Chef's Corner in the UNC Connection newspaper
Fall 2008 Articles
Chef Essig's Corner,
Featured Menu Item of the Week
- 8/25 - 8/31~ Welcome Week
- 9/11 ~ Cajun Boil
- 9/18 ~ Risotto
- 9/26 ~ French Dip Sandwiches
- 10/1 ~ Vegetarian Awareness Month
- 10/8 ~ Irish Boxty
- 10/13 - 10/17 ~ Chopsticks
(Did you like reading the Fall 2008 articles? Check out the ones from Fall 2007 & Spring 2008!)
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Event: Welcome Week
Date: Monday, August 25h - Sunday, August 31st
Welcome to UNC from Dining Services! If you are a new student, we look forward to building a strong and lasting relationship with you. Returning students, welcome back and thanks for choosing to dine with us again!
As the semester is set to begin, excitement is everywhere across campus! We see returning students, many familiar faces we have come to know personally, what foods they like/dislike, and how many trips they’ll take to load up on chicken wings! We see students who like their eggs cooked over-easy each morning, and we see the student who likes a little pesto and garlic in their pasta at lunch. If you are new to UNC, we may not know your likes and dislikes YET, but we are eager to find out.
We are dedicated to constantly improving our services. This semester alone, we have added over 60 new items to the dining room menus. For example, at the UC Food Court, we have a new station called “Souper Salad Bowl” where you can create your own salad or customize the soup of the day. We continue to offer “create your own” pasta and stir-fry bars, as well as new mashed potato and Mac n Cheese bars. These allow you to customize comfort foods in new and exciting ways.
Looking to start the school year off on the right foot by eating a healthy diet? You can find foods that are low in saturated fat, low in sodium, wheat free, soy free, dairy free, and nut free at The Dash at both Tobey-Kendel Dining Room and Holmes Dining Hall. There are many new, creative and flavorful items at The Dash this semester, so be sure to check it out.
On the run and don’t have time to eat in the dining rooms? At TK and Holmes, you can grab a Gourmet To Go sack lunch or choose your own hot to go meal with the Bear On The Run program.
We have multiple retail dining locations across campus to provide food and beverages to you in the places you live and study most, such as Kepner Hall, Michener Library, Turner Hall, and the University Center. Take advantage of these convenient locations by adding Dining Dollars to your UNC Card.
In addition to the services we already provide, we are now able to offer you a way to be more environmentally friendly. The new reusable UNC mug can be used in all 3 dining rooms in place of the biodegradable cups (Bear On The Run). Or choose to fill up with water instead of adding another plastic bottle to our landfills. Look for more information on how Dining Services is contributing to building “Earth Reveries.”
There are many new and exciting things happening in Dining Services this year. If you want to know more, have comments, or want to see what is on the menu for today, check us out on the web at www.unco.edu/dining. Dining Services is here for you because “We Feed The Bears” and are proud of it!
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Item: Cajun Boil
Where: UC Food Court
Date: Thursday, September 11th
Meal: Lunch, 11:00am-1:30pm
“American Regional Cuisine” is new to culinary language, but it suggests that regions offer unique and varied cuisine. It also implies America should be known for contributing more to the culinary world than Value Meals and Hamburgers. Regardless where you live, it is obvious that the true flavor of our country varies dramatically.
With all regional cuisine, food reflects past cultural influence and what is currently available to the area. For example, Louisiana is known for having a “flavor all their own.” Creoles and Cajuns are two culturally distinct groups that provide an interesting look into the formation of American culture, along with being terms used to describe Louisiana-style foods. Creole food is cosmopolitan, while Cajun food is about making the most of what you have. It is simple cooking, but it’s also good food that is celebrated with neighbors and friends.
UNC Dining Services is bringing a taste of “Cajun Country” to our guests at the UC Food Court at lunch on 9/11/08. Cajun Boil is regional tradition that involves gathering and boiling available ingredients in a spicy broth. There will be Sausage, Potatoes, Corn, Shrimp, and Crawfish!
There is an old story about how Crawfish came to Louisiana. After the Acadians, who later became known as Cajuns, were exiled from Nova Scotia in the 1700s, Lobsters yearned for them so much they set off to find them. This journey was so long and treacherous that the Lobsters began to shrink in size. By the time the Lobsters found the Acadians in Louisiana, they hardly looked like Lobsters anymore. A great festival was held upon their arrival, and they were renamed Crawfish.
