Composting Update

The Blugold Dining composing program has been in effect for almost two years now. Back in January 2009 we entered into a partnership with Veolia Environmental Services and became one of the first commercial facilities in Wisconsin to offer composting as an environmentally friendly, waste disposal alternative.

On average, Blugold Dining composts about 18,000 pounds of food and packaging each week from UW-Eau Claire. This environmental effort will conserve space in local landfills as well as reduce methane emissions by turning food and other waste materials into nutrient-rich soil.

Remember to look for the green composting containers located throughout Davies Center and Hilltop Recreation Center. All food scraps (besides bones) and most of our packaging is compostable! We appreciate your effort in helping us reduce our carbon footprint.

Keep up the great work!

Another Successful Helping Hands Across America Event!

Blugold Dining wishes to thank all UW-Eau Claire students, faculty and staff as well as members of the Eau Claire community for participating in our Helping Hands Across America food drive on November 10th. As a result of everyone’s effort, over 3,800 pounds of food was donated to the Feed My People Food Bank in Eau Claire. The event was a huge success as the total surpassed last year’s event by over 1,000 pounds!

A special thank you goes out to the four faculty groups and five student organizations that participated on campus. The top faculty group for the third consecutive year was the Activities & Programs office and the top student organization was the University Usher Corps.

More than 14,500 individuals each month rely on food received from programs supplied by Feed My People Food Bank. They distribute more than 2,000,000 pounds of food each year to hunger relief agencies in 14 counties in west central Wisconsin.

We look forward to another great Helping Hands Across America event next year!

Middle East Awareness Week Starts November 16th!

Middle East Awareness Week on campus is quickly approaching. Starting on Tuesday, November 16th, the following activities will take place:

• The film “Reel Bad Arab: How Hollywood Vilifies a People”


• Middle-Eastern cuisine in the Dulany


• Panel discussion—“Middle East Exposed”


• Arabic music by Hala Dasouqi


• Screening of “Khuda Ke Liya”

Click here or on the image for more details!

Helping Hands Across America Food Drive

Blugold Dining cordially invites all members of the university community to fight hunger and help those in need in the Chippewa Valley by taking part in our Helping Hands Across America annual food drive on Wednesday, November 10. The Blugold Dining program will sponsor the nonperishable food drive all day in all campus dining locations.

All of the food items collected will help senior citizens, single parents, the working poor, the homeless, the mentally ill and others in need throughout the Chippewa Valley.

Last year more than 2,800 pounds of food was collected and donated to the Feed My People Food Bank in Eau Claire. We hope to collect more than 5,000 pounds of food during this year's event and we need your help!

Faculty, staff, student organizations and residence halls are encouraged to collect food as a class project, department or group. As a special incentive, the groups donating the most food per person will receive a fantastic reward from Blugold Dining.

Donations from the community are also encouraged. Those wishing to contribute may drop off their donations at Marketplace on the lower level of Davies Center from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., on November 10.

For questions or to register your group, please stop by the Blugold Dining office (Davies 227) or email Paula Stytz at stytzpm@uwec.edu.

New Text Messaging Program with Great Offers

Blugold Dining is making it easier than ever to receive great deals! We have recently implemented our new text messaging program, called myDtxt.com, where you can stay connected and receive exclusive, valuable promotions and offers through your cell phone.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to sign up at any retail Blugold Dining location. In addition, we will be offering a free cookie to anyone who signs up this Wednesday morning in the Davies Center Lobby near the Service Center.

We look forward to sharing some new offers with you!

SPOOKTACULAR Halloween Buffet

Join us if you dare . . . for a day that is sure to scare.
You’re invited to join us for the Halloween Buffet on Sunday, October 31st from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The event will feature:

• Haunted Dining Room with a Grand All-You-Can-Eat Buffet
• Special Spooky Kids Buffet
• Kids Activity Room with Snacks

You’ll love the Angry Appetizers, Scary Salads, Eerie Entrees and Devilish Desserts!

