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Volume 32, No.12 THE NEWSPAPER OF THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA SINCE 1979 ON CAMPUS P 4-5 FOOD & BEVERAGE P 8-9 CULINARY CULTURE P 3 BACK PAGE P 12 CENTER SPREAD P 6-7 BY: BLAYRE MILLER, BPS Culinary, Copy Editor WITH CONTRIBUTIONS BY: GIULIANNA GALIANO, BPS Culinary, Editor-In-Chief It was a breezy May morning;while CIA students were either scurrying around their production kitchens, serving a table or listening to a lecture, Editor Giulianna and I were on our way to an exciting event that warranted leaving The Culinary for a quick getaway-The James Beard Awards were calling! We grabbed our cameras and notepads, donned our dresses and heels, and hopped on the train, filled with excitement and no expectations! As soon as we arrived in the Big Apple, we caught a cab to Lincoln Center. The Center is home to the top Opera singers of the Metropolitan Opera, the most graceful dancers of the New York City Ballet, and the most skilled string players of The New York Philharmonic. So naturally, it is no surprise that it is also the home of the awards ceremony for America’s best chefs, restaurateurs, mixologists, wine connoisseurs, writers, TV Personalities and food industry leaders. The first task was to pick up our press passes. Let me tell you, having a press pass is your ticket to anywhere you want to go and it is quite the privilege. There were press firms there from all around the country as well as New York City itself. Giuli and I decided that we wanted to visit the area where the red carpet was set up, since most of the award nominees were arriving at that very moment. Each nominee and their guests had to arrive via red carpet so that the photographers and reporters could take their pictures and jot down their titles. The guest list was quite impressive, ranging from rising-star chefs of today (Nathan Myhrvold, Michael Anthony, Chris Hastings, Daniel Humm) and current industry leaders (Daniel Boulud, Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Keller, Grant Achatz, Charlie Trotter, etc.). Along the carpet was an area just for the press. We squeezed in with the rest of the photographers and journalists, each yelling like paparazzi at the nominees… “Chef, over here please! To your right Chef, just a second for me… perfect, great shot!” The raindrops surely didn’t prevent any PR manager from getting a great story. After snapping some pictures, we shuffled inside to explore the other areas of the event. We could see chefs, mixologists and sponsors setting up their booths on all three floors of the lobby area outside of the convention center. Chefs who had been previously nominated, along with recipients of James Beard Awards in the past, hosted the majority of the booths and the others were sponsored by big-name companies in our industry, including San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, Campari, Urban Spoon and All-Clad. Everyone was prepping, pouring, adjusting and perfecting their products for the night’s festivities. After our walk around the lobby, we swung by the pressroom for some James Beard-inspired drinks and some caviar snacks. We then took our seats in the balcony section of the theatre. The host of the 2012 awards was Alton Brown and he is truly as comedic and goofy on stage as he is on his popular Food Network show, Good Eats. The program was a grab bag of presentations, awards and video clips. A scene from a play inspired by James Beard himself also helped introduce the show. Awards were given out based on region. The “Best Chef” awards honored the most outstanding in areas such as the Mid Atlantic, Northeast, Pacific, Southwest and other regions spanning the fifty states. Then there were the awards for Wine and Spirits, Pastry Chef, Restaurateur, Lifetime Achievement and Humanitarian. There was also an American Classic section, which honored hometown restaurants that have been local favorites for many years. After the silver medals were handed out, it was time to eat, drink and rub elbows with some of the biggest celebrity chefs around. As we passed from booth to booth, we enjoyed small bites inspired by James Beard’s recipes and prepared by some pretty big-name chefs (Jonathan Waxman, Alan Wong, Duff Goldman and Angela Pinkerton). Some of our favorites were items such as Crawfish-Grilled Cheese, Crabmeat Reuben with Caviar, New England-style Clam Chowder with Cheesy Foccacia, and “Almond- Joy” Cake with Chocolate Ganache. Even better than the food were the chefs, who mixed and mingled with one another, sharing casual conversation and laughs. It was a little surreal bumping into Whitehouse Chef Sam Kass, or witnessing a conversation between Chopped personalities Ted Allen and Marc Murphy. One of the highlights of my night was having a conversation with 1998 CIA Greystone graduate, Duff Goldman! As the night drew to a close, Giuli and I rested our feet and gazed over the largest sea of celebrities we had ever seen. We sure were lucky to witness such a spectacular night! (Pictures of the James Beard night are in centerspread) The Culinary Institute of America celebrates the achievements of its students in many ways, but none are as meaningful as the commencement ceremony. For students, it’s an important opportunity to “show off” some of what they’ve learned during their time at The Culinary Institute of America. For parents and families, it may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become immersed in the unique world of food that drives their graduate’s professional passions. And for the college, it’s a wonderful chance to celebrate accomplishments and say “thank you” to both students and their families. With the implementation of the new academic program, which encompasses aligned classes and a progressive learning year, we have found a fresh way to provide an enhanced experience at the graduation festivities for all who attend. While the ceremony itself will remain the same, the reception/ luncheon will be expanded with the introduction of a “Culinary Celebration” model. At the conclusion of the graduation ceremony, graduates and their guests will be cordially welcomed to the Student Recreation Center, where they will find a showcase highlighting the college’s culinary best! A sumptuous presentation of fresh breads, composed salads, terrines and pâtés, interactive entrée stations, ice sculptures, baked goods, and pastries, along with a wide array of other culinary creations, will be served. The reception space will offer a variety of seating and dining options, allowing for comfortable table seating as well as the option for reception-style mingling between guests. All this, we anticipate, will maximize the social aspects of this celebratory event. The culinary presentation will be one of the capstone projects for students in the college’s Culinary Arts—Garde Manger class. Students will be showcasing their extensive education in buffet preparation and presentation during the Institute’s most exciting and proud time; graduation. In addition, the Baking and Pastry students in Contemporary Cakes and Desserts, Chocolates and Confections, and Specialty Breads will provide a selection of delicious desserts and international breads. The “Culinary Celebration” will turn graduation celebrations into an interactive educational time for our newest alumni and their guests. This new approach promises to be a lively, energetic, and unique way to bring families into the exciting culinary world that is their graduate’s chosen career path. In addition to the “Culinary Celebration,” and based upon the size of the graduating class, restaurant space will be reserved to accommodate graduates and their families for an alternate dining experience. Our restaurants will offer a prix fixe menu, which will include many of its traditional offerings. On Friday, May 18, some of the college’s senior administrative staff, including Tom Peer, Tom Vaccaro, Brendan Walsh, and Jen Purcell, met with Student Government Association officers. At that meeting, the exciting new graduation celebration model was shared and attendees were given the opportunity to ask questions and share their thoughts. The college is very excited to present this new program to our graduates and looks forward to sharing an event with that brings together hospitality, education, and celebration, for our guests. Details regarding ticket distribution and specific graduation logistics will be shared with students at a future time. BY: MARK ERICKSON, Provost, CMC

description

La Papillote Volume # 32, Number 12. Front Page: James Beard Recap, Mark Erickson Provost. Centerspread: Front vs. Back, Elizabeth Metlz...

Transcript of 05-24-12

Page 1: 05-24-12

Volume 32, No.12

T H E N E W S P A P E R O F T H E C U L I N A R Y I N S T I T U T E O F A M E R I C A S I N C E 1 9 7 9

ON CAMPUS P 4-5

FOOD & BEVERAGE P 8-9CULINARY CULTURE P 3

BACK PAGE P 12CENTER SPREAD P 6-7

BY: BLAYRE MILLER, BPS Culinary, Copy EditorWITH CONTRIBUTIONS BY: GIULIANNA GALIANO, BPS Culinary, Editor-In-Chief

It was a breezy May morning;while CIA students were either scurrying around their production kitchens, serving a table or listening to a lecture, Editor Giulianna and I were on our way to an exciting event that warranted leaving The Culinary for a quick getaway-The James Beard Awards were calling! We grabbed our cameras and notepads, donned our dresses and heels, and hopped on the train, filled with excitement and no expectations!

As soon as we arrived in the Big Apple, we caught a cab to Lincoln Center. The Center is home to the top Opera singers of the Metropolitan Opera, the most graceful dancers of the New York City Ballet, and the most skilled string players of The New York Philharmonic. So naturally, it is no surprise that it is also the home of the awards ceremony for America’s best chefs, restaurateurs, mixologists, wine connoisseurs, writers, TV Personalities and food industry leaders.

The first task was to pick up our press passes. Let me tell you, having a press pass is your ticket to anywhere you want to go and it is quite the privilege. There were press firms there from all around the country as well as New York City itself.

Giuli and I decided that we wanted to visit the area where the red carpet was set up, since most of the award nominees were arriving at that very moment. Each nominee and their guests had to arrive via red carpet so that the photographers and reporters could take their pictures and jot down their titles. The guest list was quite impressive, ranging from rising-star chefs of today (Nathan Myhrvold, Michael Anthony, Chris Hastings, Daniel Humm) and current industry leaders

(Daniel Boulud, Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Keller, Grant Achatz, Charlie Trotter, etc.).

Along the carpet was an area just for the press. We squeezed in with the rest of the photographers and journalists, each yelling like paparazzi at the nominees… “Chef, over here please! To your right Chef, just a second for me… perfect, great shot!” The raindrops surely didn’t prevent any PR manager from getting a great story.

After snapping some pictures, we shuffled inside to explore the other areas of the event. We could see chefs, mixologists and sponsors setting up their booths on all three floors of the lobby area outside of the convention center. Chefs who had been previously nominated, along with recipients of James Beard Awards in the past, hosted the majority of the booths and the others were sponsored by big-name companies in our industry, including San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, Campari, Urban Spoon and All-Clad. Everyone was prepping, pouring, adjusting and perfecting their products for the night’s festivities.

