E-Newsletter Archive

E-Newsletter ~ March 31, 2006 ~ Vol. 6, No. 7

This is the seventh regular mailing of the USC University Club E-Newsletter
for the 2005-2006 school year.  We want to keep you informed of special
events, new menu items, seasonal specials, recipes and any news that
we think will help you get the most from your membership.


This and past issues of our newsletter are available online all the time at:
http://www.usc.edu/bus-affairs/uclub/about/enewsarchive/index.html

Contents:
1. April is Board Elections Month
2. Upcoming Special Club Events for the Month of  April
3. International Buffet Day on Wednesday, April 26
4. British Commonwealth Table and French Table Meet at the End of the Month
5. Other Events on Campus in April
6. Reciprocal Club of the Month
7. Recipes of the Month

Nominations forms have been mailed out to eligible members for the upcoming open positions on the University Club Board of Directors. If  you are an eligible member and have not yet received a ballot, you can print one from our website.  

Point your browser to: http://www.usc.edu/bus-affairs/uclub/about/board.html and click on the link for the nominations form. We have also posted a list of all members eligible for nomination from the same page for your convenience.  

Your participation in the selection process is what makes this club so great.  Deadline for nominations is midnight on April 10 so get your forms in right away.  

(Please note that both documents are in PDF format. The free Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view and/or print PDF files.)

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Don't Miss Our Spring Musical Event on Friday, April 7, 2006!  

There are still reservations available for our annual Spring Musical Event, which will take place on Friday, April 7, 2006.  Enjoy a three-course meal at the club dinner and secure your tickets to “Company,” Stephen Sondheim’s witty, world-weary take on the troubled waters of love, commitment, fear and longing as it explores the relationships of five married couples.

The event includes a champagne reception at 4:30 p.m., followed by a special, exclusive performance of selected numbers from the show by the cast, dinner in the Main Dining Room, and tickets to the production at Bing Theatre.

The cost for the evening, including dinner, champagne reception and tickets to the show  is $44.00 per person (includes tax and service). Please call (213) 740-2030 to make a reservation. A credit card or member number will be used to secure your reservation. A 48-hour cancellation policy will apply for this event.  

The menu is as follows:  

Your Choice of Caesar Salad or Shrimp Bisque

Your Choice of Roast Dry Aged Prime Rib of Beef Au Jus OR Grilled Chicken al Chiltepín Served with Black Beans and Mexican Rice

OR Gorgonzola Polenta Triangles Topped with Homemade Marinara and Served with sautéed Spinach  

Your Choice of Chocolate Lava Cake or Mango Sorbet  

FWC and the University Club Present Soprano Elizabeth Hynes on Wednesday, April 12, 2004
The Faculty Women's Club and the University Club are pleased to present Ms. Elizabeth Hynes, soprano, Thornton School of Music, in an exclusive performance at the group's final luncheon of the academic year on Wednesday, April 12, 2006, at 11:45 a.m. in the Banquet Room. Social Hour begins at 11:15 a.m. To make a reservation, please call Stephanie Helper at (X05208). Cost per person is $20, and includes lunch, tax and service.

"A Night at the Opera" -- Mozart's "Idomeneo" on Friday, April 21, 2006  

The University Club, in conjunction with the Thornton School of Music, is pleased of offer its members the opportunity to attend our "Night at the Opera" event on Friday, April 21, 2006, in the Banquet Room at the University Club. The evening includes tickets to the 8:00 p.m. performance of Mozart's "Idomeneo", which will be performed in the Bing Theater.  "Idomeneo," which was first performed in 1781 in Germany, takes place on the Island of Crete and tells the tale of Idomeneo, the King of Crete, and the tragic bargain he strikes with Neptune, God of the Sea.  

The cost of the evening is $36/person and includes a complimentary champagne reception, a discussion of the production by Ken Cazan, Thornton Associate Professor of Opera, dinner, wine and a ticket to the opera. Tax and service are included. Menu to be announced.  

To make a reservation, please call (213) 740-2030. You must secure your reservation with a credit card or member number. A 48-hour cancellation policy with apply.

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Orlando Hutcherson, our new Executive Chef, is hard a work preparing a menu for a visit to the Basque region of Spain.  I know that you'll want to mark this date on your calendar as it promises to be on a par with our tour of Portugal via Provincetown.  For those of you who missed the International Buffet last week, I can only tell you that the response to the food was fantastic!  We will definitely have to plan on more lobster next time...

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The British Commonwealth Table will meet on Wednesday, April 26, 2006, at noon in Room D. If you are British or just an avid Anglophile, please don't hesitate to join this fun group. To make a reservation, please call Stephanie Helper at (X05208).  

Meanwhile, La Table Francaise will get together on Thursday, April 27, 2006, at noon in Room C. It's a wonderful venue in which to practice votre francaise. To make a reservation, please call Stephanie Helper at (X05208).

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5. Other Events on Campus This Month

Monday, April 3, 2006, 2:00 p.m. to 4.p.m

Technologies of Cooperation: New Stories about How Humans Get Things

Hear Howard Rheingold discuss his report on emerging trends in cooperative technologies.

Location: Kerckhoff Hall

Admission: Free

For More Information, please email: eharmon@annenberg.edu

Or call: (213) 743-4647    

Wednesday, April 5, 2006, 12:00 p.m. to 12:50 p.m.

What Matters to Me and Why: Five-Year Retrospective Rabbi Susan Laemmle, USC Dean of Religious Life, invites the university community to come and meet with the past  25 speakers since the program's inception five years ago.

Lunch will be provided.

Location: Ground Zero Coffeehouse

Admission: Free

For more information, please email: laemmle@usc.edu

Or call: (213) 740-6110    

Wednesday, April 12, 2006, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

8th Annual Undergraduate Symposium: Best Undergrad Research

Undergraduates exhibit and share examples of their research and creativity with the USC community.

