E-Newsletter Archive

E-Newsletter ~ November 30, 2004

This is the fourth regular mailing of the USC University Club E-Newsletter for the 2004-2005 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.

There will be no issue at the end of December but we will pick up again in January, 2005. Included in this issue is the center holiday schedule and special offerings for December. For any other questions regarding hours of operation
around the holidays, don't hesitate to call us at x02030.

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

1. December at the University Club

2. Save the Date!!

3. December Club Hours

4. Special Offerings for the Hollidays

5. Reciprocal Club of the Month

6. Recipe of the Month

1. December at the University Club

December, although a shortened month for all of us, is a very busy time of year around the club. If you haven't yet booked your holiday parties, now is the perfect time as we are filling up fast! Contact us at 213.740.2030 to make your arrangements.

Be sure to stop by for lunch or dinner at some point during December. The decorations are quite nice and the complimentary eggnog and hot cider will begin flowing the week of December 13.

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2. Save the Date!!

Dates: Now – Friday, Dec. 3.

Time: 11:30 – 2:00 pm.

Location: University Club Foyer, Lyon Center and USC Bookstore.

What to bring: New, unwrapped toys for children of all ages.

We will be collecting new, unwrapped toys for the Toys for Tots program at the University Club from Monday, November 29 through Friday, December 3.

The Toys for Tots program is run annually by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. The program collects new, unwrapped toys each year to distribute as Christmas

gifts to underprivileged children in the community. It is through the giving of these toys, that the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve attempts to pass on a message of hope

to families in need.

Toys for Tots at Your School or Department's Holiday Party:
Last year the response for Toys for Tots was overwhelmingly positive and a few USC schools inquired into having the Naval ROTC students staff a Toys for Tots box at their Holiday party. The Naval ROTC is happy to consider such requests. If you are interested in having the Naval ROTC students staff a box at your Holiday party, please call Marsha Stoughton at 213-740-2663.

Time: 7:30

Location: Bovard Auditorium

Admission: Free

Conductors William Dehning and Magen Solomon lead the USC Thornton Chamber and Concert Choirs in the annual winter performance.

This event is sponsored by USC Thornton School of Music.

Show times: Thursday and Friday at 7:00 pm

Location: Bing Theatre

Admission: General Public: $10; USC Faculty/Staff, Senior Citizens: $8; USC Students w/ valid ID: $5

For Tickets, call 213.740.2167

Alice and Wonderland get a musical makeover in USC Dance Company's choreographic re-imagining of Lewis Carroll's classic.

This event is sponsored by USC School of Theater.

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3. Holiday Hours

The club restaurant will be open for Lunch only from December 6 through December 23.

We will be closed from December 24 through Sunday, January 2, 2005.

We will re-open for lunch only on Monday, January 3, and then for dinner as well on Monday, January 10. We will be serving a limited lunch menu for the first 2-3 days in January as we get back up to speed for the new semester.

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4. Special Offerings for the Holidays

The University Club is ready to help take some of the holiday stress off your shoulders this year. Whether you need some help putting on a meal or want a unique gift idea, we can help!

We have significantly expanded our holiday special food offerings and are making them available through December 23. We will have our homemade desserts and four kinds of tamales, as well as artisan breads and hand made truffles.

Just call 213.740.2030 anytime between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM to place your orders.