After our walk around the lobby, we swung by the pressroom for some James Beard-inspired drinks and some caviar snacks. We then took our seats in the balcony section of the theatre. The host of the 2012 awards was Alton Brown and he is truly as comedic and goofy on stage as he is on his popular Food Network show, Good Eats. The program was a grab bag of presentations, awards and video clips. A scene from a play inspired by James Beard himself also helped introduce the show. Awards were given out based on region. The “Best Chef” awards

honored the most outstanding in areas such as the Mid Atlantic, Northeast, Pacific, Southwest and other regions spanning the fifty states. Then there were the awards for Wine and Spirits, Pastry Chef, Restaurateur, Lifetime Achievement and Humanitarian. There was also an American Classic section, which honored hometown restaurants that have been local favorites for many years.

After the silver medals were handed out, it was time to eat, drink and rub elbows with some of the biggest celebrity chefs around. As we passed from booth to booth, we enjoyed small bites inspired by James Beard’s recipes and prepared by some pretty big-name chefs ( Jonathan Waxman, Alan Wong, Duff Goldman and Angela Pinkerton). Some of our favorites were items such as Crawfish-Grilled Cheese, Crabmeat Reuben with Caviar, New England-style Clam Chowder with Cheesy Foccacia, and “Almond-Joy” Cake with Chocolate Ganache.

Even better than the food were the chefs, who mixed and mingled with one another, sharing casual conversation and laughs. It was a little surreal bumping into Whitehouse Chef Sam Kass, or witnessing a conversation between Chopped personalities Ted Allen and Marc Murphy. One of the highlights of my night was having a conversation with 1998 CIA Greystone graduate, Duff Goldman! As the night drew to a close, Giuli and I rested our feet and gazed over the largest sea of celebrities we had ever seen. We sure were lucky to witness such a spectacular night!

(Pictures of the James Beard night are in centerspread)

The Culinary Institute of America celebrates the achievements of its students in many ways, but none are as meaningful as the commencement ceremony. For students, it’s an important opportunity to “show off” some of what they’ve learned during their time at The Culinary Institute of America. For parents and families, it may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become immersed in the unique world of food that drives their graduate’s professional passions. And for the college, it’s a wonderful chance to celebrate accomplishments and say “thank you” to both students and their families.

With the implementation of the new academic program, which encompasses aligned classes and a progressive learning year, we have found a fresh way to provide an enhanced experience at the graduation festivities for all who attend. While the ceremony itself will remain the same, the reception/luncheon will be expanded with the introduction of a “Culinary Celebration” model. At the conclusion of the graduation ceremony, graduates and their guests will be cordially welcomed to the Student Recreation Center, where they will find a showcase highlighting

the college’s culinary best! A sumptuous presentation of fresh breads, composed salads, terrines and pâtés, interactive entrée stations, ice sculptures, baked goods, and pastries, along with a wide array of other culinary creations, will be served. The reception space will offer a variety of seating and dining options, allowing for comfortable table seating as well as the option for reception-style mingling between guests. All this, we anticipate, will maximize the social aspects of this celebratory event.

The culinary presentation will be one of the capstone projects for students in the college’s Culinary Arts—Garde Manger class. Students will be showcasing their extensive education in buffet preparation and presentation during the Institute’s most exciting and proud time; graduation. In addition, the Baking and Pastry students in Contemporary Cakes and Desserts, Chocolates and Confections, and Specialty Breads will provide a selection of delicious desserts and international breads. The “Culinary Celebration” will turn graduation celebrations into an interactive educational time for our newest alumni and their guests. This new approach promises to be a lively,

energetic, and unique way to bring families into the exciting culinary world that is their graduate’s chosen career path.

In addition to the “Culinary Celebration,” and based upon the size of the graduating class, restaurant space will be reserved to accommodate graduates and their families for an alternate dining experience. Our restaurants will offer a prix fixe menu, which will include many of its traditional offerings.

On Friday, May 18, some of the college’s senior administrative staff, including Tom Peer, Tom Vaccaro, Brendan Walsh, and Jen Purcell, met with Student Government Association officers. At that meeting, the exciting new graduation celebration model was shared and attendees were given the opportunity to ask questions and share their thoughts.

The college is very excited to present this new program to our graduates and looks forward to sharing an event with that brings together hospitality, education, and celebration, for our guests. Details regarding ticket distribution and specific graduation logistics will be shared with students at a future time.

BY: MARK ERICKSON, Provost, CMC

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2LA PAPILLOTE

COMPACTLa Papillote, the Newspaper of the Culinary Institute of Amer-ica since 1979, is dedicated to respecting the mission, history and values of the college. Our primary purpose is to report the news of the institution to the students and other members of the campus community. We examine contemporary issues of the food service and hospitality industries to inform, challenge and develop the minds of students as they aspire to leadership roles in their chosen profession. We reflect the diverse views of the student body and provide a forum for civil discussion. Above all else, in our reporting and features, we strive to be accurate, fair, unbiased and free from distortion. Whenever we portray someone in a negative light or accuse a party of wrong-doing, we will make a real effort to obtain and print a response from that subject in the same issue. We will not plagiarize. Articles and features are expected to be independent assessments on a topic by an individual author. The views expressed are those of the author’s alone. They do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of La Papillote or its staff, nor do they represent the views or opinions of The Culinary Institute of America, or any entity of, or affiliated with the college.

FOOD REVIEW POLICYAs a valuable part of our content, La Papillote offers restaurant reviews. It is in the best interest of our readership to be honest, accurate and fair in providing information and judgment on these establishments. Reviews will reflect the writer’s opinions about the menu, atmosphere and service. Whenever possible, reviews will be conducted with complete anonymity. Permission from the restaurants will not be secured prior. All issues of La Papillote are available online, therefore, the critiqued restaurants, along with the public, can view editions at anytime on the web.

THE NEWSPAPER OF THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA SINCE 1979

Chef Freddy BrashDuane BrownJeanne CasagrandeDan CastroMark Erickson Anna FrostCasey Jankoski Eric Jeffay

Eric JenkinsLiza KassimMatthew KeenPaige KnowlesFrank Leake Blayre MillerAmie Valpone Josh VenneChristine Wendland

PUBLISHER The Student Affairs Division

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Giulianna L. Galiano

LAYOUT EDITOR Jacqueline Palmer

ADVERTISING MANAGER Sue Haug

EDITORIAL POLICY La Papillote welcomes submissions of work from students, chefs and outside professionals. The decision to print is based on the following criteria: quality of content, value of content to our readers, quality of writing, originality, objectivity, layout, and verifiability.

Besides the Editor, there are two Copy Editors who read over submitted articles. Major changes will be reported to writers before the issue goes out. However, any other changes that need to be edited close to the deadline may or may not be forwarded to writers. This is due to the fact of lack of time. It is asked for writers to trust the Editor’s decision at this point during layout. Please direct all submissions to: Giulianna Galiano, Editor-In-Chief at [email protected] POLICY Letters to the Editor may not exceed 250 words and they should be exclusive to La Papillote. In selecting letters, the editors try to present a balance of views. We reserve the right to edit for space, clarity, civility and accuracy, and will send you the edited version before publication. If your letter is selected, we will try to reach you in necessary cases to verify the letter’s authenticity, to clarify your motivation, to clarify your relation to the subject for our readers or to verify facts or sources. Letters to the Editor may be sent to [email protected] with “Letter to the Editor - For Publication” in the subject line. Please include your phone number.

CONTRIBUTORS

May 24th, 2012

From the Editor’s Desk

Editorial

Cheers! Giulianna L. Galiano

Contact our staff!

CHECK OUT LA PAPILLOTE ON FACEBOOK:http://tinyurl.com/fblapapillote

Jacqueline Palmer(Layout Editor)[email protected]

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Scan To Visit Our Library on issuu.com/lapapillote.

As the Editor-in-Chief for the last year and a half, I have witnessed the highs, the lows and controversial changes that have occurred on and off campus within the food industry. I have been fortunate enough to shake hands with Mr. Paul Bocuse himself as well as Wolfgang Puck, Eric Ripert and Thomas Keller. I don’t list these names to act pompous; I am highlighting them because I never thought a culinary girl like myself would have such a grand opportunity to socialize in these circles as a student. Being Editor opened up the door to endless career possibilities and I encourage everybody to be fearless in entering a challenging job, for it surely pays off in the end.

WhenIfirstreadabouttheEditor-in-Chiefpositionwaybackin 2010, Iwashesitantat firstandby-passed the studentemploymentemail.How would I be able to handle this work through wines and Associates? Well, somethingmademe go back to that email and fill out an application. Thatinstinct, in fact, turned out to be my future here at the CIA. I would like to clear up the actual job description as Editor, though, and persuade you all to realize whatadifficultjobthistrulyis.

In 2011, I made sure to set goals to make the newspaper more readily available to students as well as faculty and staff, showcase the newspaper online, support club events and create new columns with consistent and quality-oriented writing. I am extremely proud to say that I successfully managed a newspaperstaffconsistingoftheCIA’sfirstevergraphicdesigner,copyeditorsandphotographer.IpushedfornewrackstobebuiltinofficeswithinRothHalland I set up an online version of La Papillote through issuu.com.

I ask you to respect this next Editor. Running a newspaper is no easy task but it is full of rewards. Besides editing, I want you all to know that it is very hard to maintain a loyal staff that graduates or goes on externship every three weeks. The writers that stick with the newspaper are honored each issue for their dedication and commitment. There would be no articles without them! Managing meetings, organizing layout, directing writers, setting up events, making deliveries and meeting with faculty and staff are just the basics of this job. I credit the past and future Editors of La Papillote for following through with these tasks in a successful, timely matter.

The CIA family should support La Papillote and recognize how much work goes into each issue. I’d like to thank all of my writers, staff, supporters and family for their words of encouragement and pride. This Galiano left her mark here, in print. I extracted a humbling learning experience from this journey and wish the best of luck to our next Editor, Jocelynn Neri!

