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E-Newsletter Archive
E-Newsletter ~ October 31, 2003
This is the third regular mailing of the USC University Club E-Newsletter
for the 2003-2004 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.
1. Cookbook Month is Here!
2. Spiraling Beef Prices
3. Mark Your Calendar!
4. International Buffets in the Restaurant
5. November Saturday Pre-Game Buffets
6. Thanksgiving To Go?
7. Recipe of the Month
1. Cookbook Month is Here!
The USC bookstore is having it's annual Crazy for Cookbooks celebration during
the month of November. We are participating again this year by featuring
recipes on the buffet throughout the month. We were able to pick from some
great cookbooks and think you'll be very pleased with the dishes.
Look for the menus at the front of the restaurant for the featured dishes
each week. Dishes to look for the first week:
Monday, November 3 - Garlic Roast Chicken
from My French Kitchen by Joanne Harris
Tuesday, November 4 - Roast Pork Loin with Black Currant Sauce
from My French Kitchen by Joanne Harris
Wednesday, November 5 - Mushroom Barley Soup
from Cooking for Comfort by Marian Burros
Thursday, November 6 - Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb
from Cooking for Comfort by Marian Burros
Friday, November 7 - Spice-Crusted Salmon with Aquavit Sour Cream
from Kitchen of Light by Andreas Viestad
And if you like what you eat, you'll find up to 20% off featured and favorite
cookbooks at the bookstore during the month!
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2. Spiraling Beef Prices
In our continuing efforts to keep menu prices down, I think it's important
to keep our members apprised of unusual market fluctuations. Wholesale prices
of beef are at their highest level in recent memory mostly owing mostly to
supply shortages.
From Nation's Restaurant News:
"Meat packers said they blamed the shortages on several factors,
including increased demand, lowered production in part attributable
to a drought in Western beef-producing regions and a continuing
partial ban on the importing of Canadian beef, where one case of
mad cow disease occurred earlier this year."
These factors have contributed to a 60% increase in price over the same time
last year. We want to assure you that we are taking every possible measure
to keep our costs as low as possible.
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3. Mark Your Calendar!
November is full of upcoming social events and promotions – Keep checking
your “This Week at the University Club…” for more details.
Wednesday, November 5
USC Spectrum President's Distinguished Artist Event - Wynton Marsalis Quartet & Thornton
Jazz Orchestra. For more details and tickets, contact Spectrum at 213-740-2167.
Thursday, November 13
Special USC Symphony Free Ticket with Dinner Promotion
The Thornton School of Music and the University Club have teamed up to bring
you this special pre-concert dinner promotion! The Music School will give away
20 Free Tickets - 2 tickets per dinner reservation on a first-come, first-serve
basis for the first 10 dinner reservations - to University Club members for
the November 13 Symphony Performance featuring Anshel Brusilow, guest conductor
and Elizabeth Pitcairn, violin.
Friday, November 14
SPECIAL - University Club open for dinner Friday November 14
The University Club is open for dinner on select Friday’s for School
of Theatre and Thornton productions. We will be open to the general public
from 5 – 7 pm for dinner on Friday, November 14 before the Thornton Opera, “Hansel
and Gretel” and the Theatre production, “The Way of the World.”
Thursday, November 20
Beaujolais Nouveau Release
Join us starting at 4pm, Thursday, November 20 in the Foyer for a complimentary
glass. Look for more Beaujolais-by-the Glass promotions that week in the Main
Dining Room.
The Beaujolais Nouveau has quickly built a reputation in the past 50 years
as one of the industry’s most easy drinking red wine. This wine, designed
with early drinking in mind, often reaches maturity by the Christmas holidays
making it a perfect stocking stuffer. According to the official website of
the French Beaujolais Nouveau, the 2003 harvest is already expected to “herald
an exceptional vintage!”
Wednesday, December 3
New! Holiday Dinner & Raffle with Holiday Festival of Choirs.
Join us Wednesday, December 3 for our first-ever member holiday party! Festivities
include a special prix-fixe three course meal with a glass of wine, raffle
and reserved seating at the Holiday Festival of Choirs performance at Newman
Hall. Make your reservations early, call 213-740-2030, option 7.
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 pm
Location: University Club Main Dining Room
Price: $25 per person
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4. International Buffets in the Restaurant
Beginning in November, we will be highlighting an international cuisine on
the restaurant buffet on a regular basis.
This month we will be featuring selections from our new Chinese banquet menu.
Wednesday, November 19
Wonton Soup
Kung Pao Chicken
Sweet and sour Pork
Steamed Rice
Almond Cookies
Let us know what you think or if you'd like to see one of your favorites highlighted!
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5. Football Pre-Game Buffets
There are two home games during the month of November and as always, we will
open three hours before each game for a pre-game buffet.