Location: UW-Eau Claire Davies Center, Council Fire Room
Prices: Adults – $9.50, Children (5-12) – $6.00, 4 & Under Free

Reservations are strongly suggested, but walk-ins are welcome.
Call Blugold Dining at 715-836-5261 to reserve your scary seats!

Double your Diner’s Club Bonus

Wednesday, October 27th is Diner’s Club Bonus Day. When you deposit $100 or more into your University Diner’s Club account we will double your bonus! For example, when you deposit $100 you will receive a $20 bonus gift card.

Just stop in the Blugold Card office to make your deposit and you will be given a signed deposit slip. Simply bring the slip to the Blugold Dining office in Davies Center, Room 227, to receive your bonus gift card. If you make your deposit online, please print off proof of deposit to receive your bonus. If you have any questions about the Diner’s Club Bonus Day, please contact the Blugold Card office at 836-4070 or the Blugold Dining office at 836-5261.

Give Us Your Opinion and Get FREE Fries!

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

Today we are requesting your participation in an important online survey about your recent dining experiences on campus. In return for your participation, a coupon for a FREE order of French fries will be available for you to print out at the end of the survey.

Please complete the survey as soon as possible! It should take about 7-9 minutes at the most to complete and will only be available for a limited time.

To log-in now and participate in this online survey, please click on the link below and enter the following 5-digit Log-in ID to begin the survey.

http://www.synovate.net/dining
Log-in ID: 84956

Alternatively, you may copy and paste the entire URL link into the address line of your Internet browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Netscape, etc.).

Should you exit the survey unexpectedly or accidentally close your internet browser, clicking on the link above will allow you to re-enter the survey and continue where you left off.

Thank you, in advance, for your participation and valuable feedback. We look forward to serving you!

Cordially,

Christian Wise, General Manager, Blugold Dining

'Cookies for a Cause' to raise funds for local organizations

From the UW-Eau Claire News Bureau:EAU CLAIRE — The Artists Series at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire has partnered with Blugold Dining for a new initiative called "Cookies for a Cause." Cookies made especially for the program by Blugold Dining will be sold at all Artists Series events, creating awareness of nonprofit community organizations while also raising money for a deserving cause.

Cookies will be sold before each Artists Series performance and at intermission for $2 (cash only), with all profits going to benefit the designated cause. The following organizations will be spotlighted this season:

* The Community Table will be featured at the Golden Dragon Acrobats performance Sept. 23. An Eau Claire organization that serves hot meals to those who need food and hospitality, The Community Table is a collaborative effort of local churches, the area food bank and many concerned individuals, businesses and groups. Each day volunteers, guests and staff share a table, coming together to build community.

* The Meals on Wheels program of the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Eau Claire County will be featured at the Pro Arte Quartet concert Oct. 25. Meals on Wheels serves people who are 60 years of age or older and essentially homebound; a spouse of someone who qualifies, regardless of age; and those who are disabled and live with an eligible older person. As well as delivering healthy meals, Meals on Wheels volunteers provide a daily check on those accepted into the program and get in touch with designated contact people if there is ever reason for concern.

* The Chippewa Valley Free Clinic will be the designated cause at the Dec. 6 performance of The Rose Ensemble. Located in downtown Eau Claire, the organization provides health services, medications and advocacy for community members who have no health care alternative. The clinic staff comprises six individuals whose hours are equivalent to three full-time positions, and more than 200 people of medical and non-medical backgrounds donate their time and talent to the clinic's cause.

* The Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association will be featured at the Feb. 17, 2010, performance of Michael Fosberg's one-man show, "Incognito." The organization actively helps Southeast Asian families become socially and economically self-sufficient through education and strengthening of relationships and traditions. Funded by federal, state, city and local grants, the association is also a member of the United Way of Greater Eau Claire, the United Way of Chippewa County and the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce.

