are all typically cut from the neck and shoulder, but some butchers will also cut it from the center of the cross-rib section.

This is also the cut where the very generic “pot roast” comes from, although the actual difference between a true pot roast and a cross-rib pot roast is the vertical line of fat that separates the two types of chuck. It’s this line that creates a rich flavor in the roast.

Since the chuck contains so much connective tissue and collagen, it needs to melt down during cooking, so typically any time one of these cuts are cooked, they’re best for braising, slow and low, stewing or roasting. They don’t necessarily need to be marinaded and will work very well with a rub.

Filet Mignon

Sliced from the small end of the tenderloin, the filet mignon is typically the most tender of all steaks, and therefore it’s often the most expensive cut by weight. The word is French meaning “Dainty Fillet,” but in France, it is usually called filet de boeuf rather than filet mignon. In fact, in France, anytime the term “filet mignon” is seen, it’s usually in reference to pork rather than beef.

Flank Steak

Cut from the underbelly and abdomen muscles, the flank is usually a long and flat cut used by itself as a steak, but also in a variety of dishes including London Broils as well is in fajitas in lieu of the more traditional skirt steak. Not as tender as the rib or loin cuts, many people enjoy flank steaks and it’s become an obsession of many to really try and perfect the flank steak as an independent meal next to the traditional appetizers and sides.

Flat Iron Steak

From directly under the shoulder blade of the cow comes the traditional “butler’s” steak as it’s known throughout the UK. Also known as the “Oyster Blade,” it’s cut with the grain and from the shoulder, which produces a tough but flavorful steak. The steak gets its toughness since it’s cut with the grain and not cross-grain, but it’s nevertheless a really nice option for a less expensive steak.

Hanger Steak

Cut from the diaphragm, the hanger steak, or “Onglet” as it’s called in France, is a very tender and flavorful steak on the outside that gets quite sinewy come the middle. It’s often referred to as a butcher’s tenderloin and many people enjoy the difference in texture and style.

Plate Steak

Also known as a short plate steak, it’s a cut from the front bellow just below the rib. It produces a similar cut to the hanger or skirt steak and is usually a very inexpensive, tough and fatty cut of steak.

Rib Steak

Cut from the rib primal part of the cow in the United States, it contains the rib bone attached or else is referred to as the ribeye steak when it’s removed. For many areas outside the US, these terms are used interchangeably.

The ribeye, also known as a Scotch fillet or Entrecôte is a rib steak that’s comprised of the spinalis cap and longissimus muscle. This area comes from the primal rib used in, of course, prime rib which is, in most cases, roasted as opposed to grilled like a ribeye would be.

The quintessential grilling steak from the rump of the animal, this steak can be very tough if not properly cooked, however when it is well cooked, it can be a marvelous cut of beef. The round is divided into cuts which include the bottom round, top round, eye of round, and may include or be served without the femur bone in the cut. Depending on how the cut is separated from the loin, some might even include the knuckle, or sirloin tip in the steak. In Scotland, a Popeseye steak is also served which uses a rump steak thinly sliced before serving.

Sirloin Steak

Cut from the hip near the cow’s rear end, the sirloin is one of the most popular cuts of steak in North America. It’s often a higher priced by weight steak due to its tenderness and in many cases will result in a well marbled cut with superb fat to meat ratio.

Outside Skirt Steak

Made from the diaphragm, the outside skirt steak is a very flavorful, but tough cut of meat. Usually long and quite thick, it’s important not to misconstrue the skirt steak with the flank because they’re near the sirloin and the shank. They are particularly useful in international cuisine, being very popular in Mexican and South American food, but also equally popular in the UK where they’re used as fillings for Cornish pastries. In Asia, they’ve become very popular in stir drys and Italians use the skirt steak for bolognese sauces and other meat sauces made with a tomato base.

Strip Steak

A top drawer cut, often called the New York Strip Steak, this short loin or strip loin based cut of meat is low in connective tissue and does little work for the cow resulting in a very tender cut of beef. When it’s attached to the bone, it becomes what’s called a T-Bone steak.

T-Bone & Porterhouse Steak

Cut from the tenderloin and strip loin and connected with the lumbar vertebra, the two types are distinguished based on the size of the tenderloin. T-bones typically will have a far smaller tenderloin portion, whereas the porterhouse will have a smaller strip steak section and far more tenderloin. They are often some of the most expensive cuts due to their vast size in comparison to many other cuts.

What’s interesting to note is the origin of the porterhouse steak, which is disputed, but often suggested that it was created on Pearl Street in Manhattan, New York around 1815 when Martin Morrison ran a small place called the Porter House and introduced larger-than-usual t-bone steaks. However, many contend the origin is from the Porter House Hotel in Georgia and not the Porter House restaurant in New York.

Tri-Tip Steak

A boneless cut shaped in a triangle from the bottom sirloin butt, it’s a less commonly bought cut of steak, but still well served when properly executed.