When I received the call that I would be the next Editor-in-Chief of La Papillote, I felt like I had jumped above a frigid pool, nose clenched and feet tucked, suspended over a blue abyss. It is time for me to finally take the plunge. I am appreciative to have the chance to convey the students, as well as The Culinary Institute of America’s voice as the new Editor-in-Chief. I applaud Giulianna for her tireless efforts and the quality that she has imparted into this newspaper and I advocate to continue with such passion.

I have many great ideas to uplift this newspaper and am ready to accept new ideas as well. I am lucky to be left with a great staff and lyrical writers. There are so many stories just waiting to be shared amongst the students and faculty of this campus and in the CIA community. I look forward to sharing the good word, as I hope you are all ready to hear it!

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3

Culinary CulturEMay 24, 2012

BY:CHEF FREDDY BRASH, CIA Instructor

FROM EXTERN MANUAL OF: CHRISTINE WENDLAND, AOS Culinary

I am an advocate of the farm-to-table concept, but I have so much to learn in that field. Yet, as a Chef, I know that good quality ingredients make the most flavorful food. Today, I will share with you these experiences.

My first farm journey in the state was to Sky Farms in Millerton, New York, way out on route 22, west of The Culinary Institute.

The owner’s name is Chris and I found him on his tractor tilling his land when I first arrived. Sky Farms is known for mesclun greens, better known as “spring mix”, a variety of salad greens that cooks use as a base salad mix. They also grow some of the best arugula that I have ever tasted (tender and peppery)!

As I walked around, every couple of feet, Chris would give me tastings of what was being grown. The first tasting was of a Japanese red mustard green. The taste was pleasant with a hint of spice, not too overpowering. As we came to a conclusion of our tour, Chris loaded up my car with samples of greens. I am happy to say that there are now twenty cases of Sky

Farms spring mix in the walk-in at the C.I.A. My next farm stop was Prospect Hills Orchard in

Milton, New York, where pears, apples, peaches, strawberries and cherries could be found. My mission was to have Steve, the grower, teach me about apples and pears. Growing stone fruit has been in Steve’s family for centuries. Steve’s orchard looks over a valley of many other orchards. Apples are not grown by seed, they are grown by rootstock where a branch of a young budding tree is grafted into the trunk of an existing apple tree trunk. It takes around six to eight years to taste some nice, juicy Macintosh apples.

We toured his pear orchard and I learned the expression, “pick them hard and eat them ripe.” Steve explained that pears do not ripen on the tree itself. Here, he grows Asian, Bosc and Bartlett pears.

With all the local talk about raw milk and cheese, I hopped in my Honda CRV and headed west on Route 44 to Millbrook’s Shunpike Dairy to be educated about cows and milk. Liz is the owner, processor and cow caretaker; she does it all.

The twenty-five cows were in pasture, so we decided to visit them. Liz has Jersey’s, mainly Brown Swiss and Holstein breeds. In the barn, there is always a calf that was born that week; sometimes their coats are still wet from birth.

I have never milked a cow before, but I had no fear! I bent down beside that Holstein cow, grabbed those udders, and the milk came out like a dream. Of course, the machine takes over from there.

You can buy the raw milk right at the farm and it is delicious (neither pasteurized nor homogenized). Personally, I think that raw milk is sweeter and thicker than the pasteurized version. If it’s spring and the cows are in the pasture, this also plays into the flavor of the milk. I sometimes buy the milk then make cheese in class on the days we do a dairy and cheese lecture.

To all you future chefs, it’s so important to visit our local producers of the food we use to create our meals. Sustainability; it’s the circle of life.

Artisanal cheeses are starting to become popular in the food industry. Photo By: naturalfamilyworld.com

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Mentoring during the Externship Host Program is all about new opportunities in teaching and learning, both by the mentee and the mentor. A foundation for connection needs to be set up and the mentor needs to take the lead. For me, the experience begins with the initial contact information provided by The Learning Strategies Center. The next step, in my model, is an exchange of information with the mentee. Typically, this could include an exchange of professional profiles, an email, a Facebook invitation and/or a Skype call, in order to engage each other in the dynamics of introduction. These are all great “ice breakers” that I use.

It is also my opinion that the “externship” experience needs to move beyond just the “training location.” The experience for the mentee needs to include a combination of opportunities. It’s called “Life Experience!” I begin this part of the mentor/mentee experience by arranging for an actual meeting. Before the mentee departs CIA, I gather their entire travel itinerary from them and arrange to be there when the student arrives at the airport. This solidifies the beginning of that foundation and enables an extension of it through this “first day in the life of…”. A familiar face and/or voice is always welcomed when arriving to a strange new place, away from the comforts of home. The time spent together at baggage claim, a meal upon arrival, dropping of the luggage at the mentee’s residence, a drive around the community and coffee to wrap up the day, provides a number of venues for the mentee and mentor to

teach and to learn together. During that wrap up period at the end of the day, I engage the extern in conversation to determine his interests beyond CIA. It is my belief that in order for the student to become successful in what they are about to experience, in a working relationship and connected to school. They need to have options and identify interests beyond food. It is my responsibility as the host mentor to introduce highlights and points of interest in the local community. I provide information about the local culture, arts, music, theaters, museums, the local culinary school, beaches, public transportation, etc. Without venues beyond the work place, the mentee could easily become depressed with a learning and/or living situation.

During the first weeks of the mentee’s experience I tend to leave the communications open and informal. Texting seems to work best in most situations. I ask that the mentee provide me with updates as often as they can during these first weeks. I then implement a formal electronic weekly reflection. The reflection is a formal overview of the week, which includes: Goals, Expectations, Reflection of Experiences, Positive Experiences, Humbling Moments, etc. What feedback did I receive from my chef at the extern site and how did I use the information to improve my performance? This keeps me updated on the extern’s experiences, without having to engage in active observation.

Bringing the mentee into my workplace is an essential tool for learning. This experience enables the mentee to learn about me and provides an additional

tool for networking with other students. My current student works full shifts at the extern site and has committed 1-2 days each week (entirely on his own) to attend and assist my classes. In the end, this will enhance the total extern experience.

Each new mentee relationship provides new opportunities. I don’t believe there is any “one set model” that works for all. However, a foundation is a necessity. Whatever it may look or feel like, it is important to provide a foundation right from the beginning in order to enhance the total learning experience. After all, as the host mentor, we know our own communities and we have the responsibility to provide a smooth transition for the mentee. I’m not suggesting that the mentee be “hand held,” but that nurturing and giving them attention is important to help them survive their time in a strange new place. The relationship of two words, “change” and “opportunity” become synonymous in their meaning when contemplating the future. “Change” will provide us with new “opportunities”, as new “opportunities” will introduce “change.” I feel it is my responsibility to enhance the relationship between change and opportunity for the mentee. It is my responsibility to assist the mentee in developing plans to set and achieve goals, form objectives and identify personal and professional targets. Teaching and learning are synonymous in this partnership. It is not, by far, a one-way street!

4

on CampusLA PAPILLOTE

Intramurals

The Intramural Softball season is reaching its half way point. The CIA Staff team is still holding on to their undefeated record and are currently alone at the top of the standings. 2Balls1Strike however, is not far behind with only one game out of first place. The second half of the season is looking to be a battle between these two teams for the best record of the season. On Sunday, May 6th, the annual extramural Hudson Valley Softball Classics match was played at the CIA. The CIA put up a tough fight against Mount Saint Mary’s but towards the end of the game , it all fell apart. Mount Saint Mary later went on to win the championship game against Marist, 4-0.

Intercollegiate

The Steels Intercollegiate Tennis team was named the regular season champions going into the HVMAC Championship Tournament at U.S. National Tennis Center on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Team captain, Kevin Bender and his teammate Pierre Mewissen, were doubles champions as they won their single elimination bracket in the finals against Cooper Union. In addition, Kevin Bender, Pierre Mewissen, and C.J. Miller were named to the 2012 All-Conference Team. With their doubles win at the HVMAC Championship Tournament and finishing the season as the Regular Season Champions, The Steels ended an impressive season. With such an outstanding season, The Steels head coach, Dennis Anderson, was named, “Coach of the Year.” Congratulations to the entire CIA Steels Tennis team! The CIA Tennis Team

BY: MATTHEW KEEN, BPS Culinary

SportS Brief

BY: FRANK LEAKE, CCC, CCE, AAC,Chef/Professor of Culinary Arts at The University of

Hawaii at Kapiolani Community College

Page 5: 05-24-12

ON CAMPUS5

May 24, 2012

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Bachelor degree students entering the program on or after June 18th will have the opportunity to spend a semester away studying at the Greystone campus. Students can apply to study either “Farm-to-Table Cooking in America: History, Values and the Future,” or the “Advanced Wines and Beverages” program. The semester away from the Hyde Park campus will allow students to immerse themselves in concentrated studies of these important areas in the hospitality industry.

What in fact are these programs being offered? The Bachelors “Farm-to-Table Studies” program is described as follows:

“The students who choose this concentration will spend a full semester at the CIA’s California campus studying farm-to-table principles in the heart of the Napa Valley. The program’s conservatory-like model, designed by Chef Larry Forgione, Culinary Director and Pioneer of American Cuisine, will bring together masters (star chefs), CIA faculty and scholars (CIA students). Students will have the opportunity to engage with American regional culinary experts including Dean Fearing, Thomas Keller, Wolfgang Puck, Alice Waters, Jasper White, Paul Prudhomme, Paul Miller, Mark Miller, Melissa Kelly and more. These interactions will be via visits, video conferencing and digital presentations. Students will source ingredients from local farms, fields and forest in the world-famous Napa Valley region and develop menus using the sourced ingredients. Students will present the finished product to the public at weekly “concert” dining events in the Williams Center for Flavor Discovery.”

