Volume 33, No.48
September 5 2014
BY: Andrew Vinegar, AOS Culinary
Lunch at Café Boulud
I am currently on extern in New York City working at Bar Boulud, which is owned by Chef Daniel Boulud. He also owns six other restaurants in the city under his restaurant group, The Dinex Group. On my most recent day off I had the opportunity to go eat lunch at his 1 Michelin Star rated restaurant, Café Boulud. Café Bouloud is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan at The Surrey Hotel, the former location of his flagship restaurant, Daniel. The Executive Chef is Chef Aaron Bludorn. This was my first Michelin Star experience and it was the best meal of my life thus far. I went with my friend Maggie, who works at Boulud Sud, and we were both blown away by this meal. Café Boulud’s Prix Fixe for two courses is $36 and three courses will go for $43. Starters ranged from $21$30 and main courses were $28-$46. These prices are pretty reasonable for a 1 Michelin Star experience. Being Dinex employees, we are given a nice discount and some perks! We were greeted by a manager, who seated us and then walked us through the menu, which is actually five menus in one. The first is the prix fixe, La Tradition (classical French), La Saisons (a taste of summer), La Potager (vegetarian, from the farmers market), and La Voyage (the international cuisine, the focus was South America when we dined). After reviewing the menu, for what seemed like forever, we decided on our meal. As a starter we selected the Salad Gourmande from the La Tradition menu. My entrée, Beef Tenderloin, was from this menu too. My friend selected the Long Island Duck Breast from the La Saison menu. Within moments of placing the order, a canapé tasting from the La Saison and La Tradition menus arrived at our table. The first was an oyster, which I’m not a fan of so I passed that across the table to Maggie. The second bite was Ahi Tuna Crudo with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon radish, and gazpacho. The meaty texture of
Editorial
the tuna and the crunch of crudités worked well together, while the gazpacho brought the additional acidic flavor to round out the taste. The third canapé was House Smoked Sturgeon. This was the stronger of the two in taste. The smokiness of the sturgeon enhanced the paddlefish caviar, but then was leveled out by cream and cucumber. From the looks of it this meal was about to be a great one. Our first course of Salade Gourmande was very interesting texturally. The haricot verts and apricots were dressed in an almond vinaigrette and garnished with toasted sliced almonds. All of these components were crunchy and to top it off was this buttery, shaved foie gras. The almonds were the predominant flavor, while the apricot and verts came through as you chewed. Before our entrees arrived we were sent two additional dishes (Did I mention I love VIP treatment?). The first dish was a Corn Risotto with piperade, pecorino romano, and paprika. The creamy risotto had these corn kernels through out it that were just bursts of sweetness that paired well with the pecorino cheese and sweet-smokey flavor from the onion, tomato, and paprika garnish. The second dish was an Herbed Goat Cheese Ravioli. On top of these perfectly cooked ravioli were roasted beets and toasted walnuts, which were a great combination with the tangy goat cheese filling. Finally, it was time for our main course. The Beef Tenderloin was the perfect medium rare and just melted in my mouth. Served with a chanterelle jus, it was sweet yet bitter, pairing beautifully with my steak. My other components were sautéed asparagus and potatoes Lyonnaise, which were these crisp capsules of creamy, buttery purée. So good! Maggie’s duck breast was equally to die for. It too was the perfect medium rare and had an extremely crisp skin. The breast rested on a bed of cherry balsamic risotto. The risotto’s texture threw me off at first because the rice was coated in this syrupy sauce as opposed to the more commonly found creaminess. Nonetheless, the flavor was amazing. Roasted beets, toasted hazelnuts, and husk cherries dotted the remainder of the plate.
Photos: Courtesy of Andrew Vinegar For dessert, we ventured to the Le Voyage menu for a taste of South America. We ordered the Dulce de Leche, and were sent in addition a Petit-Fours board and the Passion Fruit Flan. The Dulce was this explosion of chocolate, caramel, and salt. The salted milk chocolate sorbet enhanced every component on the plate. I was in heaven with this one. The Flan was very refreshing. Its fresh mango and mint cookie brought texture to the sweet and sour flan it rested on. It was good, but the Dulce was my favorite. The Petit-Fours were delicious, especially the hazelnut truffle. A surprise basket of Vanilla Madelines finished our meal off perfectly. The food Chef Aaron Bludorn is putting out at this 1 Michelin Star restaurant is just as fantastic as the service we received in the dining room. This will not be my last trip to Café Boulud! I hope to come back when the seasons change to have a different experience with the food. This is definitely a place that you should check out this year if time and money allow it. Café Boulud is just 4 stops uptown from Grand Central Station in Manhattan and a couple of blocks from the 77th Street subway station. What are you waiting for?!