HOW TO COOK A STEAK

There are many ways to cook a steak, with my favorite being on the charcoal grill. Many opt to pan fry, whereas others choose to oven roast or braise. Some even boil. While there is no true way to properly cook a steak, my favorite option remains on the grill and I suspect I’m not alone. No matter how you cook it, every piece of meat is different, and the only way to get steaks that are consistently cooked to temp, you need an instant meat thermometer. Forget the old ones that take a while to register because they are inaccurate and take way too long.

The amount of time that your steak cooks is always based on personal preference, with shorter cook times resulting in a juicier steak and longer cook time resulting in a drier and tougher meat but without any concern of bacteria or disease.

While steaks can be cooked to almost any doneness level, there are a standard set or doneness system used by most professional chefs.

Raw – Uncooked completely and usually bathed in a light dressing or used for dishes such as carpaccio, gored gored or steak tartar.

Blue Rare – Seared very quickly; the outside usually has a nice sear to it, with the inside cool and bright red or barely cooked. In Germany, this is known as English Style, since it’s common for English chefs to place the steak in the oven at a low temperature to warm before cooking.

Rare – Cooked to 126°F or 52°C, it has a cooked or seared outside with a bright red center that is slightly warmed. This is my personal choice if you ever decide to grill me a steak.

Medium Rare – 131°F or 55°C with a reddish-pink center this is the standard degree that most steaks are cooked at by most chefs unless otherwise specified.

Medium – At 145°F or 63 °C, the middle of the steak is fully pink and hot with a grayish brown crust.

Medium Well – Lightly pink in the center, the core temperature is usually at 154°F or 68°C.

Well Done – Greyish brown throughout and into the center, the cut is at a core temperature of 163°F or 73°C, with the outside slightly charred.

Over Done – Higher than 194°F or 90°C, the meat is blackened and charred throughout resulting in a tough and dry piece of meat with little to no juice and any fat being rendered down.

Rescue Mission Underway for Rare Wine Collections Menaced by Irma

Adam Gungle, founder of Xpeditr Inc. professional wine movers, is pictured in Toronto, Ontario.

Swooping in ahead of Hurricane Irma’s feared weekend arrival, an emergency response team is rescuing rare treasures – some of them survivors of world wars and all of them liquid – from harm’s way in Florida and Louisiana.

Wine collections worth millions of dollars are being stashed out of reach of the Category 5 hurricane, moved from homes to local bunker-like storage units or shuttled to temperature-controlled warehouses as far away as New Jersey.

Many are owned by philanthropists aging the wine to perfection before donating it to a charity auction, often to raise disaster relief funds, said Adam Gungle, chief executive officer of Xpeditr, a high-end wine transporter based in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Toronto.

“The wrath of a hurricane can ruin delicate pieces of liquid history,” Gungle said. “Hurricanes Andrew, Katrina and Sandy ruined tens of millions of dollars worth of fine wine.”

Hurricanes destroy wines by cutting power to carefully controlled 55-degree Fahrenheit (12.7-Celsius) storage units required by the finest vintages, whose corks pop or bottles explode if temperatures spike too quickly. Storm-fueled ocean surges are equally damaging when they flood wine cellars, peeling off signature labels and seeping into corks.

Wine fortunes ruined by Superstorm Sandy in 2012 were the impetus behind the Xpeditr Emergency Response Team, which has been contacting clients in Irma’s potential path to warn that preventive steps should be taken to protect wine investments.

By Thursday, September 7, 2017, 20,000 bottles worth as much as $5 million had been plucked from garages and crawl spaces in homes in Florida and Louisiana, some from collectors already stung by wine losses during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Gungle said.

“A lot of these bottles survived World War One, World War Two,” he said.

In Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, a storage facility with wine lockers built to withstand 157-mile-per-hour (253-km-per-hour) winds has turned away 10 potential new customers in recent days because it is filled to capacity, said Drew Feinberg, sommelier at Store Self Storage & Wine Storage. Current customers are rushing bottles from their homes into their rented lockers, which will be cooled by two gas-powered generators if electricity is knocked out by Irma, Feinberg said.

 

Renowned wines rescued from natural disasters include Chateau D’Yquem 1811 and 1847, worth $110,000 per bottle, saved after Superstorm Sandy, and Domaine Romanee-Conti 1945, valued at $60,000 a bottle, rescued from Hurricane Harvey, Xpeditr’s Gungle said.

When Irma lashed British billionaire and adventurer Sir Richard Branson’s private Caribbean island, Necker, on Wednesday, both fine wine and mankind sought shelter from the storm in a concrete wine cellar under his home.

The greatest risk to the wine was human consumption, the founder of the Virgin group of companies wrote on its website.

“Knowing our wonderful team as I do, I suspect there will be little wine left in the cellar when we all emerge,” Branson wrote