In order to pursue the “Advanced Wines and Beverage Study,” you must be a Bachelor’s student (Baking or Culinary) and be 21 years of age. The program description is as follows:

“In addition to upper-level wine and beverage education, this concentration provides advanced principles of management specific to front of the house and details how to measure the success of a Service Delivery Model. This service piece, along with the business-operating component and the immersive Napa Valley experiences, makes the program truly unique. Students will learn from many top names in the professional beverage world, including CIA wines instructors Christie Dufault and Robert Bath, who’s a Master Sommelier. They will benefit from the Napa Valley immersion, expert faculty and resources while receiving Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS).”

The neat aspect of the Beverage program is that this study is concentrated in fine dining, front-of-the house service.

In order to be eligible for these programs, you must be a Bachelors student (Baking or Culinary), complete an application, write a 500-word essay, participate in an interview, and have your GPA reviewed.

These choices are an alternative to the Food, Wine and Agriculture trip and allow students to immerse themselves in their chosen area of study for a longer period of time.

If there are any questions, you can schedule one on one appointments with the BPS program coordinator, Duane Brown (’11) at [email protected].

BY: DUANE BROWN, BPS Program

Coordinator

CIA students Avida Johnson, Alexis Mantis and Stephanie Michalak have been selected to participate in the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX), a year-long, federally-funded fellowship for study and work in Germany. They were selected to be part of a group of 75 participants from more than 500 applicants for this unique fellowship program. Since 1984, over 1,600 Americans have been awarded this opportunity to gain cultural, theoretical, and practical work experience in Germany and these students will be participating in the 29th year of the CBYX program (2012-2013).

While in Germany on CBYX, they will attend a two-month intensive German language course, study at a German University or professional school for four months and complete a five-month internship with a German company in their career fields. Participants are placed throughout Germany, and have the opportunity to learn about everyday

German life from a variety of perspectives.Conceived and supported by members of the

United States Congress and the German Parliament [Bundestag], the CBYX program is financially supported by The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State under the authority of The Fulbright-Hays Act. Participants come every year from nearly every career field and from all over the United States.

The program is designed primarily for young adults in business, STEM (scientific, technical, engineering, and mathematical), agricultural and vocational fields, though candidates in all fields are encouraged to apply. Participants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents between the ages of 18-24 and have clear career goals and experience in their professional fields. German language ability is not required, but is strongly recommended. Interested applicants can visit www.cbyx.info for more information.

CBYX is a reciprocal scholarship program. While American participants like these CIA students will experience life in Germany, young German professionals will live here in the United States during the upcoming academic year. German participants study at US colleges in the fall and work in local businesses in the spring, all while living with an American host. CBYX for Young Professionals is currently looking for interested host families, host companies and host colleges who would like to take part in this exciting cultural exchange. Anyone interested in becoming involved in the program or hosting a German participant can find out more by visiting www.cbyx.info/host.

The CIA students will be visiting Germany on the

Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program. They will have the chance to

learn about daily German life from a variety of locals and professionals. Keep an

eye out for international scholarships. You can find

applications for scholarships in the Financial Aid Office.

Below are students Avida Johnson (right)and Stephanie Michalak (left) who will be traveling to Germany for the CBYX

pogram.

Three CIA Students Selected for the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program

Will Maier Press Release:

Photo By: allieabroad2012.blogspot.com

Page 6: 05-24-12

LA PAPILLOTECENTER SPREAD6

Chef JEHANGIR MEHTA Interview

BY: PAIGE KNOWLES, AOS Baking and Pastry

Winding along the paths and twists of US-101, we were transported, it seemed, to the depths of Narnia, or to the coast of Ireland. However, this was a short trek, compared to traveling all day. I was just an hour outside San Francisco, and who knew this was right outside the city limits? Interning here at the San Francisco Chronicle’s Food and Wine Section has been a dream so far, especially because my weekends off give me a chance to catch a break and explore.

A day that started off like any other in SF (Ha!), included riding on one of the famous cable cars (the only mobile National Monument in the world mind you), crossing the Golden Gate Bridge (I couldn’t have been more excited!) and making way into the rolling hills of Point Reyes Station. These days, I would venture out with a friend to explore, and it was the kind of thing that was right up my alley on a day off from food styling and recipe testing.

In this town, you will find that the same companies supply to a majority of restaurants and local markets. These folks are very local and offer their products with sincerity in how they are made, in the vision of their goods, and in the packaging. All of these companies

also have a very acute understanding of what the people here in the 49 square miles of San Francisco want as well, which are organic ingredients that are sustainable and have been treated in a way that their mothers would be proud of.

We were in fact headed to a couple of those very spots. The first was a tour of Cowgirl Creamery. Artisan, organic cheesemakers t are making just a small collection of cheeses that acquire much attention from residents here in Northern California. Four soft aged cheeses and three fresh cheeses are made consistently on the coast in a truly picturesque environment, think typical beach town where sand is replaced with the greenest of grasses. After being briefed on the history of the company and a little science, making us feel like we were back in Gastronomy class way back when, we were given a tasting of some of their products. I had had the cheese before, mostly in my journeys around the city picking some up here and there to try out, but it must have been the ambiance of it all, and the smell of it in the air that had me enjoy it that much more.

With the tour over, my friend and I decided to grab some cheese to go, along with a package of prosciutto,

the city’s finest sourdough bread, and other picnic pairings like fresh strawberries. We then headed to Hog Island Oyster Company.

With multiple locations in the Bay Area, the oyster farm in Tomales Bay ended up being a mere twenty minutes away and I couldn’t resist. With our accompaniments in tow, we headed on over. On the ‘farm’ they raise premium quality Pacific Kumamoto , Atlantic oysters, Manila clams and mussels to boot. There is a picnicking area that is designated to those who come, some with the whole nine yards of the checkered red and white table cloths, but others like us with just some snacks and our culinary wit. You can shuck your own, or start a tab and order platters by the dozen. I easily enjoyed the best oysters of my life right there on the coast line, feet away from the oyster pods that had been cast in earlier that morning.

My little trip an hour away was so much better than I could have thought it to be. I’m looking forward to returning to both, but looking even more forward to seeing the endless places I haven’t found yet. Stay tuned!

Jehangir Mehta’s inclination towards the kitchen was met with consternation and amusement by his peers when he first displayed the desire. But regardless, his family soon threw their full support behind his decision to travel from Mumbai to Hyde Park after his time at the University of Mumbai and the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering, Technology and Applied Nutrition.

He graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in 1995 and began his career at L’Absinthe in New York City. He also spent time in the pastry department at Typhoon Brewery and Jean Georges’ Mercer Kitchen, Pacific Union, and Compass. He has also appeared on Iron Chef America, The Next Iron Chef, Master Chef India, The Martha Stewart Show, The Doctor

Oz Show, ABC, NBC, and Fox News.Owner of two New York destinations, Mehtaphor

and Graffiti, Chef Mehta has published a book entitled Mantra: the rules of indulgence, after gaining experience working with desserts. He also began two educational culinary camps for children. Candy Camp takes place at his first restaurant, Graffiti, and teaches kids to appreciate and explore ingredients that they may not be accustomed to. The second, Gastro Kids After School, runs every Friday from 4-5 pm at his restaurant Mehtaphor. He has also been working with Whole Foods to put together a similar program called Kids’ Food Adventure.

Chef Jehangir Mehta fondly remembered an

instructor who he had while at the CIA, saying that, “he would do anything for a student, and he treated us with a great deal of respect. He was particularly helpful to international students, I was very inspired by him.”

A relaxed and gentle personality, the advice Chef Mehta has to share with students is quite fitting; always go into stressful or intimidating situations with a calm mind. Avoid reacting for the sake of moving: instead, give yourself a moment to decide what you should do. Simple as it is, that can be tough sometimes! But if Chef Mehta’s success is any indication, it is certainly sound advice.

The Culinary Institute of America has seen many of its alumni grow into successful chefs over its’ past six decades of its existence. Many may return to teach a new generation of eager students, or give lectures in the Danny Kaye Theater. Some may donate money or new equipment so that the school they loved may continue to educate the next generation. However, others display the ultimate gesture of faith and pride in their alma mater by sending their children to receive the excellent education from which they prospered. Luke Palladino did just this when encouraging his stepdaughter, Keara Wilson, to attend the CIA as her interest in Baking and Pastry grew from a hobby to a passion. Their separate vantage points, Keara as a new student and Luke as an alumni, intersect at a point of mutual admiration for all that is possible at The Culinary Institute of America – a testament to the school’s ability to continually offer the best to its students.

Voted “Most Likely to Succeed” by his graduating class of 1989, Luke Palladino left The Culinary Institute with a sharpened set of skills and a hunger to learn more. Since then, he has cooked his way through some of Italy’s best restaurants and served as an executive chef in Las Vegas, Aspen and Atlantic City. Finally, Palladino now operates his own self-named restaurant in Northfield, New Jersey. The thirty-seat trattoria serves traditional, comfortable Italian food, just like he learned in Italy, but with a dash of his own modern twist. Keara described her stepfather’s cooking style as, “delicious feel-good food with everything in its natural form,” which seems to fit perfectly with his philosophy on food. While working in Italy after graduation, Palladino was exposed to the strident flavor discrepancies between

fresh-picked and fresh bought from the supermarket produce. As a result of this significant experience, he has cultivated relationships with about thirty different farmers in South Jersey in order to present the best possible ingredients to his customers. Naturally, the menu changes frequently, based on seasonality and availability of produce, creating a sense of spontaneity in Palladino’s restaurant – an element he also learned to appreciate in Italy.