* Bolton Refuge House will be the designated cause at the March 1 stage performance of "The Scarlet Letter" by the National Players. Bolton Refuge House provides emergency shelter, education, support, children's services, options counseling and legal advocacy to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

* The deaf and hard of hearing program of the Eau Claire Area School District will be featured at the March 14 performance of "The Hearing World Around Me," a one-deaf-woman show by Trix Bruce. This school district program provides a quality education for students who are deaf or hard of hearing in safe and accessible environments, empowering them to become productive members of society using their preferred modes of communication.

* Positive Avenues will be featured at the April 4 performance by TU Dance. A program of Lutheran Social Services, Positive Avenues is a daytime drop-in center for people with serious and persistent mental illness as well as homelessness. Emotional support, vocational and recreational opportunities, and structuring of individual schedules are available at this safe haven, located at 618 S. Barstow St.

"Cookies for a Cause" also will be sold on campus at Intermezzos (Davies Center) and Library Grounds (McIntyre Library) during the week of the Artists Series performance (or the week before if the event is on a Monday), with 25 cents of each sale being donated to the organization.

The Artists Series and Blugold Dining are administered by the University Centers, part of the division of Student Affairs.

New Dining Area for Hilltop Center Food Court Customers

Students and staff visiting the Hilltop Center Food Court now have a place to sit and enjoy their meals! The Dugout, located in the Bowling and Billiards Center on the first floor of the Hilltop Center, has been remodeled into a seating area to accommodate Food Court customers. The Dugout features numerous tables, lounge furniture, televisions and a microwave oven for guests to use while they relax and enjoy their meals.

The seating area that was previously used by Food Court customers was remodeled over the summer to provide an larger seating area for Riverview Café, which serves over 4,000 guests per day.

The Dulany Reduces Wait Time at Checkout

In an effort to improve customer service and avoid a long checkout line, we now ask that guests of The Dulany please pay for their lunch before being seated. This change in policy will allow our customers to leave when they desire and reduce the chance of being late to class or a meeting. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know.

The Dulany is open Monday-Friday from 11:30am to 1:30pm during the school year and features an elegant buffet created by Blugold Dining Executive Chef, Timothy Grayson.

Pacific Traders Opens at Hilltop Center Food Court

Delicious made-to-order stir-fries are now available at the Hilltop Center Food Court! Pacific Traders, a long time favorite in Marketplace, now has a second location open at the Hilltop Center Food Court. Guests may choose one of four proteins (tofu, chicken, beef or a weekly feature) plus a large assortment of fresh vegetables which are sautéed and finished with your choice of sauce. Pacific Traders at the Food Court is open Monday through Thursday, 4pm to 10pm and Friday through Sunday, 4pm to 9pm.

Meal Plans Begin August 28th

Meal Plans for the Fall Semester are open for students to use beginning Saturday, August 28th. Hours of operation for all Blugold Dining locations are posted on our website under "dining quick links".

If you have any questions about the Meal Plans, ask us here, or call our office at 715-836-5261!

Changes in the Hilltop Center Food Court

When the fall semester starts you will see some big changes in the Hilltop Center Food Court. When entering the food court you will see that it is now surrounded by a wall to allow more seating for the busy Riverview Cafeteria. Seating for the food court will now be available downstairs in the Dugout across from the bowling alley.
Also, Pacific Traders will be replacing Enzo’s pizza in the Hilltop Center Food Court at the start of the semester. Pacific Traders is a popular food destination in Davies Marketplace and will now be convenient to the students in the Dorms.

Dining Options for Orientation

From coffee and lattes to fresh salads and subs, and even burgers and pizza, Blugold Dining has something delicious waiting for you over orientation! Start your day with a fresh coffee or espresso drink from Intermezzos Café and don’t forget to grab one of our delicious pastries, made right here on-campus at our Hilltop Center Bakery. Once you are ready for breakfast, stop into Blu Plate Diner for a made-to-order breakfast.

