Hello! Welcome to November. I'll start with the bad news, last week's sudden freeze caught our bees by surprise. There was one colony that I was concerned about going in to the freeze and sure enough they didn't survive the weekend. When the weather gets cold, bees cluster around the queen in the center of the hive and vibrate their wing muscles to generate heat. The bees on the outside get cold and slowly move towards the center while the bees on the inside take their turns towards the edges. The center of the cluster maintains a constant 94 degrees but of course you not only need enough bees to maintain this heat but also enough food within reach-- I have seen beehives starve only inches away from food because it was too cold for them to reach. The good news is that this still leaves four healthy hives that are going into the winter with plenty of honey and good population. Losing a hive is not uncommon, it's part of beekeeping. In the spring we are planning to move the remaining hive to a spot closer to the ground, and of course we will replace the missing hive with new bees. I'll keep you posted as plans solidify.
In the Hive Market this week, by request check out the Arroz con Pollo. This is a Latin American dish that varies somewhat by country, but it is basically seasoned chicken and rice cooked with spices like Annato, cumin, and oregano, with olives and peas. Really good for a chilly evening and in my experience this dish tastes best when reheated.
The Shepherd's Pie is made with both beef and lamb, topped with mashed potatoes and cheese.
We have an 8 oz. Lobster tail steamed and removed from the shell served with drawn butter, and are also offering a slowly-cooked Beef Brisket with Barbecue sauce on the side.
Try our sliced Beef Tenderloin dish with red onion marmalade, Boursin Cheese, and toast points, and we're featuring a grilled Chicken Cannelloni with a generous portion of marinara sauce that I think you will like.
"But Chef", you may be asking..."what about sandwiches?" Well, I'm glad you asked that. One concern we have been hearing with the sandwiches is that the pre-made sandwiches are getting soggy. In the food committee last week a suggestion was made to offer sandwich ingredients. For example, we have portioned Tuna Salad, Chicken Salad, and Deli meats that would be very easy to take home and make your own sandwich, along with a Baguette and the Tomato or Lobster Bisque for a build-your-own meal. Try the large Shrimp Cocktail we are seasoning with Old Bay, The Caramelized Onion Tart, or my personal favorite- the Candied Bacon. Yes. This is bacon topped with brown sugar and spices and it is absolutely delicious. If you really want a treat, they are great with a bloody Mary.
At Culinary Corner last week, as well as in the Food Committee, a request was made for more Mediterranean Diet-style entrées, and so check out the dinner menu this week for the Grilled Chicken with Tomatoes, the Roasted Scallops with Cilantro Vinaigrette, and the Poached Halibut with Cucumber Sauce.
In the Dining room for dinner, The Soup of the Week is Tomato Bisque. Also available in the Hive Market, this is just a very rich tomato soup house made by our own Hsar Eh.
Our appetizer is a Grilled Beef Tenderloin Skewer with bleu cheese sauce. Just as it sounds, this is the tips and tails of the same tenderloins we cut the Filet Mignon from and it is really really nice with the cheese.
Speaking of Cheese, we are serving MouCo Camembert this week with pear chutney and crackers-- this is also available in the Hive Market.
At Dinner, check out the Almond-Crusted Sole with a lemon and garlic butter sauce. Sole is a very delicate and flaky fish, and this one is served with baby sweet peppers and mashed cauliflower. There is a new Chardonnay this week from Simi in California that is a great accompaniment to this dish.
Try the Grilled Beef Sirloin and Lobster Tail this week in the Mt. Rosa Dining room, served with Béarnaise sauce, Julienned Carrots, and Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes. Sirloin is a great cut of meat, not quite as tender as Filet Mignon, but what it loses in tenderness it more than makes up for in flavor, you really can't beat it if you like your meat medium or less. If you like your steaks well done, may I suggest you order this same special but ask to substitute a Filet for the meat. We will of course oblige and I think you will be happier. The combination of beef and lobster suggests that a medium-bodied red such as Merlot or Pinot Noir is best.
We think you'll love this week's Peach-Barbecued Ribs, with corn on the cob and macaroni and cheese-- always a favorite, the sauce is a Texas-style sauce with some of the tomato substituted for peach purée.
For our vegetarians, Cinnamon-Roasted Pumpkin with raspberry-red wine sauce, baby kale and of course quinoa pilaf for a complete protein. It will be delicious!
The pasta this week is Cajun Chicken and Andouille Sausage over Penne in a light cream sauce served with garlic bread.
For specials this week check out the Broiled Orange Roughy, the Grilled New York Strip, the Pot Roast, and by request, the Liver and onions.
At Lunch, we'd love for you to try the Carved Meatloaf, the Salmon Picatta, the Saffron Risotto with Clams, the Fettuccini with Grilled chicken, and the Lamb and Winter Squash Stew over Wheat Berries.
Please remember that you can now place takeout Orders online on the Touchtown app.
As always, I look forward to seeing you all at the Culinary Corner meeting Monday Morning at 10 Am
