“First, we eat. Then, we do everything else.” – M.F.K. Fisher
Hello everyone! Happy January. I hope this year is starting out as well as the last one, or better! In the Food and Beverage Department we are dusting ourselves off from the Holidays and heading confidently into the new year. A special thanks to the Food Committee for all they are doing to support us and help give resident perspective as we chart a new course for our department.
On January 29th at 2 pm in the Centennial Room the Food Committee will be having a Food and Beverage Open Forum. Basically a Town Hall but for Food and Beverage concerns. Why? Well, even though we have a meeting every single Monday, more communication can't hurt and I have always welcomed feedback in any form. Mary Alice Jordan-Marsh is our head of the Food Committee and will be standing by with an easel to record resident comments and suggestions. Please join us and offer your input!
In the Hive Market, check out the Crab Cake with Lemon Aioli, the Pan- Seared Duck Breast, or the Beef Fettuccini Alfredo.
My personal pick is the Shepherd's Pie: it's hard to go too wrong with this one and the chilly weather somehow makes it taste better.
For those seeking healthier options, try the Grilled Chicken topped with Marinated Tomatoes, the Quinoa with Cranberry and Butternut Squash or even the beautiful Caprese Salad.
A reminder that we also sell wine by the bottle, honey from our hives and there are daily specials that our chefs create for your enjoyment.
The appetizer this week is Red Pepper Hummus with toasted pita and vegetables. Our hummus is made with chickpeas, sesame, lemon, olive oil, garlic, and roasted red peppers. This is a nice, light snack, with delicious plant-based protein. It's an excellent protein-packed choice if you're looking for a heart-healthy alternative.
The Cheese this week is called Sage Derby. Derby Cheese is similar to Cheddar, and maybe a bit more pale in comparison. Derby dates back to the 17th century, and at harvest times a special version of it was made by combining the curds with fresh sage before pressing the cheese, creating a beautiful, mottled, ,green and white appearance. This change was not done for looks, or taste but for the health benefits of sage as a cure for digestive problems. Sage Derby is available year-round now, the flavor is pretty mild, we are serving it with apricot jam and crackers.
In the Dining room, check out the Pan-Roasted Pollock with lemon butter. Pollock is a large fish, similar in taste to Cod but unrelated. The flavor is mild, and Pollock is sustainably harvested in cold Atlantic and Pacific waters. Sustainable harvesting of our seafood is becoming more and more important to us here at Vi, If you would like to know more check out these sites https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/ , https://www.seafoodwatch.org/ and there are many others if you are interested. Maybe this would be a good topic for discussion, let me know if you find it interesting. Anyway, our Pollock is served with quinoa and baby squash as well. A good pairing with Pinot Grigio.
By request we are serving Beef Burgundy this week. Our Burgundy is made with Chuck Beef, seared and simmered with mushrooms and onions in red wine until very very tender. We have decided to serve it over buttered spaetzle this week, which is a sort of small egg dumpling tasting like egg noodles but not so fancy. The flavor is big, but warming and delicious, and would go great with a glass of Pinot Noir.
Try the Chicken Marsala, which is a boneless chicken breast sautéed and served with a sauce made from mushrooms, Marsala wine and veal stock. We are serving it with Parmesan mashed potatoes and green beans. Legend has it that chicken or veal Marsala was created by French families hiding in Sicily during the Napoleonic wars, but like most food history is debatable. It grew in popularity in America in the early 20th century and is now iconic and fully American. We prefer chicken or pork to veal here, as it dries out easily.
The Light entrée this week is Orange and Fennel-Roasted Artichokes, topped with diced grilled chicken and served over brown rice with preserved lemon vinaigrette. Preserved lemons are a Moroccan ingredient, that can add a lot of flavor to a dish. In early December we quartered some lemons, tossed them with Kosher salt and refrigerated them, shaking once a week. When they are fully cured, the skins of the lemon are essentially cooked by the salt and acid. They are rinsed off, and the flesh is cut away from the skin, which is then used as an ingredient. It adds a very bright citrus flavor to a dish without actually adding any juice. Please keep in mind that this dish is low in saturated fats, and could easily be made fully-vegetarian by omitting the Chicken.
As a Pasta this week, check out the Shrimp Bucatini a la Vodka. Vodka sauces emerged in the 1970's. The history is murky, some claiming Italian origins while others firmly believe this dish is 100% Manhattan-based. Anyhow, this is a creamy tomat sauce, with Vodka added for aroma and also as an emulsifier as the fat-based butter and cream combine with the water-based tomato. Try this one with a good Chardonnay.
For Dinner specials, don't miss the Crispy Soft-Shell Crabs, added to the menu by request. Yes, it's not the season but I have tried the frozen ones and they are pretty darn good when properly cooked. Also by request is the Shepherd's Pie made with beef, vegetables and potatoes. The Lamb Chops, Carved Pork Tenderloin, Beef Wellington, and Smoked Chicken all sound great this week as well.
At Lunch, we suggest you try the Carved Turkey Breast, the Baked Teriyaki Salmon, Pork Green Chili, Crab Cakes or Chicken Enchiladas.
We will resume Culinary Corner this week as always Mondays at 10 am in the Dad Clark Bar. We've missed the last two weeks and so I am hoping for a big turnout. I hope to see all of you around, but if not have a great week!