Sources: Tom Fitzmorris (New Orleans restaurant critic), Mark Huntsman (National Merit Scholar), www.tabasco.com
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Item: Risotto
Where:Holmes Dining Hall
Station: Prima Pasta
Date:Thursday, September 18th
Meal: Dinner, 5:00pm - 7:30pm
Risotto, meaning “little rice,” has a long and interesting history in Italian culture. In its simplest form, the dish is toasted short grain rice cooked with flavorful broth producing a creamy textured yet al dente rice dish. Risotto’s versatility is attractive to chefs in many different styles of restaurants. By adding various vegetables, meats, cheeses, and fruits, the basic recipe can be turned into hundreds of new and exciting entrées.
To properly cook risotto, start by sweating onions in a bit of olive oil or butter. Toast the rice in the oil along with some garlic. Once the rice has toasted slightly, add a portion of flavorful stock. Continue stirring the rice until the stock is absorbed; continue this process until the rice has is cooked completely. The final product should be creamy yet slightly al dente. Creaminess is achieved partly by stirring the rice as it cooks which loosens the starch from the grains and incorporates it into the surrounding liquid. The rice is usually finished with a touch of wine, butter, and parmesan to enhance the final creaminess of the dish.
Dining Services offers Risotto at Holmes Dining Hall in the Prima Pasta station during the semester. Various types of risotto are finished to order with parmesan, butter, and wine, then topped with various ingredients and finished with a complimentary sauce. Join us for dinner this Thursday and try the Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto. Give this fresh cooked dish a try and experience a little taste of Italian history.
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Item: French Dip Sandwiches
Where: Tobey-Kendel Dining Room
Station: The Grille
Date: Friday, September 25th
Meal: Lunch, 11:00am-1:30pm
The French Dip sandwich is not French but an American invention originating in Los Angeles in the early 1900’s. There are many stories about the beginning of the French Dip. One states that as Philippe Mathieu was serving at the lunch counter in his restaurant in 1918, he accidently dropped the sandwich roll in some roast drippings, soaking the bread. The customer loved the sandwich and came back repeatedly. Another story states a customer complained about the bread being dry, so Mathieu dunked it in sauce. Yet another story states that a customer actually requested the sandwich dipped in the pan drippings. The key to a good French Dip is the Jus or broth/juice from a roast. When a sandwich is served “au jus,” it implies that it is served “with juice.”
How did it become known as the French Dip? Since everyone in town referred to Mathieu as Frenchy, customers would go into other restaurants and request their sandwich be dipped the way Frenchy did. Through accident, a short-tempered customer, or by request, there is no doubt that a tradition was born. I like to think that the combination was an accident. Many of life’s great discoveries and joys are stumbled upon by accident.
At UNC, we serve the Jus on the side and allow you to choose your dipping preference. Join us this Friday for lunch at Tobey Kendel Dining Room and enjoy a French Dip. You may find that it’s your new favorite sandwich!
Sources: LA Times Magazine, www.philippes.com
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Event: Vegetarian Awareness Month
Date: October (Wednesday, October 1st is World Vegetarian Day)
Fall is officially here, and it’s a great time of year to enjoy fresh vegetables and fruit, especially those grown locally! Being vegetarian is a personal choice usually made for reasons including Nutritional, Environmental, Social, Economical, and Spiritual. Until the early 1800s, vegetarians were referred to as Pythagoreans after the Greek Mathematician Pythagoras who disapproved of eating flesh. In 1847, the Vegetarian Society in England defined a "vegetarian" as a person who refuses to consume flesh of any kind. The definition is still true today but has been further broken into sub-categories of vegetarians.
- Lacto: no meat or eggs, but may consume dairy
- Lacto-ovo: no meat, but may consume dairy and eggs
- Ovo: no meat, but may eat eggs
- Vegan: avoid eating any animal products including eggs, milk, cheese, and honey; avoid using animal products such as leather, some cosmetics, or any product created through the use of any animal or insect
- Fruitarians: eat only fruit, nuts, seeds, or other plant matter that can be gathered without harming the plant
- Pesco/pollo: no "red meat" but may consume poultry and seafood (not true vegetarianism but has been referred to as semi-vegetarianism)
- Flexitarianism: adhere to a diet that is mostly vegetarian but occasionally consumes meat
As you make your dining choices this month, remember that Dining Services offers a variety of vegetarian options, fresh fruits and vegetables, and healthy options at every meal. Check out our weekly menus at www.unco.edu/dining or call (970) 351-FOOD for daily menus.
