Give A Meal on Dec. 4 to Help Students Fight Hunger Insecurity

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Swipe Out Hunger, is a nation-wide program that collaborates with colleges to help put an end to student hunger and assist those who struggle with food insecurity. The Department of Dining Services and Community Outreach are collaborating with the Dean of Students Office to launch this program at UConn.

Students with a traditional dining plan interested in helping another student fight hunger insecurity can do so at the Give A Meal event:

  • WHEN: Wednesday, December 4th.
  • WHAT TIME: Swipes will be accepted at all eight dining units from 4:15pm-7:15pm.
  • WHAT YOU DO: Swipe in one time and let the Dining staff member know you want to donate a flex pass.
  • All proceeds will go to the UConn Swipes initiative.
  • Since its inception, the UConn Swipes initiative has donated $9,815!
  • PRIZE ALERT! Anyone that gives a flex pass on 12/4 will have a chance to win a $10 Dairy Bar gift certificate! One name will be randomly selected on 12/5 and contacted via their UConn email address.

I don’t have a traditional dining plan, how can I help? Anyone interested in supporting the Students First Fund with a direct donation can do so by visiting https://studentaffairs.uconn.edu/students-first-fund/. The Students First Fund was created by the Division of Student Affairs and is supported by private donations. The program supports students who have experienced unanticipated hardship. Your gift enables the University community to demonstrate the care and concern they have for students, reminding them that they are an important and valuable part of the UConn community.

 

Chef Profile: Susan Chang

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Susan Chang’s love for cooking began as a child growing up in Taiwan. With no formal education, she learned everything with on-the-job training. Her grandfather was also a chef and she recalls that he always had a stern look on his face since he took his work so seriously.

Being in family-owned restaurants has been the backbone of her culinary career. In 1985 she moved with her family to the United States where she was part owner and operator of the restaurant they opened in Nebraska. She then moved to New York to work in another family-owned restaurant, eventually landing in Storrs.

In 1998, Susan and her family purchased a restaurant in downtown Storrs and opened Chang’s Garden, serving authentic Chinese food to the UConn community for many years. Although Susan and her sister have since sold the restaurant, it is still called Chang’s Garden and in operation today.

Dining Services Culinary Competition

After leaving the restaurant business, Susan started as a kitchen assistant at UConn Dining in 2010, eventually working her way up to a chef three years later. She currently works as a chef at South Dining Hall where a variety of international foods are served. For Susan, food and family have always gone together and she often brings specialty/authentic foods from home to share with staff and managers. She takes a great deal of pride in her work and food, loves her job and says the students at UConn help to keep her young!

Get to Know Chef Chang:

Favorite Quotes: “Cooking is a craft, I like to think, and a good cook is a craftsman — not an artist. There’s nothing wrong with that: The great cathedrals of Europe were built by craftsmen — though not designed by them. Practicing your craft in expert fashion is noble, honorable, and satisfying.” – Chef Anthony Bourdain

“The way you make an omelet reveals your character. – Chef Anthony Bourdain

Cooking Philosophy: I love to cook and watch students (and others) enjoy the food I make.

Cooking Secret: Using pizza dough to make scallion pancakes.

In the Kitchen With UConn Women’s Basketball

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The UConn Women’s Basketball team took their team-building skills off the court and into the kitchen with members of the UConn Dining team. Chef Robert Landolphi (assistant director of culinary operations) and chef Ron Swiller lead the team in creating six recipes as part of a UConn Sports Nutrition Hungry Husky Cooking Class in the Dining Services Innovation Lab.

As the chefs guided the team through the creation of each dish they provided useful prep and kitchen basics such as: knife skills, deboning salmon, proper cooking temperatures, using a food processor, and how to sauté, grill and pan fry. To top off the evening the team built their own parfaits in martini glasses with black bean brownies.

The Innovation Lab is a commercial kitchen that includes classroom space and is used to host cooking classes and develop new recipes for the campus community. Throughout the evening, the team made:

  • Garlic Butter Herbed Baked Salmon with Broccoli
  • Sweet Chili Teriyaki Chicken / Sticky Rice
  • Classic Caesar Salad with Herbed Croutons and Bacon Crumbles
  • Zucchini Dill Fritters with and Lemon Yogurt Cucumber Sauce
  • Risotto con Parmigiano Reggiano
  • Black Bean Brownie Parfait

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Photos by Jeff Gonci – UConn Dining. Please do not reshare these photos w/out permission. (Contact ddsmarketing@uconn.edu)

Food Truck Returns to Fairfield Way Dec. 2

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After a brief hiatus for repairs, the Food for Thought Food Truck returns to Fairfield Way on Monday, December 2nd.

Hours have changed through December 13th.

Monday – Friday

11:00am-2:00pm

In the event of severe or bad weather, please call 486-4206 to check and see if the food truck is serving.

Food Truck news and information will now be on the UConn Dining Services social media accounts. Follow us for updates at

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

 

In addition to our daily entrees, we’re also serving up the following daily specials for fall:

Monday: Potato steak chips – Freshly fried potato chips layered with shaved steak, peppers, onions, yellow cheese sauce and jalapeños.  $6.99

Tuesday: Bacon Chicken Ranch Sandwich – A golden fried chicken cutlet topped with bacon and creamy ranch dressing. Served on a grilled brioche roll.  $5.99

Wednesday: Avocado Fries – A whole avocado cut into six wedges and deep fried, then seasoned with Kosher salt and a lime. Served with a chipotle aioli dipping sauce.  $4.99

Thursday: Turkey Club Wrap – Sliced deli turkey on a garlic herb wrap with bacon, guacamole, lettuce and tomato.  $5.99

Friday: Apple Pie Fries – Tempura battered apple wedges sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, drizzled with caramel sauce and topped with whipped cream. Tastes like hot apple pie!  $2.99

Cash, Credit Card or Husky Bucks

https://dining.uconn.edu/foodforthought/

A Sweet Year for UConn Dairy Bar

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From Game of Cones to making their own waffles cones, the Dairy Bar has had a sweet year! Congrats to the Dairy Bar, UConn Animal Science and the UConn Creamery for receiving the following awards and mentions:

  • Best Ice Cream – The Chronicle Best of 2019 Readers’ Choice Award
  • Best Ice Cream Shop – Hartford Courant – CTNow Best of Hartford Readers’ Poll 2019
  • American Society of Animal Science 2019 Big Scoop Competition: Lemon Ice Box Pie
  • American Cheese Society 2019: Our Chipotle Queso Blanco and our Green Chile Queso Blanco were recognized for excellence amongst 1742 products from over 250 entering companies. The Chipotle and Green Chile cheeses were awarded second and third place in their category, respectively.
  • Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame: Dairy Bar earned a spot in the Trip Advisor Hall of Fame for 5 years of excellence!

Making Headlines:

 

The Dairy Bar was also on the cover of the UConn Dining Services fall edition of UCuisine.

Check out the Dairy Bar scoop! Connect with us on social

Instagram @uconndairybar
facebook.com/UConnDairyBar
twitter.com/UConnDairyBar

https://dining.uconn.edu/uconn-dairy-bar/

 

 

 

 

 

New Raffle and Deals at the C-Store

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Enter online now through Friday, December 6th, 2019 for a chance to win one of two great prizes from Coca-Cola:

  • a pair of Boston Bruins Hockey tickets
  • a Fitbit Alta

Also, be sure to visit the Union Central Exchange Convenience Store in the Student Union now through December for a great deal on 13.7oz. Dunkin’ Donuts Iced Coffee (assorted flavors): 2 for $5! 

 

Enter here: https://dining.uconn.edu/ucx-entry-form/