Keara grew up around food, from a young age she remembers her parents frequently cooking and baking with fresh ingredients from their garden. When her mother remarried to Luke Palladino, he was working as an Executive Chef and she remembers always “being spoiled by good food.” Over the years, she often helped Luke cook at home. The summer that Luke Palladino opened, Keara assisted with management, immersing herself in the restaurant world. Upon returning to the college she attended as a psychology major, Keira quickly realized she would rather be back in the restaurant. Luke had a great influence on Keara’s decision to pursue a career in Baking and Pastry, even though he remarked that he was surprised when she relayed her plans to him. Being raised by a chef, especially one as dedicated and hard-working as Palladino, leaves very little room for unrealistic fantasies about this industry. With this clear perspective in mind, Keara spent a year working in the kitchen of Luke Palladino in order to be sure about her path and to gain more experience before beginning classes. The ability to learn and experiment during this time, encouraged by her stepfather who eagerly fosters her passion for food, solidified Keara’s confidence in her change of course. Her favorite things to make are biscotti and gelato, which she frequently

explored at Luke’s restaurant. Although she embraces pastry more easily than savory, Keara also greatly enjoys making fresh pasta. Her style of cooking is similar to Luke’s with a large appetite for farm fresh produce, but while she loves and is influenced by the Italian cooking Luke adores, she also pulls inspiration from other countries, such as France. Hoping to travel after finishing the program here, she looks forward to exploring other cuisines on her own terms, just as Palladino did in Italy almost two decades ago.

Once Keara decided to pursue a culinary education, the choice of school was simple. She visited this school frequently before graduating high school and recalls, “it was beautiful, I always called it Disneyland.” A fairly accurate picture of the school in the eyes of a future chef – the CIA offers so many opportunities and chances to learn almost anything one desires. Keara is savoring her time here, investing herself in both the Baking Fundamentals and academic classes. Her first couple months here have excited her for all that is to come, while she is still in the beginning of her first semester, she is already thirstily exploring externship options. Luke holds an equally exalted view of the CIA, calling it the “Mecca” of the food world. Foodies pilgrimage to eat or take classes, chefs come together and create new ideas, and there is a mix of the old and new world that you cannot find anywhere else, making the CIA special. Palladino said that while he attended school here, there was not a day of class that he missed; his work ethic at school laid the groundwork for his positive and determined attitude that he carries with him in his career. Impressed with the emphasis on discipline, hard work and the chef’s encouragement to always push yourself, he describes his time at the CIA as some of the best years of his life.

BY: ANNA FROST, AOS Baking and Pastry

BY: STEPHANIE KIRKLAND, AOS Culinary

and

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7May 24, 2012

When in the kitchen, our enemy is not the gluten-free vegan on table twenty-three, not Chef breathing down our backs, and not the unending noise of the ticket printer. It’s those airheads in front of house, right? Asking “what is this again?” as they’re walking out the door with it, sneaking bites of our mise en place, treating work like social hour, always gossiping and laughing. When in the dining room, naturally our enemy is the back of house. Rushing us to get the orders into the kitchen and acting superior, like they are the real brains of the operation, not taking us seriously because we don’t work in front of a scorching hot oven or have burns up and down our arms. This ever-present yet mostly silent feud between front and back of house became incredibly apparent to me since my AOS graduation last year. I recently started a serving job and naturally gravitated toward the kitchen, wanting to get to know Chef and his crew instead of my fellow servers. But the cooks were not having it! I wanted them to know that I’m really “one of them”, but even after they knew about my culinary background, not much changed. According to them, I’ve “crossed over” to the other side. What caused this great divide? A multitude of reasons, based on the fundamental differences between chefs and servers. There are two entirely different mentalities and personalities in front and back of house. For starters, those in front of house have natural abilities in social situations, while many back of house workers would sooner die than greet a table. Furthermore, many cooks and chefs have invested money in culinary school or had some type of vocational training. The opposite is true for front of house employees. Lots of chefs grow up dreaming of becoming chefs. How many servers can say they dreamed of waiting tables? In addition, it is common for servers to have day jobs and see serving as a means to get extra money. When it

comes to cooks and chefs, their careers are in the restaurants—there is no other job, and so they’re forced to take it more seriously. I daresay that another factor in the feud is bit of resentment in back of house. When a restaurant is busy, servers can make a lot of money, while cooks… do not. And maybe I’m out of touch, but I’ve never heard of someone doing a true stage (months long, unpaid, grunt work) for front of house. Until recently, staging was the only way to get into a restaurant worth working at. Also, servers get to wear nice uniforms and work in climate-controlled environments. But I propose the bulk of the divide stems from a combination of two things. One: since front and back of house want to please the customer so much, sometimes we make the opposing side suffer a little bit. For example, we had a party of twelve order one of every entrée, wanted them all at once, and were going to share everything. Five minutes before we were ready to plate, the host of the party asked the server if they could course it out. We had to slam on the breaks on everything in the kitchen, and did what we could to send only one and two entrees with a decent amount of time in between. Two: immaturity and selfishness. We tend to look out for ourselves, and when the other side makes a mistake, instead of just dealing with it, we get all bent out of shape. In high pressure situations, no matter how controlled the chaos is, emotions run high. Egos run even higher. Instead of getting mad at the customer, we get peeved at the other side. So what do we do? What else can we do but suck it up and deal? So what if a server forgot to put “SOS” on the ticket? It doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is making it right for the customer. Communicate honestly and directly with your “enemy”. Don’t belittle the other side. And maybe we can turn the feud into a friendly one.

If you go to one of the many Mario Batali or Lidia and Joe Bastianich restaurants, you are enticed by the decadence of the food, the romantic aura of the dining room and the vast wine selection. Next time you dine at one of these fine Italian establishments, use a keener eye because that is not all that this large restaurant group stands for. Not only are these restaurants feeding the appetite of food-lovers, they are also enticing those who are for the green movement. As Elizabeth Meltz has put it, “all of our restaurants are Certified Green restaurants or are currently in the process of being Green Certified…for the past six years we have been promoting and going through with this certification process.” With eighteen establishments, including the famed Eataly, that is no small task. However, Meltz, Director of Food Safety and Sustainability, is accomplishing big things for this hospitality enterprise. Starting in the prep kitchens of Batali’s restaurants, Meltz soon realized her need to advocate sustainability for Batali and Bastianich after working under Mark Ladner of Del Posto. “I was a line cook for a number of years, my last job as a line cook was at Del Posto, which is Mario and Joe’s four star restaurant on the West Side. They had just opened at the time and I had developed a really great relationship with the Executive Chef, Mark Ladner. He was very creative and forward thinking. He had already been doing things like composting and recycling.”

You can see how attentive they have been about using the best and the freshest ingredients throughout the history of this group, but for the past six years they have advocated a new level of quality, which concerns our planet’s future. Meltz saw this opportunity coming and decided to fill in the holes where she sees fit. Whether it is looking into a new environmentally friendly cleaning system, arranging Green Certifications, looking for sustainable food sources and making sure that all the restaurants are making an effort to use sustainable practices, Meltz organizes and implements it all. To save energy, the Batali and Bastianich group is currently using low-flow water systems, LED lighting and energy efficient refrigerators. The group has also refrained from using bottled water in all of the restaurants and the chef’s do their part by sourcing food from local purveyors. This effort has become an entire entity and soon Meltz hopes to begin measuring just how much their efforts have been doing to save the planet.

Meltz doesn’t stop there, though. Her job entitles much more. She is the head of the Batali and Bastianich Food Safety Program. These two jobs tend to coincide with one another, “they are more similar then you think. The baseline involves compliance; if you say you are saving water, you have to save water and you have to make sure the systems are in place. Food safety is just the same…if you’re researching a new technology that washes dishes without using soap, you need to make sure that the health department is going to be okay with the technology as well.”

Though her job is very demanding, Meltz finds it equally rewarding. She has helped advocate a new future for this restaurant group and has her eyes open for even more to come. The word inspired comes to mind when you analyze the line of work Meltz does on a daily basis. It gives one peace of mind to know that there are many out there looking forward to a brighter future.

BY: JEANNE CASAGRANDE, AOS Culinary Alumna

BY: JOCELYNN NERI, BPS Culinary

Chef Thomas Keller on the James Beard red carpet. Photo By: Giulianna Galiano

Crab Reuben Sandwiches after the ceremony. Photo By: Giulianna Galiano

CIA students with Ted Allen from the Food Network. Photo By: Giulianna Galiano

Page 8: 05-24-12

8LA PAPILLOTE

Food &

Foraging has become wildly popular over the past few years. In places like the Hudson Valley, there are lots of outlets to practice this exciting and rewarding hobby. Stumbling across a patch of morels could be more valuable than finding a one hundred dollar bill to most culinarians. At this time of the year, the ramp craze sets in. Almost every restaurant with a seasonal philosophy and a local outlet has ramps on the menu in some fashion, from charcuterie plates to gin cocktail garnishes. But most foragers and some commercial harvesters don’t know a lot about how to sustainably and safely forage for ramps. Many crops once grew as wild as ramps do today, such as American ginseng, Mayapple, and Goldenseal. Over-foraging has caused populations like these to basically cease self production in some areas. Just as the colonists thought oyster beds were endlessly plentiful when they settled in America, many consumers and foragers believe that ramps will always be around for their taking. Thus, the ramp population may be destroyed before it ever has a chance to seed new generations. This is due mostly to the average forager just not understanding the situation, and commercial purveyors either being ignorant or just plain greedy.

Lawrence Davis-Hollander, an ethnobotonist and author, estimates the following: harvesting 5% of a patch of ramps can take up to two years to recover, harvesting 25% could take 10 years, and harvesting 90% could take about 100 years to fully recover. Anyone that has gone foraging knows that entire patches are carelessly wiped out daily. If people are walking out of the woods with five pounds of ramps every few days, then there is no way this isn’t harmful to the wild leek population and our environment as a whole. With warm weather starting so early this year, ramps have sprouted up faster than ever before. It is surely not the best idea to abuse the ramp population by harvesting trash bags full of them and (illegally) soliciting sales to local restaurants. How many pounds go unsold and rot? How many sit in the fridge awaiting consumption until wilted? How many ramps can one human eat in a few days? In addition to improper and over-foraging, some botanists are also concerned with the disturbance of woodland areas containing wild edibles, and say they are being trampled and ravished.

