The biggest hit of the night, though, was sweetbreads in a creamy Cognac sauce rife with mushrooms.

A spectacular failure was the New Orleans bread pudding with cognac sauce.

A winning combination at dessert time is vanilla ice cream under a fudgy, rich Cognac sauce.

The seafood lasagna, fish in cognac sauce and octopus tamale are exceptional.

And kidneys in cognac sauce are tough and overcooked.

The meal was completed with a cheese and fruit board, followed by a mocha almond torte in cognac sauce.

The veal was mated with grilled eggplant and a glaze of melted cheese in a cognac sauce.

Also cooked to a turn was duckling in cognac sauce boasting crisp skin and meltingly tender meat.

One of the entrees in the $46.95 meal at the Port Jefferson Italian spot (928-6262) is chicken princessa with cognac sauce.

The guests dined on cream of barley soup, breast of chicken with Cognac sauce and baked Alaska.