Information gathered from: North American Vegetarian Society, A Vegetarian Sourcebook, Nutrition-Information.net
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Item: Irish Boxty
Where: Holmes Dining Hall
Date: Wednesday, October 8th
Meal: Dinner, 5:00pm - 7:30pm
As the weather gets colder and days get shorter, foods that rise in popularity are ones that bring us comfort and warmth. The cuisine of Ireland has many dishes that fit the bill. We are featuring a selection of these items that are sure to not only provide you with a feeling of warmth and comfort, but also provide the nutritional fuel to keep you going into the long nights ahead.
Potatoes have always been an important part of Irish culture, but the reliance on them was not all through choice. In the mid 1800’s, rich land barons refused to distribute grains to farmers and the public of Ireland, reserving their supplies for export. When blight struck the potato crops and the barons refused to release their grain holdings, the population of Ireland was decimated. Because of the hardships, it has said a million Irish immigrated to the United States, Canada, and Australia. Within five years, Ireland lost a quarter of its population. The influence of these Irish immigrants played an important role in the development of our nation. Come celebrate the culture as you try a taste of Ireland this week.
Irish Boxty or “Potato Griddle Cakes” have long been a favorite in Irish culture. Combine grated potatoes with mashed potatoes, baking powder, and seasonings, and then cook until golden brown. We will be serving these potato cakes with hearty Irish Lamb Stew. Have the stew poured over the Boxty, and allow them to absorb the flavors. Enjoy!
Item: Chopsticks
Where: Tobey-Kendel Dining Room, Holmes Dining Hall, UC Food Court
Chopsticks have an interesting history and a unique set of customs. Developed approximately 5,000 years ago in China, the first set of chopsticks was likely a pair of twigs used to retrieve a morsel of food from a simmering pot. Around 400 BC people became concerned with conserving food and fuel. Pieces of meat were made smaller to speed cooking and quicker cooking methods such as stir-frying were adopted. This allowed chopsticks to easily make the move from cooking utensil to eating utensil as the new small morsels of food required no cutting.
Confucius and his non-violent teachings are often credited with the widespread use of chopsticks. Being a vegetarian, he encouraged people to exclude the use of knives at the dinner table because the knife was a reminder of a slaughterhouse and lead to aggression. By 500 AD, chopstick use had spread from China to areas of Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. When first introduced to Japan, chopsticks were considered precious and were used exclusively for religious ceremonies.
Traditional chopsticks are made from a variety of materials. Bamboo is the most popular because it is inexpensive, readily available, easy to split, resistant to heat, and has no perceptible odor or taste. The wealthy often had chopsticks made from jade, gold, bronze, brass, agate, coral, ivory, and silver. It was rumored that silver chopsticks would turn black if they came into contact with poisoned food but silver actually has no reaction to arsenic or cyanide. On the other hand rotten eggs, onion, or garlic may release hydrogen sulfide which can cause silver chopsticks to change color.
The type of chopsticks used varies from country to country. In China, they are usually made of wood, are long and come to a round, slightly thicker end. In Japan chopsticks are often shorter and have a sharp point. Korean chopsticks are short with blunt ends and often made of plastic or metal. There are many styles and types of chopsticks for different occasions and uses. In many countries each member of a family, including young children, often has their own pair of chopsticks with personal designs.
Here are some etiquette techniques we found on www.japanguide.com to keep in mind when using chopsticks:
- Hold chopsticks towards their end, and not in the middle or the front third
- When chopsticks are not being used and when finished eating, they should be laid in front of you with the tip to left
- Chopsticks should not be placed directly on the table; use a chopstick holder - the paper wrapper can be made into a holder if using a disposable pair
- Chopsticks should not be stuck into food, especially not into rice - at funerals chopsticks are stuck into rice that is put onto the altar
- Steer clear of passing food with chopsticks directly to somebody else's chopsticks - bones of the cremated body are passed that way from person to person at funerals
- Stay away from spearing food with chopsticks or holding them in your hand as you would a sword
- Do not point with chopsticks to something or somebody
- Avoid moving chopsticks around in the air and playing with them
- Do not move plates or bowls with chopsticks
- Avoid rubbing chopsticks together since this implies that they are cheap and contain splinters
Some people claim that food tastes better when using chopsticks. This could be because it takes a bit more work. Using chopsticks encourages eating smaller bites allowing one to focus on the flavors and textures of smaller morsels of food, raising awareness of how much is actually being eaten. Whether you are a master of these ancient utensils or have never tried them, pick up a pair the next you time visit the Wok at Tobey-Kendel or Holmes or the Stir-Fry station at the UC Food Court.