Places like New York City have already taken action against foraging in Central Park. With the increased knowledge of edible wild plants, everyday consumers could be tempering with the natural order of the ecosystem. Some say certain animals’ diets may suffer, while many are against these types of rules.

Many foragers say if it is in the wild, they should be able to take it and use it how they please. Besides for the average consumers potentially not knowing which plants may be toxic, what about depleting a species (animal or plant) from one location completely?

Imagine if ramps became a memory of the past. While it is great to use local ingredients in specific seasons, it is not worth decimating the population for decades to come. The entire idea of foraging would be worthless if populations were temporary. Please,

before wiping an entire bed of ramps out this spring, do a couple hours of research and educate yourself on an effective and sustainable way to harvest. The future culinarians of the industry we love so much will be thankful. Although I love these unique seasonal offerings as much as the next cook, I am not willing to take that away from cooks a few years before our footsteps. And I don’t think any cook or commercial harvester has the right to do so either. Spreading the word and using these few tips can help us sustain the ramp population for generations to come.

How you can help as a forager/consumer:-Harvest 20% of the leaves only and leave the bulbs

intact.-Only harvest larger, mature plants.

-Make sure to harvest a patch only once during a season.

-Don’t order food that contains the bulb of ramps. -Tell people about your concern for ramps, especially

chefs.-Limit personal ramp consumption.

Sources:http://www.grit.com, http://www.nytimes.com,

http://www.iberkshires.com

Ramps = Spring.Photo By: earthydelightsblog.com

BY: JOSH VENNE, BPS Culinary

BY: ERIC JEFFAY, BPS Culinary, Senior Food Writer

While only a five-minute drive from the CIA, downtown Poughkeepsie seems like a world away. The idyllically peaceful nature of the Institute’s Hudson River views stands in stark contrast to the gang violence and drug trafficking scenes that have, in the past decade, plagued Poughkeepsie’s streets. Fortunately, this reputation is changing and Poughkeepsie is staging a comeback with restaurants at the forefront. In fact, within the past five years, Bull and Buddha, Karma Lounge, and Brasserie 292 have joined the Artist’s Palate on Main Street to create a somewhat out of place fine dining oasis.

Arguably garnering the most attention is Brasserie 292, which, while hardly an original concept, continues the ongoing trend of casual French bistros. This trend was popularized in the late ‘90s by Balthazar, a New York City restaurant and bakery. The scene is virtually duplicated in Poughkeepsie at Brasserie.

Thankfully, the Poughkeepsie restaurant does justice to its archetype. The ambiance is markedly metro-chic, with subway tiled walls, black and white flooring and brass railings throughout. The space is small and even cramped on a busy night, though the restaurant was designed to give a sense of openness and grandiose. Obviously designed to provide for the most tables for the space, the floor plan creates tables packed together very closely. Happily, on the night I ate, our table neighbors had showered.

Brasserie 292 serves lunch and dinner, along with a well-known Sunday Brunch. The lunch and brunch menus are markedly unpretentious, offering upscale versions of ham and cheese, steak sandwiches, and eggs benedict. For dinner, though, the chef ups the bar.

The menu includes well-made versions of common French American classics; the French Onion Soup is a near perfect expression of the ever-present dish. The version at Brasserie is the classic rich, hearty broth, topped with a thyme, gruyere crouton which provides an herbal, cheesy foil to the soup.

Executive Chef Dan Crocco does not stop there, though. The entrée section includes a fantastic version of the French Moules Frites, or Mussels with Fries as Brasserie calls it, which is made with tasso ham and leeks. The ham gives a slight kick to the broth that brings out the flavors of the dish without masking the mussels. The fries are also nearly perfect, piled high and bracingly crisp.

The one thing that Brasserie 292 most clearly excels in is consistently well-executed food. The salmon on a recent night was perfectly done, reaching a heavenly, almost unattainable level of fish cookery. The accompaniments left something to be desired, though, with barely any of the delicious sounding lemon caper vinaigrette on the dish.

Fortunately, I was again transported to a celestial

level, trying the Spring Risotto with Truffle Oil that was a pure expression of spring. Skeptic that the truffle oil would mask the asparagus, peas, and leeks I was pleasantly surprised at how clearly the vegetables shone through with the truffle simply elevating the dish.

The desserts at Brasserie 292 are more hit or miss, with both stunners and disappointments. The Tarte Tatin was the latter, with a somewhat bizarre savory quality that betrayed its delicious, well-cooked fruit. A clear hit, though, was the Caramelized Banana Tart with Ricotta Cream, with crunchy caramelized bananas atop a flaky tart shell. At $9 the desserts are quite expensive, especially for Poughkeepsie, a truth that is mitigated by the fact that most could comfortably feed a family of four.

With a tight wine list featuring stars from nearly every wine-growing region on the planet, Brasserie 292 is sure to suit all oenophiles, though the cocktails centered on Bourbon are a specialty. Overall, a night at Brasserie is enjoyable and dependable, with a fun, young atmosphere and consistent food.

Guide to Ratings1 plate () Good

2 plates () Great3 plates () Excellent4 plates () Superb

Brasserie 292 292 Main Street Poughkeepsie, NY(845) 473-0292

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Now that the rain has cleared up, the days have been noticeably warmer. I love enjoying these early summer days with a refreshing glass of wine or an ice cold beer. I have recently wondered, what is new out there to quench that summer thirst that only a drink with a little extra kick can provide? In my email there was an answer, beer cocktails. Now stay with

me here. The idea of mixing gin and a Guinness is not what I’m talking about. What I have found are light and refreshing cocktails that use beer to add some spritz. I have also found some more savory, fuller beer cocktails that would pair excellent with dessert, maybe even s’mores by the campfire, if you know where I’m going. Let’s start with the light and move into the darker side.

I found an article from Tasting Table’s Top Shelf series of emails, where bartenders, particularly Boston bartenders, were utilizing Bud Light Lime in their cocktails. I was a little standoffish, considering it’s Bud

Light Lime, but I read further, and found some fun and unique cocktails.

First is “Jackie’s Packie,” from Trina’s Starlight Lounge. In a shaker filled with ice, combine 1 ½ oz gin, ½ oz fresh lemon juice, and ¾ oz of simple syrup and shake well. Strain the mix into an ice filled Collins glass and top with the Bud Light Lime and stir to mix. Garnish with a lemon twist and a bourbon soaked cherry. I have also found drinks that mix the beer with tequila, Tabasco and Worcestershire. These kinds of cocktails can be found all over Boston. Most likely, it’s “a reaction to how serious the Mixology thing got,” says Beau Sturm, co-owner of Trina’s. If Budweiser products are not your thing, or you want something with more depth, then these allow for more creativity as far as beer selection.

Up next we have the classic “Shandy.” This is a drink made of beer mixed with lemonade, ginger ale or ginger beer and it first appeared in Britain in the mid-nineteenth century. To make the lemonade, mix one cup of sugar and one cup of water and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Then, remove from heat and add four strips of lemon zest and cool to room temperature. In a pitcher, combine two cups water, one cup of fresh lemon juice, two sprigs of fresh mint and the simple syrup. Chill the lemonade. When ready to make the drinks, pour a ¼ cup of lemonade (or to taste) in a glass and top with beer. Here there is a lot of flexibility with the beer; I would personally go with something light that would complement the lemonade, such as Blue Moon or Shocktop. The lemonade in this drink makes it a great pair with grilled foods as well as spicy foods.

If you are a stout fan, this next one is perfect. In a small glass, mix 1 oz of chilled gold rum or a mild dark rum, ½ oz of chilled Pedro Ximenez Sherry and 6 oz of chilled chocolate or regular stout. This drink is big and bold. The sherry puts this on the sweeter side, but could easily stand up to spicy bar food.

If you are not a fan of mixing hard alcohol with beer, never fear! There are all kinds of opportunities

to mix up your own “cocktail” creation. This next one is simple, and pretty darn tasty. Known as the “Black Velvet,” or sometimes “Champagne Velvet,” pour 6 oz of stout into a glass and then top off with 6 oz of champagne. There are a vast variety of combinations like this, stout and cider is another popular one. I

really enjoy Sam Adam’s Cherry Wheat and Guinness. These types of drinks go great with just about any bar food.

Beer has been making its way onto the scene and branching off from the typical stereotype of mass produced beer with the appearance of craft breweries. There are so many varieties and choices that so many different drinks can be created, or the beer enjoyed on its own. I hope you are inspired and will enjoy these beer based cocktails the next time you need to kick back and relax on a sunny summer day.

Sources: Epicurious.com, Tastingtable.com

FOOD & BEVERAGE 9May 24, 2012

BEvEragE

A beer cocktail of unfiltered beer and raspberries, Los Feliz Michelada. Photo By: melandrose.wordpress.com

Egg-White Cocktails

BY: ANNA FROST, AOS Baking and Pastry

In the realm of beverages there is one name synonymous with the Kentucky Derby, the mint julep. While the Kentucky Derby’s official website lists a few other Derby party drink suggestions such as a mojito, spicy bloody mary or a sweet iced tea punch spiked with bourbon, all pale in comparison to the julep’s popularity on Kentucky Derby race day. Over 80,000 mint juleps are served each year as race attendees await the most gripping thirty seconds of the season. Though this drink has been famed as the Churchill Down race track’s signature drink since 1938, it has a history and a story with a reach much further than Louisville, Kentucky.

