Once again, the San Francisco Model A Club can be proud of the success of our signature event, The Crab Feed at the Monte Cristo Club. This 2016 Crab Feed was as good as it gets. They say “Practice Makes Perfect”.

In future years, when all is said and done, everyone who had the opportunity to attend a Model A Club Crab Feed at the Monte Cristo will remember it as a warm and enjoyable meeting with friends and family. Of course, they come for the crab but the crab alone would not keep the same people coming back year after year.

People began arriving just as the doors opened at five pm and were met first by our team of raffle ticket sellers, Molly and Christina, active on the sidewalk in front of the Club, with back-up support inside the club from Kristine, Jill, and Victor. Our guests would then pass through the front door and present their identification to Glenn and Beverly and proceed into the bar for a drink or two prior to dinner. Guests would then go upstairs to inspect the 26 spectacular raffle gift baskets created by Jenny Jump and Joan Peterson. The dining room opened at 6:30. People made their way into the dining areas, found their tables and began what would be a three course pre-crab dinner complete with antipasto, salad, and two types of pasta. Dinner included all the fixings including a very nice red table wine. The crab dinner was followed by ice cream, biscotti, and coffee. Throughout the evening Al Thomas raffled off the baskets, with the assistance of the youngest attendee, whose name currently escapes me. Thanks to all who made our raffle a success.

The antipasto trays had been prepared mid afternoon and were already on the tables. The bean salads were prepared later in the day and were served shortly after 6:30. The pasta was next. Mary Tresmontan and John Zuffi are our specialists. They sample the pasta, determine the time and temperature, and prepare the pesto and tomato sauces — and they do this year after year.

The service is done by as many as eight young women who work for the Club on occasions like ours. The are efficient and energetic and know their way around the Club. From service to clearing tables to washing the dishes, they do it all. The Barrango family, Gary and Cheryl and Janelle, work the kitchen loading stainless steel bowls with crab, filling the pasta platters, and preparing the salad. Ryan usually  works the upstairs bar, but was off in the Caribbean in search of the next America’s Cup. Of course, John Zuffi is in the middle of it all. He is the chief cook. He prepares the marinade, sets up the salads, and generally supervises the kitchen.

The whole process is a team effort that begins on Friday before the Crab Feed and ends sometime early Sunday morning. There are as many as thirty people working to set up the tables, prepare the food, coordinate the registration, prepare the raffle prizes, sell raffle ticket, purchase the food and crab, serve the food, and then wash the dishes, strike the tables and chairs, and clean up the Club.

Needless to say, those of us who work this event are gratified by the response of those who attend. Without doubt, all of our friends, sponsors, and guests have a great time and look forward to coming back each year. The “Sold Out” sign goes up many months before the event; and this says a lot about our Club, the quality of the food, and the company of good friends.