For Lunch, visit Marketplace for a toasted sandwich from SubConnection, or grab a slice of homemade pizza from Enzo’s Italiano or try one of our many entrees at Blu Plate Diner. Marketplace also has a large selection of grab and go beverages, bakery treats and salty snacks. The Terrace is also open and features a number of exciting foods in an all-you-care-to-eat setting.On sunny days, visit our Brat Tent on the campus mall for a tasty grilled bratwurst, hotdog or hamburger!

Finally, for an afternoon pick-me-up, drop by Green Bean, our organic food market, for a quick snack or grab one of our frozen entrees to bring home for dinner!

Semester coming to an end

Spring semester is winding down and finals are right around the corner. Don’t forget we have the Riverview Midnight breakfast Monday, May 17th to help you fuel up for finals. Enjoy some scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, french toast, bagels and lots more. Riverview Café will be serving breakfast from 9:30 until 1am. Also, please make sure to check our website for hours of operation for finals week http://www.uwec.edu/dining/aboutUs/hours.htm . Some venues will be holding different hours of operation the week of finals. We are pleased to have had you with us this year and hope to see you next year. Good luck to all the graduating students. Have a great summer!

The Caf’s Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

Blugold Dining has paired up with RHA to put on a big Cinco de Mayo Festival in Riverview Café tonight! Join us anytime from 5pm to 8pm to enjoy some fun entertainment and great food. Riverview Café will be serving several items including: Cheese Enchiladas, Chicken Tamales, an extensive Taco Bar, Taco Salad Bar and Tasty Desserts.

For those of you that miss the Ultimate Baja here is your chance to have it again! The Terrace will be serving Baja Beef, Pork and Chicken along with the famous Baja Black Beans and all the mixings to make the, much missed, burrito. The Terrace will also have an Ultimate Nacho Bar with over 15 toppings. Come celebrate with us!

“For Some, On Campus Employment Provides More than Just a Paycheck.”

History tells us that during difficult economic times, jobs and the people that work these jobs suffer. This is particularly true as it relates to employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in our community. Thanks to a little-known partnership between the Eau Claire Area School District and Sodexo, a group of high school students enrolled in special education programming at both Eau Claire North and Eau Claire Memorial have been developing their employability skills on campus at several UWEC Dining venues.

The UWEC Work Skills Program has been operating in different capacities on campus for over the past decade. In the program, students from both city high-schools are enrolled in Work Skills and Work Study programs which allow them an opportunity to use knowledge gained in the classroom and apply it in real-life vocational experiences.

Sodexo known on campus at UW-Eau Claire as Blugold Dining, is a food-service sub contractor hired by the University that employs approximately 10 local high school students each semester. The students are hired in paid positions to supplement their workforce during the busy lunch rush on campus between eleven and one o’clock, in which they serve approximately 2,000 students each day.

Student workers hold a variety of jobs all related to food-service, including working in the dish-room, cafeteria dining room, serving lines, salad bars, and storerooms for both perishable and non-perishable goods.
The student’s spend approximately four class periods outside of school each day; this includes transportation to and from the University, a shortened class period on campus, lunch on campus, and most importantly working on the job each day.

Special Education/Transition teacher Tim Burns, who has supervised the program from the District standpoint for the past two years, has many positive things to say about the program. According to Burns, “This program is very unique within the state with its design and inception, thanks to the management of Sodexo. Many of our students work on the UWEC campus the entire year, without being identified by similar-aged college students as young men and women with special needs. Our goal is to introduce the skills to the kids in the classroom, give them opportunities to practice these skills, and then enter them into the world of competitive employment with limited support by both Sodexo employee’s and school district staff.” Before entering the program, students have held previous positions within the school or in the community to demonstrate basic work-readiness skills. Chai Xiong, a former participant in the UWEC Works Skills Program had this to say about his experiences. “The job at the University has helped me learn how to work as a team member. I learned how you can get more done cooperating with each other. I feel like I can do anything now and am happy I got to do this as part of school.” Chai has now moved on this current school year to a job at Goodwill Industries as well as an apprenticeship at a local automotive business.