A rose-flavored drink called a gulap, enjoyed by the people of ancient Persia, seems to reside at the end of the mint julep trail. Not at all dissimilar from juleps, gulaps are made by muddling rose petals with a little water, spicing with cardamom and adding simple syrup. The concoction is then strained and poured over ice, becoming a sweet, refreshing drink fit for a hot Arabian summer day. As the gulap moved west and was introduced to the Mediterranean, and eventually Europe, exotic rose petals were replaced with familiar mint leaves. At this point, it was seen more as a sweet and enjoyable, yet purely medicinal, drink, remaining so until the sixteenth or seventeenth century. Even after alcohol became part of the picture, it straddled the line between the medical and entertainment realms for the next couple centuries, described in Dunglison’s mid-nineteenth century Medical Lexicon as “an agreeable alcoholic excitant” with “demulcent”, or soothing, qualities. As the julep reached the American colonies, it spread in fame quickly, especially in the South. Just like many of us who grab a quick cup of coffee to brighten up the morning, the mint julep was considered a morning drink by many - Virginian farmers would sip one before facing a day in the fields – an old-fashioned form of liquid courage. Many enjoyed a julep with rum, gin, peach brandy, or home-made corn whiskey, a far cry from the modern requirement of Kentucky bourbon in a proper mint julep.

There is much debate among states about the mint julep’s United States origin; Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Georgia and Pennsylvania all

lay claim to starting the mint julep wildfire throughout the states. However a story which, if it holds true, pinpoints the julep’s origin as Pennsylvania and trumps the first printed mention of it as a Virginian drink in 1803 by twenty-two years, exists in Richard Barry’s 1942 biography of John Rutledge. A signer of the Declaration of Independence who later would serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Rutledge enjoyed a French drink the Irish bartender called a julep while attending the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Desperate to have the formula for himself Rutledge enlisted the aid of his servant who, upon inquiring upon the bartender found that it contained Irish whiskey in place of commonly used cognac, along with crushed mint, sugar and ice. Rutledge’s servant often made the drink throughout the Continental Congress and the mint julep became very popular among the men. Rutledge then brought the recipe back home to South Carolina, from where it’s fame continued to spread. While there is speculation over whether this event was manufactured by the biographer’s imagination or based in truth, it is known that pages of congress officials in the early 1800’s often brought mint juleps as late night sustenance during a long debate, once again linking our spirited founding fathers with this beverage.

Despite debate over whether Washington or Jefferson actually sipped on a julep, its immense popularity, especially through the south, began to spread in the early to mid-1800’s. Starting as an elitist drink, due the expense of ice, it slowly gained more prominence among the rest of the population as time and technology advanced. Such expansion was not limited to the states but even traveled back to the Old World. Oxford’s New College in England celebrated Mint Julep Day on June 1st of William Heyward Trapier, a wealthy planter from South Carolina who reintroduced students to the julep in 1845. Shocked by their ignorance of the drink, he gave the school a silver cup meant specifically for the drink to be served in, his family recipe, and money to make the drink for the students every year on the anniversary of his visit. The holiday continued on strongly, initially out of anticipation of a visit by Trapier himself to ensure his gift was used, for almost a century.

While the British may have lost track of their minty tradition, 2012 marks seventy-five refreshing years of mint juleps at the Kentucky Derby. In addition to the usual Early Time’s Mint Julep, thirsty philanthropists have the opportunity to indulge their expensive taste buds as a way to commemorate the long years the mint julep has served the Derby well, while contributing to The Heart of a Horse Foundation. Sixty-five polished pewter cups hand-engraved with a horse trotting in front of a scenic background along with the date of the 2012 Derby while a sterling silver straw allows those to sip this stylish version of the traditional mint julep, all for a cool $1000. In addition, ten “Prestige” sterling silver cups plated in 24-karat gold with a diamond horseshoe created by forty-three 1-carat diamonds, sold for $2000 each. Of course Churchill Downs would not dare put anything less than perfection in cups such as those; each mint julep is made from Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon, Bourbon Mint Julep Sugar (raw sugar infused with mint), Bourbon-Madagascar vanilla bean sugar, California Lemon Mint, Kentucky Spearmint and finally, ice made from water originating in Versailles, Kentucky and France. Elevating a drink with humble origins to such a high place exemplifies the important place the mint julep holds in the hearts of those at the Kentucky Derby. However there is nothing wrong with enjoying a simple but well-made mint julep, minus the sparkles swag. Chris McMillian, a New Orleans bar-tending legend, best explains the delicate crafting of a mint julep in a video filmed as part of NOLA.com’s best cocktail series. He cites over-muddling by eager or self-indulgent bartenders attempting to show off their skills as the most common mistake; bruising the mint in such a manner actually hurts the drink’s flavor. When mint is crushed vigorously, it releases bitter flavors from the plant’s chlorophyl instead of the desired sweet, fragrant mint flavor, gained by gently rubbing the mint on the inside of the cup.

Give the mint julep drink a try! It’s a classic, yet refreshing drink, just in time for summer!

Sources: kentuckydrby.com, en.petitchef.com, Mr. Rutledge of South Carolina, The Children Who Ran For Congress..., etc.

BY: CASEY JANKOSKI, BPS Culinary

A summer refresher, ginger beer cocktai.Photo By: myrecipes.com

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Pot luCkLA PAPILLOTE10

Abruzzi TrattoriaArrabelle at Vaile SquareBar BouludBarbutoBouchon BistroBreakersBull and BuddhaCafe BouludCastle on the HudsonCastle on the HudsonChops City GrillDeer Valley ResortDeer Valley ResortDevil’s Thumb RanchDevonshire at PGAEleven Madison ParkEsalen InsituteFishtailFour Seasons ResortFour Seasons ResortFour Seasons ResortGautreau’s New Orlean’sGreen ZebraHess CorporationThe Hurricane ClubJoe’s RestaurantLa Fonda del solLarkspur Restaurant & MarketLincolnMondoNeighborhood ServicesNew World Home CookingProvidenceQuinceSandi Pointe Cooastal BistroStein Eriksen Lodge Stein Eriksen LodgeStein Eriksen LodgeTurnberry Isle ResortViceroy SnowmassViceroy SnowmassWDW-Artist PointWDW-Flying Fish CafeWilliam Penn InnWoodfield CC

NYCONYNYNVFLNYNYNYNYFLUTUTCOFLNYCANYFLFLFLLAILTXNHHINYCONYLATXNYCACANJUTUTUTFLCOCOFLFLPAFL

MichaelLuiz

CraigJeanieFaithChadJohn

BenjaminMichael

VishalJoshuaTaylor

BessKerrie

DanielleChristopher

SharonAriel

LawrenceSabrinaVincentJourdanMarlene

GoldaKarem

GabrielSara

KristinEstefano

ReedConnor

JonathanDustin

CoryMichael

MarcMark

DanielStephanie

StevenDavid

MichaelMichael

TylerCalvin

GaffneyDeSouzaDavesFerraraSchroederUrbanLangTraverGarriniPatelHoffmanSteinWalshSmithLiquoriAnthonyCorresMikitLauMedinaTorresFulbrightSanchezHallCastroCaroBarmherzigJonesSalgadoEldridgeGibbonsSantigoKimPadgettCondranBiondolilloPiciulo IIShafferPerezAlvarezWangStaffordStrassleKrewsonDavis

SITE NAME STAT

E

STUDENT

Bar BouludBern’s SteakhouseBouchon BakeryBreakersChocolate MillDeer Valley ResortJacques Fine European PastriesJW Marriott Hill Country ResortMagnolia BakeryMontage Deer ValleyOccasions CaterersOliver Kita ChocolatesPark Avenue AutumnRestaurant AvondaleRestaurant EugeneRitz CarltonRitz Carlton NaplesUnion League of PhiladelphiaViceroy Snow Mass

NYFLNYFLNYUTNHTXNYUTDCNYNYCOGAFLFLPACO

Chun-YiAmanda

MelbaKristinKatrina

DylanHeidi

JulianaJohn

RalphCarli

AllysonMariaRilee

VivianCataryna

MadelaineCydneyHannah

ChenCrissmanGurrolaMcGinnSinnoRyanCollinsBesinaizSchultzGaultSchollRubalcabaMillanWaringJagoSharbaughBercheDiVirgilioStamm

SITE NAME STAT

E

STUDENTBaking and Pastry Group

Culinary Arts Group #2

Culinary Arts Group #1

Baking and Pastry Group #1

Amy L. MothLauren V. Gavin

Aja R. HessGabrielle Hatch

Stephanie ZaudererSarah Amer

Nicole SheldonMadeline Bowman

Zabrina KunkelElisabeth Haney

Nancy SwiftJennifer Buys

Devante MeltonMathew Calise

Reese (Erice) BradleyMatthew CeroneBradley AlagnaClara Kruger

Annmarie QuealeKathyryn Tagg

Kyle BriggsKatarina Famoso

Valerie ColeLeslie Filipelli

David S. Dreifus

Dustin SwissChris Wellington

Jacob DiNotoKevin Crouch

Nate Duffy

Welcome BackRetuRning exteRns!

Culinary Arts Group #3

Jordan SmithMadeline Todd

Rachel KoppelmanSteven RosarioJenna Resnick

Jessica Hargrove

Jacob MillerVictoria OsbornFrank Cotroneo

Saoirse StevensonKristine MullerJustin Beave

Chef Johnny Hernandez’s passion for Latin food began at the age of five in his father’s restaurant and in his Westside neighborhood in San Antonio, TX. Raised in a community of first-generation Mexican-American families, Johnny was constantly surrounded by the foods and traditions that made their way across the border.

Encouraged by his father to become a chef, Johnny was determined to receive the best culinary education possible and attended The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. His early career took him to some of the most exclusive resorts in the country, including the Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV and the Four Seasons Biltmore in Santa Barbara, CA.

