In This Issue....
From the Desk of Doug Simon
Summer’s here and that means one thing...time to grill. There’s nothing I like better at this time of year than the opportunity to share a meal cooked over hot coals with friends and family. Since the weather turned for the better, I’ve had numerous opportunities to experiment with new ideas and new recipes and just share some great times over my favorite past time...food.
Grilling takes time, and in the summer months we usually have plenty of that to go around. I love a party, and I love being outside by the grill. So in the summer months, I move my kitchen out to the backyard or down to the beach...because it always seems that wherever I’m cooking, the party is sure to follow.
We spent a week at the beach down at Nag’s Head in mid-June. The weather was perfect. There was a great selection of ocean catch and shellfish to choose from at the local fishmonger’s. I always like to marinate my fish for a short while in olive oil, garlic, chopped fresh herbs, scallions, cracked pepper and a variety of spices suited to the flavor profile of the meal. One of the most important ingredients in my marinades is citrus zest. Usually I like to use lemons, but limes and oranges are good too. I stay away from the juices, because the acids will begin to cook the fish and toughen the flesh.
The beach is great for red snapper, grouper, wahoo, tuna, mahi and a host of other great grilling fish. And with a hot fire stoked by some mesquite wood chips, you can impart a great smokey flavor to the main course of your meal. Of course, summer isn’t the same without fresh local corn, and that’s great off the grill too. Recently I heard that you could soak corn in the husks for a couple of hours in cold water and then throw the whole thing on the grill to finish the cooking. I guess the theory is that the ears of corn will soak in some of the water, thereby retaining moisture when cooked on the grill. Since our grill was a bit small for all that I was grilling, I chose to blanch the corn for a few minutes on top of the stove. I finished peeling the husk and silk off each ear, rolled them in butter and olive oil and then onto the grill they went, just long enough to brown a few kernels and impart a rich smokey flavor to the corn.
To complete my meals, I love grilled bread. Big thick slices of a Tuscan style loaf, drizzled with olive oil and topped with granulated garlic and chopped herbs...it just doesn’t get any better than that.
So if you’ve got some time on your hands this summer, spend it at the grill. Sure, it’s work, but the reward is the great meal and the company you share with the ones that mean the most to you.
Happy Grilling!
Chef Doug's Lunch and Learn
If your group is interested in Chef Doug's cooking classes, please call him at 944-6775 or e-mail him at chefdoug@casinoatlakemont.com.
Here Comes The Bride....
Many beautiful beginnings have happened here at The Casino this spring and summer! Our professional service staff and chefs have helped couples create unforgettable memories of their weddings and receptions here at our beautiful facility! If there is a wedding in your future, or a rehearsal dinner or bridal shower, call Doug or Sue Simon for more information and a personal tour of The Casino at Lakemont Park.
We Take The Cake!
Casino Pastry chefs were called into action to work with Sheetz Inc. in celebrating the opening of the new 17th Street Sheetz model store. Pastry Chefs Shawna Reilly and Terry Wallace baked and decorated a cake for 400 with the Sheetz logo. For any special occasion cake, call Chefs Terry or Shawna at The Casino! 944-6775.
Summer Dinner Theatre at The Casino
Join Us for Dinner Theatre at The Casino!
Friday, August 6, 2004
$29.50 per person for Dinner and the Show
"GI Jukebox" A 40's Stagedoor Canteen
Written by Rick Lewis, Vocal Arrangements by Rick Lewis
Presented by The Tyrone Community Players
A revue that combines comedy, dance and music reminiscent of the USO offering to World War II troops, into a show that could easily entertain today's military men and women. The audience will be tapping their toes and humming along to such great '40's tunes as:
Jukebox Saturday Night!, In The Mood!, Mairzy Doats!, Serenade in Blue!, Moonlight Serenade!, Cocktails for Two!, I'll Be Seeing You!, Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree!, Dream!, & many more.
6:30 pm - Complimentary Hors D'oeuvres by The Casino Chefs! Cash bar available
7:00 pm - Salad, Dinner, Dessert and Beverages
8:00 pm - Show
$29.50 per person
Call The Casino today to make your reservations and dinner selections! 944-6775
International Internship at The Casino
Andreas Boswarth has joined the Casino Staff for the summer. Andi, a hospitality student from Altoona’s sister city, St. Polten, Austria is 18 years old and going into the final year of a five-year course of study focusing on the hospitality industry. Andi arrived in the United States on June 9, 2004, his first time in America.
Andi will be studying various work opportunities provided him by the many departments at The Casino. While his main focus will be on service and management skills, Andi will work with our chefs in the kitchen as well as with our office, management and sales staffs doing job shadowing. In addition, Andi is taking the opportunity to work with some other area businesses to get a feel for other areas of interest in the field.
We are glad to have Andi with us until early September, and hope that this will open the doors to future culinary and hospitality exchanges with restaurants in the St. Polten region.
Here’s What Our Customers Are Saying
The Casino owners, management and fellow employees are proud of our staff who graduated from high school and business college this spring! Many are continuing to wear their Casino and Snappy Chef uniforms through the summer months before heading off to school and plan to be back on staff during school breaks. Congratulations on a job well done! 
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E-mail: info@casinoatlakemont.com
Phone: 814-944-6775 | Fax: 814-942-5215
300 Lakemont Park Boulevard, Altoona, PA 16602