> Desserts: (Wrapped and refrigerated, they will keep for up to 7 days.)
~~~~~~~~~
Pumpkin Pie (serves 6) $12.50
Pecan Pie (serves 6) $12.50
Persimmon Pudding (serves 10-12) $24.00
Pumpkin Cheesecake (serves 10-12) $24.00

> Homemade Tamales:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All tamales are $22.00 per dozen
- Beef
- Pork
- Verdura with Thickened Cream
(Zucchini, Chayote, Pasilla Chiles and Jack Cheese)
- Sweet Tamales **New This Year**
(We make these tamales with a lightly sweetened masa and two different fillings. In each dozen you get six pineapple, coconut and raisin tamales and six pecan, raisin and dried plum tamales. Both got rave reviews from our panel of tasters!)

Salsas to Serve with Tamales:
$ 4.50 pint
$ 8.50 quart

Red (mild)
Pico de Gallo (mild)
Green (medium)
Chipotle (hot)

> Artisan Breads:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These artisan style breads come to us par-baked and frozen. To serve, simply thaw and heat in a pre-heated 400 degree oven until nicely browned and crispy. A great  addition to any holiday table.

Pain au Levain - $5.25
Rustic French - $5.25
Rosemary and Kalamata Olive - $6.50
Asiago and Parmesan Cheese - $7.50

Hand Made Truffles:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once again we are offering these wonderful pieces of chocolate nirvana from our friend Yvan Valentin. These handmade truffles are an excellent choice for showing both affection and appreciation. In addition to the ballotins, we also offer a 4-piece box suitable as a sweet gesture suitable as a simple stocking stuffer or for colleagues and friends.

All truffle orders require 24-48 hours notice.

-Cappuccino Truffles
Wonderful combination of creamy ganache and caramelized bittersweet chocolate and light cocoa.

-Dark Chocolate Truffle
"Old tradition" crunchy bittersweet chocolate filled with a dark melting ganache. A simply exquisite classic.

-Ivory Cointreau Truffle
Delicious blend of chocolate, orange peel and Cointreau in a velvety smooth chocolate icing. A favorite for white chocolate lovers.

-Praline Truffle
Perfect blending of chocolate and cappuccino cream, coated with toasted hazelnut paste wrapped in milk chocolate.

Truffles by the Ballotin
All ballotins are individual flavors only.
4-pc Gold Box $5.50
Gold Ballotin ½ pound $17.00
Gold Ballotin 1 pound $33.00
Gold Ballotin 2 pound $56.00

And, introducing a new packaging for holiday truffles:
Single layer *Nina Collection, Mixed Flavors
20 pieces approx. 1/2 # - $17.50

Double Layer *Nina Collection, Mixed Flavors
40 pieces approx. 1# - $34.00

*The Nina boxes are very elegant but just different enough to make the recipient take notice that what's inside can only be incredible. We will have a few on display in the restaurant. Come see for yourself!

Get your orders in early!!
Call 213.740.2030 to order.

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5. Reciprocal Club of the Month

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 Columbia University Faculty House

The Holiday Season is a great time to visit New York City! If you’re headed over there this month, why not stop in at the Columbia University Faculty House in between holiday shopping, admiring the huge public Christmas trees, ice skating at Rockefeller Center and catching a show!

General Information:

"It may be doubted whether any building that the University could add to those existing will mean more or render greater service than will the Faculty House. Under urban conditions it is essential that a great body of scholars having diverse intellectual interests be held together not only in their official relationships but in a social unity that will both increase their satisfactions and add to their influence in the community whether as individuals or as a group. All this the Faculty House will do and more. It is as much a part of the equipment for the work of the University as is a library or laboratory."

Nicholas Murray Butler,
President of Columbia University
Annual Report to the Trustees, 1921

For more than 75 years, the Faculty House has served as a focus for social and intellectual interaction among the faculty of the University, and over the last twenty-five years it has expanded its mission to serve the diverse needs of administrators, staff, alumni, and graduate

students as well. The red brick and limestone building, designed by McKim, Mead & White in the original campus style, was erected in 1923 and is located on East Campus adjacent to Wien Hall and the President’s House.

The Faculty House offers dining, catering, and conference facilities featuring fine cuisine and polished service. Weekdays during the academic year the DeWitt Clinton Dining Room, Garden Café, and Lounge are open for lunch and dinner. The distinctive event rooms of the Faculty House, from small meeting rooms to large reception rooms accommodating as many as 300 guests, are available for university events and private affairs every day, year-round.

The House sponsors events such as the Warner-Rabi Concert Series, special dinners and wine tastings, jazz nights in collaboration with the Center for Jazz Studies, and book readings in conjunction with Columbia University Press. Over 1,500 functions, ranging from small meetings and seminars to gala dinners and wedding receptions take place in the Faculty House each year.

The building also houses the Office of University Seminars (many of whose sessions take place in Faculty House), and Law School student organization offices.

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/fachouse/index.html

Contact Information:

Columbia University Faculty House
400 West 117th Street
Mail Code 2301
New York, NY 10027

Phone: (212) 854-1200
Fax: (212) 854-3062
Email: fachouse@columbia.edu

Dining Room Reservations: (212) 854-7199

Dining Room reservations are requested. Please leave your reservation information, as well as your daytime phone number should you desire confirmation. Please contact our Dining Room Manager at (212) 854-6613 regarding any special concerns or requests (e.g., kosher meals).

How to Visit a Reciprocal ACUC Club:
Please call the USC University Club Business Office at 213-740-8345 to request an ACUC 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.acucclubs.org frequently for the
most up-to-date information.

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6. Recipe of the Month

To maximize your time, have all your ingredients measured
and prepared before starting to cook. Believe it or not, it  makes the whole process move much more quickly.

(Note from original recipe: Chicken thighs have more flavor than chicken breasts. They have a bit more fat and connective tissue, which better suits them for the slow, moisture-driven cooking method of braising. When browning the chicken, avoid overcrowding the pot--brown
the thighs in two batches if all eight do not fit comfortably.)

Braised Chicken with Asparagus and Balsamic Vinegar

So far I have tried serving this dish over egg noodles and
boiled jasmine rice. The rice so far is the clear leader...

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds),
trimmed of excess fat and skin
salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion , halved and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
(about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cloves of garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press
(about 1 tablespoon)
1 can diced tomato , drained (14 1/2 ounces)
2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 bay leaf
12 fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle both sides of chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat oil in nonreactive Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking; add chicken thighs skin-side down and cook without moving them until skin is crisped and well browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken pieces and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer; transfer thighs to large plate.

2. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon fat from pot. Add onion and
tomato paste and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon, until tomato paste begins to darken, about 4 minutes (if bottom of pot becomes very dark and sticky, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water). Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, chicken broth, and wine, scraping up browned bits with wooden spoon. Add red pepper flakes, thyme, and bay. Remove and discard skin from chicken thighs, then submerge chicken bone-side up in liquid, adding any chicken juices accumulated on plate. Increase heat to high, bring to simmer, cover, then place pot in oven. Cook until chicken offers no resistance when poked with tip of paring knife but meat still clings to bone, 40 to 55 minutes.

3. While chicken cooks, trim clean and cut asparagus. Also while chicken cooks, simmer balsamic vinegar in 8-inch nonreactive skillet over medium-high heat until thick, syrupy, and reduced to 1/4 cup, 3 to 5 minutes (begin measuring volume when vinegar begins to cling to sides of saucepan). Set vinegar reduction aside.

4. Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken to plate and tent with foil; discard bay leaf. Bring liquid in Dutch oven to simmer over medium-high heat; add asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8-10 minutes. Stir about 1/3 cup sauce into balsamic reduction to loosen, then stir mixture into sauce; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Return chicken and accumulated juices to sauce, cook until heated through, about 2 minutes, turning chicken once or twice.

5. Arrange a portion of cooked rice in the center of each
plate creating a well in the center with the back of spoon.
Place one or two cooked thighs in well and spoon sauce and asparagus over the top.

Serve immediately.

That about wraps it up for this issue. Be sure to say hi next time you're in.