The evening ends on a sweet note

When saxophonist Joshua Redman ’91 played “The Best Is Yet to Come” as one of his closing numbers, the Harvard alumnus joked that the best may indeed be yet to come for the inauguration ceremonies, but not for him, as he had to leave Harvard to head to appointments at Yale, and then Princeton.

And as delectable as the musical prelude to the installation was, audience members with a sweet tooth or a taste for cheese were able to taste a bit of what was to come right afterward: chocolate truffle cups, apricots dipped in white and dark chocolate, tiger brownies; Great Hill blue cheese, Vermont bijou, and sharp Monterey Jack.

The dessert reception that followed the music was held in Annenberg Hall. Under Annenberg’s soaring blue ceiling, ornate trusses, and twin rows of chandeliers, guests mingled happily, greeting President Drew Faust, chatting together at the rows of tables or standing in small groups. Their combined voices created an aural backdrop to the light piano music. As one walked through the hall, individual voices resolved themselves, revealing a snippet of conversation or a pleasant laugh before receding into the background buzz.

Madeline Meehan, director of Crimson Catering, which put on the reception, said the menu was selected with an eye to Faust’s wishes that the whole inauguration be as environmentally friendly as possible.

Meehan said the fruits were organic, the pastries baked by local bakeries, and the cheeses came from local dairies and creameries. Instead of disposable cups for drinks, the caterers used glassware that would be washed instead of tossed.