It was his entrepreneurial spirit and love for his cultura that led Chef Hernandez to return to San Antonio. In 1994, he opened True Flavors Catering and quickly built a reputation as a rising star in the culinary scene, with his company earning national recognition for catering excellence. Chef Hernandez then expanded

his endeavors, starting the popular MesAlegre Chef’s Table at the Pearl Farmers Market.

By far the most profound influence on Chef Hernandez’s culinary style and artistic sensibility is his extensive travel throughout Mexico. The food and traditions he has embraced have shaped his vision for creating authentic and accessible interior Mexican street food for American diners. That vision has been realized with the award-winning La Gloria Ice House, whose menu reflects the culinary treasures of the pueblitos, mountains, and coastal villages of Mexico. His subsequent venture, Casa Hernán, serves as a special events venue, showcasing his latest culinary creations and artistic finds in a more intimate setting. New concepts under development include Frutería La Gloria, a contemporary interpretation of fruit stands found across interior Mexico and Los Portales, featuring outdoor grilling and dining.

As his success and recognition continue to grow, Chef Hernandez maintains his commitment to the

local community that inspired him to pursue a culinary career. He bases his thriving catering business in the same Westside neighborhood where he was raised, and he frequently mentors young Hispanic aspiring chefs. Chef Hernandez also gives back through extensive involvement in numerous community, non-profit, and professional organizations. And he supports his alma mater as a member of the CIA’s Society of Fellows, Alumni Council and Latin Cuisines Advisory Council, as well as by hosting a major annual scholarship fundraising event and serving as a mentor to current students.

Chef Hernandez’s industry success and community contributions have been recognized with a long list of awards and honors. They include being named, “Caterer of the Year” by the National Association of Catering Executives and one of the “Top 10 to Watch in 2010” by the San Antonio Express-News, as well as earning the Cultural Award from the Avenida Guadalupe Association.

Executive Chef/Co-Owner, La Gloria, Casa Hernán, and True Flavors

Michael A. MottaKelsey A. LeRocqueAllyson L. BaylessBobby J. Kladke

Tim DooleyNabila Betances

Tom BurchChristopher Brescin

Ben HjelmJared PragerJoe Fusaro

Try MilbourneAnthony CapozzoliKaitlyn CrydermanAaron D. Gonnelly

Kevin Driscoll

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11May 24, 2012 POT LUCK

Culinary Arts Group #5

Culinary Arts Group #4

Suzy WestmillerTallulah NortonClare Wagner

Jaime MastroianniAlyssa ScarpelliMichael Sheets

John RofranoJohn HeinekeRyan Yarnell

Christian TurnerSam Smith

George Vollkommer

Megan LundebyKathryn WoodliffGerardo Martinez

Kristen WestPhilip Kinney

Matthew LormanChristian CarpinoCharles BucklinBrandon WrightElijhia Jackson

Attention BPS students, Post-Extern Students

and Meal Plan Upgrade Students:

Starting Tuesday, May 29th, the use of your student ID in the

public restaurants will need to be accompanied by a second picture

ID to purchase a meal. This new procedure will reduce the

possibility of meal theft from your dining plan. The hired MIT, the

Maitre D’ Instructor, the Restaurant Manager and the Bartender will

be the only individuals in the restaurants to accept both forms of valid ID to ensure consistency

within this procedure. Your compliance to this system is greatly

appreciated.

Sweet Quinoa Salad with Ramp and Rhubarb

Gluten-Free and Vegan(Serves 4)

BY: AMIE VALPONE Culinary Nutritionist and Personal Chef,

Author of “The Healthy Apple” , www.TheHealthyApple.com

Ingredients For the Salad:

2 heads Bibb lettuce• 1 1/2 cups red quinoa, cooked• 1 cup Daikon radish, shredded• 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded• 1/2 medium red onion, sliced• 1 large carrot, shredded• 1 red delicious apple, sliced• 1 pint orange cherry tomatoes• 1 cup Pomi strained tomato sauce• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin• 1/3 cup salted pistachios•

For the Dressing:

1/4 cup agave nectar (or honey)• 1/3 cup green tea, brewed• 4 stalks rhubarb, sliced• 2 ramps, sliced• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar• 1 tsp. spicy brown mustard• 1/2 cup flax oil•

Directions:1. Assemble the first eight salad ingredients in

a large salad bowl.2. For dressing: In a medium sauce pan, stir

together agave nectar and brewed green tea; bring to a boil; add rhubarb and ramps. Boil for 4 more minutes; stirring often. Reduce heat to a simmer; add apple cider vinegar and cook for another 12 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half and rhubarb is tender. Remove from heat; set aside to cool.

3. Transfer rhubarb mixture to a food processor with remaining dressing ingredients; pulse until smooth. Serve warm or chilled atop salad.

4. Top with a dollop of pumpkin, a drizzle of strained tomato sauce and a sprinkle of pistachios.

5. Enjoy.

BARBECUES BASEBALLBIRTHDAY BLOSSOMBUD BULBSBUNNY BUTTERFLYCAMPING CARDS CELEBRATIONS FAMILYFIREWORKS FLOWERSGARDENING GRANDMAHOLIDAY MAYMEMORIAL DAY MOMMONTH PICNICSRABBITS RAINRAINBOWS RAINCOAT

Page 12: 05-24-12

My style and philosophy of cooking have both been greatly influenced by my mom. A food lover, my mom was able to cook anything from the basics to exotic ingredients. She had an amazing talent in creating simple dishes and transforming them into an extraordinary meal. A brief history of how my mom adopted this amazing talent would have to be from the strings of humble cooks in the family. My great grandmother came from Yemen to Singapore at a very young age. She came from a family of traders who ventured to the Far East to trade, predominantly, spices. When she was old enough to cook, she was given a task to cook for the family. She was incredibly good at it and word soon traveled of how good her cooking was. Before you knew it, she was well known for being a great cook amongst the small community. That valuable knowledge of hers was passed down to my grandmother and similarly to my mom. Both my grandmother and my mom inherited these exclusive talents from my great grandmother and were equally recognized by the Arab Community in Singapore to be an exceptionally great cooks, but they remained humble. Although their background was quintessential Arab, being a true Singaporean, all of them have become immersed with the multi-culture society and incorporated the art of Singaporean cooking into their lifestyles.

Basically, our family ate almost every type of Singapore food: Malay, Indian, Arab, Nyonya Peranakan, Eurasian and Chinese food. Savoring a plate of ‘chee cheong fun’ and ‘mee goreng’, two dishes from different ethnic backgrounds, were rather typical for a Singaporean family. As far back as my memory took me, my mom had prepared many amazing foods for the family, but one that remained clear to me at a young age would have to be a special rice meal that she prepared only on special weekends. The dish is called ‘Nasi Jeganan’. What was amazing about this dish was not just about how this particular rice meal tasted; it was all about how it was prepared, when we would have it and how it was significantly enjoyed by the whole family. Mom did not usually prepare ‘Nasi Jeganan’ as frequently as some other dishes. Because of that, when she did cook it, it became a special meal for the family to enjoy.

This unique dish has a lot of preparation time. First, she started the day by going to the ‘wet market’ that was close to our house. The choices of fresh ingredients

and meat in the wet market were her favorites. Carrying a medium size basket made out of ‘rattan’, my mother would carefully select what she needed to buy from freshly cut poultry to the abundance of herbs that she needed. The main ingredient in this dish was rice with the addition of luxurious amounts of mixed vegetables, fried tofu, tempeh and meat that is accompanied with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce. The steamed hot rice was then wrapped with banana leaf and served. The sauce will then absorb into the rice and a distinctive flavor is achieved. The aroma from the banana leaf would be subtly released on the steamed rice, which greatly affected the flavor. One of my favorite things to do as a child was to watch my mom cooking in the kitchen. She was relatively fussy with food preparation, focusing on the very detailed and basics of ingredients. She preferred everything made from scratch. First, she had to have music playing on the radio while she cooked. Her cooking and the music synchronized well in what I called ‘kitchen rhythm’. She was very elegant in this domain. Instead of the preferred quick method of blending the all ingredients, she preferred the unhurried method of pounding all ingredients with a traditional way of using mortar and pestle. Her advice was to never take a short cut to cook something. Her dry spices would have to be toasted and pounded to fine grounded spices. She would toast cumin, coriander, even cinnamon before she cooked to enhance the aromas of her food in order to intensify the flavor. The sound made by the pounding of spices, wet and dry from mortar and pestle, remained synchronized with the rhythm of the music on the radio. Whenever mom

was cooking, the kitchen became alive. The clanking sounds of the pots and pans, the sizzling of the hot oil, the sound from chopping would all add to the sounds in the kitchen.

I am incredibly fortunate to be able to experience different types of cuisines she prepared and the whole

BY: LIZA KASSIM, AOS Culinary

An Exploration of Random Culinary Trends, Facts, Ingredients, and Information. THE ALPHABET OF FLAVOR

ADAPTED BY: DAN CASTRO, BPS Culinary, Photographer

Photo By: blacknapkin.com

Photo By: themescompany.com

Photo By: allergy-details.com

Considered as game, but mostly consists

of white meat, giving it a mild flavor

profile. The best rabbit is considered young, between 2 and 2.5

pounds. Older rabbits can benefit from moist heat cooking methods

such as braising.

Photo By: chefinyou.com A yogurt salad popular in India made from a

combination of thick whole milk, yogurt and various

chopped vegetables, such as cucumbers and tomatoes.

Photo By: eatdrinktell.wordpress.com

A popular dish from the French Region of Provence that

combines eggplant, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, zucchini, garlic and herbs simmered in olive oil. Also known in pop

culture as,“that one movie with the rat in it”.

A Japanese dish of noodles, small pieces of meat, vegetables and broth. This is

also a common snack for college students alike. An edible translucent paper made

from a dough of water with the pith of a rice-paper plant.

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