Location: Trousdale Parkway

Admission: Free

For more information, please email: callende@usc.edu or dglasgow@usc.edu

Or call:  (213) 740-1741    

Thursday, April 20, 2006 through Sunday, April 23, 2006

"The Last Days of Judas Iscariot," a Presentation by Scene Dock Theatre

Don't miss this time-bending, seriocomic reexamination of the plight of the New Testament's ultimate sinner.

Location: Scene Dock Theatre Admission: General Admission, $10; USC faculty, staff and seniors, $8; USC students, $5.

For more information, please email: arts@usc.edu

Or call: (213) 740-2167    

Tuesday, April 25, 2006, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Arts and Los Angeles: Who Is Influencing Who?

Hear what Michael McDowell, senior director of Cultural Tourism, L.A., Inc., Convention and Visitors Bureau, has to say about what's hot and what's not in the Los Angeles arts scene.

Location: Los Angeles Central Library

Admission: Free

Please RSVP by calling: (213) 740-7122.

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Your USC University Club is a member of the Association of College and University Clubs (ACUC). This means that you enjoy reciprocal privileges at more than 100 private university clubs across the U.S.A., and around the world, within the ACUC network. To bring this wonderful benefit closer to you, we will highlight a different ACUC club in each newsletter.

Featured Club: The Brown Faculty Club at Brown University

The Brown Faculty Club, elegant and well-appointed, provides a welcoming year-round, private and attractive gathering place in the heart of the Brown University campus that is perfect for dining or for entertaining associates, friends and family. The Club is host to private parties, wedding receptions, banquets and departmental meetings.

Lunched is served daily 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Dinner is served Wednesday and Thursday, 5:00 -- 8:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 5:00 -- 9:00 p.m. There are no overnight accommodations.
 
Contact:
The Brown Faculty Club
One Magee Street
Providence, RI 02912
Phone: (401) 863-3023
Fax: (401) 863-3859
Faculty_Club@brown.edu

How to Visit a Reciprocal ACUC Club:
Please call the USC University Club Business Office at 213-740-8345 to request an ACUC identification card. Before visiting a reciprocal club, please remember to telephone ahead to introduce yourself as a member of the USC University Club, confirm the club's hours, services and make reservations. Individual clubs may have restrictions in the use of their facilities or in the frequency of visits. When you call, be sure to inquire about any restrictions that may apply.

To find out more about the ACUC network of clubs or to find a club in or near your travel destination, please check the ACUC website at www.acuclubs.org frequently for the most up-to-date information.

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7. Recipe of the Month

With warmer weather on the horizon, I always look forward to the grilling season.  This sandwich and accompanying roast potato salad make for a great lunch or early dinner.  It also travels well if you happen to have tickets to the Hollywood Bowl some night this summer...
GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST SANDWICHES WITH ROASTED PEPPERS, ARUGULA AND MUSTARD DRESSING

For the chicken:

Rub 6 boneless, skinless half chicken breasts with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper and 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves. Cover and refrigerate a minimum of 6 hours, preferably overnight. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.

For the peppers:

Preheat oven to 500 and place 2 red bell peppers on the rack and roast. Turn the peppers occasionally until the skins are completely charred. (20-30 minutes) Place the peppers in a paper bag and seal the top. This allows them to steam and aids in peeling. Remove the peppers from the bag and remove the skins with your fingers. Sometimes a little cold running water helps. Remove the cores and seeds and slice into 1/4" strips. Toss the peppers with 2 tablespoons olive oil and store in a glass container until ready to use.

If a charcoal fire is available you can roast the peppers directly on the coals. This can be very tricky so you need to watch them constantly. As the peppers begin to char, turn them so they char evenly. Once you have an even char, proceed as in oven roasting. The charcoal roasting imparts a smoky flavor that enhances the sandwich.

For the sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup prepared dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar dash salt

Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate in a glass container until ready to use. The chicken, peppers and mustard sauce can be prepared to this point a day in advance. You will need to purchase 2-3 ounces of arugula, 2-3 ripe tomatoes for slicing and a good hearty multi-grain bread. If you can not find arugula, watercress will suffice.

When you are ready to serve the sandwiches, prepare a charcoal fire or preheat the broiler for the chicken and bread. Grill or broil the breasts 6-10 minutes per side depending on the heat of your fire. As they are cooking, brush a little butter or olive oil on one side of 12 slices of the bread. When the breasts are cooked, transfer to a platter and allow to cool slightly at which time you will need to either grill or broil the bread until lightly toasted. Spread a liberal amount of the mustard sauce on the oiled or buttered side of the breads so that the dry sides will be on the outside of the sandwich.

Slice the breasts on a diagonal and place each sliced breast on a slice of toasted bread. Top with some of the roasted pepper strips, 2 slices of tomato, some of the arugula and the top piece of bread. Cut and serve as you would with any sandwich. Serve immediately.

ROAST POTATO SALAD

2# red new potatoes, washed and quartered

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallot

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet and add the potatoes and salt. Toss to coat the potatoes well and place in the oven until they are slightly soft. (approx. 20 min.) Add the diced peppers, shallot, thyme, rosemary, black pepper, paprika and garlic and toss well again to coat the potatoes evenly. Return the pan to the oven until the potatoes are soft when pierced with a sharp knife. (10-15 min.)

Remove the potatoes from the oven and transfer to a mixing bowl with a slotted spoon and toss well with the lemon juice and parsley. Adjust the salt and black pepper. (For a zestier salad, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne can be added.) Serve warm or at room temperature the same day. This salad does not save well.

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