November 1 vs. Washington State (Kick-Off 4:00 PM)
Dining Room will be Open at 1:00 PM
~~Menu~~
Mesquite Grilled Tri Tips
Grilled Lemon Chicken Breast
Homemade Scalloped Potatoes and Fresh Seasonal Vegetables
Baked Ziti Pasta with a Wild Mushroom Ragout
A Variety of Salads, Freshly Baked Breads and Fresh Fruits
Iced Tea / Coffee
November 22 vs. UCLA (Kick-Off 1:00 PM)
Dining Room will be Open at 10:00 AM
~~Menu~~
Homemade Cheese Blintzes
Brioche French Toast with Fresh Berries or Maple Syrup
Black Bean Brunch Burrito With Eggs, Onion, Cheese,
Guacamole, Sour Cream and Salsa
A Variety of Salads, Fresh Fruits and Breakfast Pastries
Iced Tea / Coffee
Price for the Buffets is $14.95 per person
$17.50 for Nonmembers
(Tax and gratuity not included)
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6. Thanksgiving To Go?
To help make your Thanksgiving holiday a culinary success, we will again be
offering free range turkeys and desserts. You can purchase a turkey (or two)
either fully cooked or raw if you choose to do the cooking yourself. The cooked
birds come with our homemade giblet gravy and complete re-heating instructions.
These turkeys are simply the best, most flavorful birds you will ever taste.
For those of you who want to save even more time in the kitchen, we will also
be offering our homemade pumpkin pies and persimmon puddings. All orders be
picked up as late as 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday November 26.
Pumpkin Cheesecake (serves 10-12) $24.00 each
Persimmon Pudding (serves 10-12) $24.00 each
Pumpkin Pie (serves 6) $12.50 each
Pecan Pie (serves 6) $12.50 each
Raw Free Range Turkey (16-18#) $2.75/lb.
Cooked Free Range Turkey (16-18#) $4.00/lb.
Get your orders in by Monday, November 24 at 5:00 PM.
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7. Recipe of the Month
This is my favorite Thanksgiving Turkey Stuffing. Every time I serve it I get
requests for the recipe. So here it is.
CORNBREAD, APPLE, CHESTNUT AND FRESH SAGE STUFFING
(Yield 6-8 portions)
12 Fresh Whole Chestnuts, Peeled and Chopped
3 Cups Stale Corn Bread Cut into ½ inch Cubes
1 Cup Day Old French Bread, Cut into ½ inch Cubes
1 Tart Green Apple, Diced
3/4 Cup Celery, Diced
3/4 Cup Yellow Onion, Diced
1/2 Cup Sweet Butter
2 Whole Eggs, Beaten
12 Fresh Sage Leaves, Chopped or 1 Teaspoon Dried Rubbed Sage
/2 Tablespoon Chopped Italian Parsley
3/4 Cup Chicken Stock
1/2 Teaspoon each Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
For this recipe we usually make the corn bread a few days in advance and allow
it to sit out uncovered to dry out. Purchase a good sturdy french bread that
will cube easily.
To peel chestnuts, use a very sharp paring knife and carefully score the shell
of each chestnut around its equator without cutting into the meat. Heat the
nuts in a 400° oven until the shells split, approx. 5-10 minutes. Remove
nuts from the oven and allow to cool until they can be handled comfortably.
Lift off each shell and membrane and clean any left over membrane. Can be stored
covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days.
In a large sauté pan heat the butter until melted. Add the apple and
vegetables with 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and black pepper and cook over
a medium heat until slightly softened. Add the sage and cook for 2 minutes
more. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Add the cubed breads, the eggs, chestnuts, parsley and mix well. Add enough
chicken stock to moisten the mixture. Adjust seasoning.
Whether you choose to stuff your turkey or cook stuffing in a casserole dish
is a matter of personal preference. As with any preparation involving raw food
ingredients, it's important to carefully follow proper food safety and handling
procedures to ensure a safe turkey every time. For those who choose to stuff
their turkey, the following guidelines from the turkey experts at Butterball:
* Prepare stuffing just before placing in turkey.
* Use only cooked ingredients in stuffing --sautéed vegetables, use
only cooked meats and seafood (oysters) and use pasteurized egg products instead
of raw eggs.
* Place prepared stuffing in turkey just before roasting. Do not stuff the
turkey the night before roasting.
* Stuff both neck and body cavities of a completely thawed turkey, allowing
1/2 to 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of turkey. Do not pack stuffing tightly
in turkey.
* Always use a meat thermometer. The turkey is done when the thigh temperature
reaches 180*F (80*C) on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part
of the thigh next to body, not touching bone. Move the meat thermometer to
the center of stuffing; temperature should be 160* to 165* F (70 to 75*C).
When the stuffed turkey is done, remove turkey from oven and let turkey with
stuffing stand 15 to 20 minutes. This stand time provides an added measure
of safety for stuffing temperature to reach 165* F (75*).
If your preference is to cook the stuffing in a casserole, transfer stuffing
to a 6 inch baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Place in preheated 400
degree oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking another
15 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden and crispy. Serve immediately.
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That about wraps it up for this issue. Be sure to say hi next time you're in.
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