So, things are progressing. As some of you know, Lora Hayden has left our team. I wish her all the best and success in all her endeavors. That leaves us with no Director of Dining, nor Assistant Director. The hero of the hour is currently Susan Jackson, Dining Supervisor from the Care Center who has stepped up to take a huge amount of work and responsibility on herself. If you see Susan, please thank her on my behalf-this is well above what she was hired for but she is impressing all of us and is still waiting tables in the Care Center. We have had several servers start, and are anticipating several more soon but of course training still needs to take place before we can really rely on those new hires and without two thirds of our Dining leadership that could take a bit. We will continue the nightly buffets for at least another week, hoping again to resume regular service in the first week of June. We are still offering menu service at lunch, and of course breakfast is the best deal in town.
For you Single Malt Scotch Fans, we have brought in Laphroaig to see how popular it is at the bar. Laphroaig is produced on the Island of Islay, and is very peat-forward in flavor. Not for the faint of heart, this whiskey is meant to be sipped neat or on the rocks for those wanting a full flavored Scotch. I recommend this with good cheese, smoked meats, and good company. We have a few bottles, and we will decide whether to keep this on hand based on your feedback. If you want to learn more check this out https://www.laphroaig.com .
For the time being, Wine, Spirits and Beer will be ordered by yours truly and so if you have a specific request please let me know. I can't promise anything but I do have a fondness for lots of different flavors and a weakness for Single Malts.
On Monday we celebrated Memorial Day with a cookout style buffet. Grilled Burgers, Bratwurst, Barbecued Ribs were all available as well as corn-on-the cob and Drinks specials.
Remember that we begin Tuesday Night Barbecues outside on the Pool Patio on June the 6th.
On Tuesday Night we have Carved Beef Tenderloin with Diane Sauce. Now Steak Diane is usually a tableside presentation with Brandy, mushrooms, and a lot of flames. Ours is simpler, but the flavor is delicious with the same ingredients and no danger of the sprinklers ruining dinner. Our Beef Tenderloin is CAB, meaning Certified Angus Beef. If you want to learn more about the standards, check this link out. https://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/
That same night we have Grilled Swordfish with Mango Butter and Orange Chicken.
On Wednesday, look for our famous Pork Green Chili, made even better by freshly- made corn tortillas courtesy of our talented Sous Chef David Meraz. If you've never had a freshly hand made corn tortilla you really owe it to yourself to try this. We also are offering Shrimp Scampi with extra garlic and are carving Pistachio-Crusted Lamb Chops at the buffet, with mint provided by our resident gardeners, and soon enough will be able to start harvesting our own from our herb garden.
Speaking of carving, visit the buffet on Thursday when we will carve Prime Rib, available any way you like with Horseradish and Au Jus on the side. Keep in mind that this cut of meat is not lean, every time we serve it someone tells me it is too fatty. If your slice has too much fat on it, please just ask the cook to remove it.
We'll also feature Baked Cod glazed with teriyaki and crusted with sesame seeds and Chicken Cacciatorre. Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian, and it is hunters who first ate this dish. In fact, it is thought that the first Chicken Cacciatore was not made with chicken at all, but with rabbit or other wild game sometime during the Renaissance period, so between the 14th and 16th centuries. Chicken Cacciatorre's simple but delicious recipe was likely developed to satisfy the appetites of hunters who may have been on the track of a larger animal or herd of animals for several days, and who needed a tasty, filling stew that could easily be cooked outdoors to keep them going. The spices used include parsley and oregano, which would have also been readily available to humble hunters. An interesting fact is that contrary to popular belief, Chicken Cacciatore did not originally contain tomatoes or tomato sauce, as tomatoes were brought to Italy from the New World later than it would have been made for the first time.
On Friday, our carving feature is Pork Loin Glazed with Honey and served with a nice gravy. Another entrée you should consider is our tender beef brisket, folded into a quesadilla with Cheddar cheese. And, don't miss our Lobster ravioli in a rich cream sauce.
Saturday's entrees include Grilled Italian Sausage served over onions and peppers, Carved Salmon in Pastry, and Beer Can Chicken. This means exactly what it sounds like, we take a whole chicken, insert an opened beer can into the only place it will fit and we roast it vertically. The beer steams the chicken from the inside as the skin crisps from the outside making a tender and flavorful dish, the remaining beer is made into gravy that the chicken is served in.
As a Vegetarian Option, we have an Impossible Quesadilla, and as a pasta we have Penne Bolognese, available at lunch and for takeout.
At lunch this week, look for Sweet and Sour Shrimp, Veal Scaloppini braised in wine, Lamb Chops, and Chicken Cordon Bleu.
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