Not only are the student’s benefiting from this experience, but so is Blugold Dining. From a business standpoint, the students are integrated into the regular employee schedule and are depended upon to perform. Thomas Sahr, manager of the Terrace Cafeteria in the Davies Center had this to say about the expectations of his high school workers. “As I often say, if I didn’t need the help, I wouldn’t have created the positions. We drive this home by requesting every effort be made to come to work; even on days that their high school is not in session (excluding weekends). Each person on our team is critical to the success of our operation.” Sahr also talked about the rewarding aspects of overseeing these young people on the job. “It is great when you are able to watch the students grow and mature in their positions and start to understand how to be successful in the job. The first few weeks the kids are quiet and seem almost scared. After a while, they finally learn that it is o.k. to laugh when the boss tells a joke.” The second reward comes outside of the confines of UW-Eau Claire. According to Sahr, “I really enjoy being around town and hearing “Hey Tom!” I look around to find a smiling person excited to tell me what they have been up to and asking what is new at “work.” It is great to hear all of their success stories and updates after they leave us.”

Sahr also mentioned that the most challenging part of this program has been creating an understanding at times with the customers. “The students have a limited set of duties with their jobs and may not always know how to handle every scenario. That’s an education piece for student, employee and customer. I, along with the district staff, work to put students in positions that will challenge them and help them learn new life skills. Unfortunately, not all of our customers (and full-time staff) understand the learning curve of high school students with disabilities. Although rare, I have received complaints about a part of our service. When I receive negative comments, I take it personally and think about how wonderful it is that these young adults are working to overcome barriers in their lives that our often beyond their control.”

Thankfully, the future looks bright for both parties invested in this program. Each year the program gets stronger with each group building off of the last group’s experiences. Sahr is hopeful that the program will continue to play an important role in Blugold Dining’s daily operations and in the school district’s vocational curriculum. Sahr also discussed how the school staff works hard to make sure the student’s are performing and learning life and work skills every day. Sahr says, “There is a misconception in the world that if you can’t find a job you can always work in food service. In today’s business and customer demands, you really need to understand how to work, be responsible and almost be intrinsically motivated. That is what this is all about.”

If you are interested in learning more about this program or having local youth help benefit your business, please contact Tim Burns by email at tburns@ecasd.k12.wi.us or by calling (715) 852-6394

Viennese Ball and Great Food

The 37th annual Viennese Ball was this past weekend and hopefully you were able to attend the wonderful event. The Davies Center was busy with beautiful gowns, music and wonderful food. Here are two great recipes for you try at home with an attached video of Executive Chef Timothy Grayson walking you through the steps.

Austrian Cucumber Potato Salad with Ligonberries
(15 servings)

3 lbs. of red skin potatoes peeled and diced
1 cup chopped cucumbers
2 ribs of celery sliced
1 bunch of green onions sliced
2 tbls. of dill weed
1 16 ounce package of ranch dressing mix
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp of fresh ground black pepper
2 cups of mayonnaise
1 cup of fresh lingonberries or blueberries

Place diced potatoes in large kettle and cover with water and boil for 15 minutes then drain and rinse with cold water in colander.
Then fold together all remaining ingredients and add berries as the final step and fold into mixture.


Paprika Chicken Schnitzel with Caper berries
(5 servings)
1 ½ Pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ cup of all purpose flour
½ tsp of salt
¼ tsp of black pepper
1 cup of dried Italian breadcrumbs
1 tsp of dried oregano
2 tsp of paprika
2 eggs beaten with ¼ cup of milk added
2 tbls of vegetable oil
1 lemon sliced
1 cup of German white wine
First pound the chicken breast covered with plastic wrap with a meat mallet until thin. Do not pound too thin that it tears the meat.
This in wide dish place flour seasoned with salt and pepper.
In another dish place the bread crumbs with the oregano and paprika.
Then place the egg mixture in third pan
Dredge the chicken in the flour.
Then dip in egg mixture.
Then dredge in bread crumb mixture.
Then over medium high heat brown the chicken about 4-5 minutes on each side.
Then after chicken browned add capers and lemons (squeeze some extra juice into pan) to be cooked for 2 minutes more and then add wine for one more minute to deglaze the pan.
Remove chicken and top with sauce. Can also be topped with fried cooked egg for Holstein style Schnitzel.

Mai Pham Thai and Vietnamese cuisine

Starting March 22 and running through April we will be introducing Thai and Vietnamese cuisine to The Terrace and Riverview Café. You will have the opportunity to try recipes from World-Renowned Master Chef Mai Pham. Check out Mai Pham’s restaurant, Lemon Grass, in Sacramento, CA and learn a little bit about her history: http://www.lemongrassrestaurant.com/index.htm Watch the Blugold Dining Menu page for upcoming recipes from Mai Pham and let us know your thoughts. If you have any questions or comments feel free to contact the Blugold Dining office at 836-5261.

Diner’s Club Bonus Day

Wednesday, March 17th is Diner’s Club Bonus Day. When you deposit $100.00 or more into your University Diner’s Club account we will double your bonus! For example, when you deposit $100 you will receive $20 bonus instead of the regular $10 bonus. Just stop in the Blugold Card office and make your deposit, you will be given a signed deposit slip to receive your bonus gift card. You can pick up your bonus gift card at the Blugold Dining booth, available from 9am until 12noon outside the card office, or you can stop up at the Blugold Dining office in Davies Center room #227 with your signed slip. If you make your deposit online please print off proof of deposit to receive the bonus gift card. If you have any questions about the Diner’s Club Bonus Days please contact the Blugold Card office at 836-5261. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Haiti Tribute Buffet

Please join us Wednesday, March 3rd for lunch in The Dulany for some Haitian Cuisine prepared by Executive Chef Timothy Grayson. Try some Picadillo Pie, Plantain Fritters, Johnny Cakes and Haitian Cheese Bread. Click on the link to see a more complete menu http://www.uwec.edu/dining/pdf/HaitiBuffetPoster.pdf. For every lunch buffet purchased on March 3rd, $2.00 will be donated to the Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund. Please feel free to contact the Blugold Dining office at 836-5261 with any questions you have.

Diner's Club Bonus Day

In need of a meal plan? Low on funds in your Diner’s Club account? Earn double the bonus when you deposit $100 or more into your Diner’s Club account on Wednesday, February 3rd. Earn $50 when you deposit $250, instead of the regular $25. This offer is only good for Wednesday, February 3rd so make sure to deposit money that day. You can pick up your bonus gift card from Blugold Dining office in Davies Center room #227. Feel free to contact Blugold Dining at 836-5261 if you have any questions.

Welcome Back Everyone

Blugold Dining would like to welcome all students, faculty and staff back to UW-Eau Claire! We hope you had an enjoyable, relaxing break and wish you all the best for a great spring semester. While you were on break we made a few changes. For your convenience, to-go containers will be available on the weekends until 9pm in The Riverview Café and 8pm in The Terrace. Also, Marketplace Food Court in Davies Center will now stay open until 8pm Monday through Thursday and 4pm on Fridays and Intermezzos Café will stay open until 10pm Monday through Saturday. Check out the dining Hours of Operation online at http://www.uwec.edu/dining/hours.htm. As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with your questions, problems or comments. We are here to serve you!

Cash Only at Marketplace

Marketplace, in the Davies Center, will only be accepting cash on Tuesday, January 12th and Wednesday, January 13th due to Blugold Dining upgrading the registers and campus cards. There is an ATM available across from the Service Desk for your convenience. Please feel free to contact the Blugold Dining office at 836-5261 with any questions you have.