Culinary Culture
P2
“Letter from the New Editor” ON CAMPUS
P 6-7
“Fundies Do’s and Don’ts”
P3
“Meat Room Gazebo Update” CENTER SPREAD
P 4-5
“Breaking the Mold: Nontraditional Culinary Careers”
BACK PAGE
P8
“Graduation”
LA PAPILLOTE
2
THE NEWSPAPER OF THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA SINCE 1979
From the Editor’s Desk
September 5, 2014
PUBLISHER The Student Affairs Division EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Connor White LAYOUT EDITOR Thiana Anderson ADVERTISING MANAGER Sue Haug CONTRIBUTORS
Crystal Tan Andrew Vinegar Natalie Crumbaugh Sera Park Deja Burrows Maddy Morrison
Frank Guido Dana DeRiancho Morghann Crossley Emily Dittmar
COMPACT
La Papillote, the Newspaper of the Culinary Institute of America 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 wrongdoing, 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 POLICY
As 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.
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: Connor White, Editor-In-Chief at lapapillote.culinary@gmail.com.
LETTERS 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 LaPapillote@mycia.net with “Letter to the Editor - For Publication” in the subject line. Please include your phone number.
NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION
From the moment I set foot on campus for the first time, I knew that there was something special about this school. I had that gut feeling with CIA that I hadn’t yet found when I visited other schools. Within seconds after arrival, I informed my father that this was definitely where I would be going to college. Somehow, I knew that The Culinary Institute of America was where I was meant to be. I remember my move in day like it was just yesterday. I kept telling myself that I wasn’t nervous, that I was excited for this journey to come. While I was excited, I was lying by saying that I wasn’t a little nervous too. I had the whole world before me. It was mine to take and it was mine to lose. Either way, this incredible opportunity was mine. I was only at the beginning of my journey, but I could already tell that The Culinary Institute of America was going to lead me to life-changing opportunities. So far I’ve learned that a big part of life is about realizing that change can be scary. The important thing is realizing that it is okay to be nervous, and to learn how to channel that fear into action. In the midst of moving boxes and suitcases into my very first dorm room, my step-mom noticed a stack of newspapers. As a high school English teacher, she quickly jumped at the chance to have her son writing for the paper. Surely, she thought that it would be good for me to become involved in a student organization. Knowing that my goal is to become a food writer, she had hoped that working for La Papillote would be a great chance to practice my writing. I hadn’t started to ponder the idea of becoming a food writer until just a few months before starting school here. I had always loved reading magazines such as Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, and Cooking Light; why not write for them? After all, I do love good food, good stories, and good writing. Naturally, this field seemed to be a fit! Somehow mothers are always right. By my second day at school, I had written my first article and submitted it to La Papillote. I remember fuss-
ing over that article, ensuring that it was at its best. After all, that first article I wrote would serve as my first impression to the newspaper staff, as well as the school itself. After what seemed like endless editing and rewriting, I forced myself to stop. I had to send it in and see what would happen. Surely enough, the current Editor-in-Chief, Stephanie Kirkland, replied back with good things to say about the article. Along with that, she gave me a warm welcome to both the CIA and La Papillote. From that moment on I’ve been hooked. For me La Papillote is the best way of getting my voice out there. I have something to say, and I know that I’m not alone in that. As students it is our job to stay involved in our own community at CIA. As future industry leaders, it is our job to stay in touch with the food world that surrounds us. The Culinary Institute of America as well as La Papillote helped me fill both of those necessities. Shortly after I began writing for the paper, I became so invested in being a part of making it something truly special. Throughout my time at La Papillote, I have been fortunate enough to work side by side with previous Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Kirkland, and then again with her successor Amy Zarichnak. Both served as mentors to me, taking me under their wings and guiding me along the way. Their hard work and commitment to both their school work as well as their work for the newspaper were something that I admired about them. Both Stephanie and Amy have such passion for what they do; something that I’ve picked up along the way myself. They had such vision for La Papillote, and it is my aim to continue with the efforts that they’ve made. Overall, my goal is to make this newspaper something that people look forward to reading, something that people talk about. This is the place for everyone at our school to get their voice out. This is the place for us to share our stories. For me, I use this as my outlet to share my trials and tribulations of making my way through school here at CIA. I want this paper to be here so that when new students move in, their mothers can pick up the paper and get a better feel for what The Culinary Institute of America is; to feel good about leaving their children at a place that has the potential to guide them toward greatness. After all, without La Papillote, my own transition into life at CIA would have been immensely different. I also want to take this opportunity to thank both Dean Whalen, Associate Dean for Student Activities, Recreation, and Athletics as well as Eric Howard, Senior Coordinator for Student Organizations and Government. Their trust in me to carry out this position is something that I am truly grateful to have. Being blessed with this opportunity to serve as La Papillote’s Editor-in-Chief is something that I hold near and dear to my heart. I look forward to continuing my work with La Papillote, and I hope that you will join me on this incredible journey.
The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment. The CIA does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, ancestry, national or ethnic origin, or any other protected group or classification under federal or state laws. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Civil Rights Compliance Officers Joe Morano HR Director-Faculty Relations
Maura A. King Director-Compliance
Title IX and Age Discrimination
Section 504/ADA
Office: Roth Hall Room S324
Office: Roth Hall Room S351
Telephone: 845-451-1314
Telephone: 845-451-1429
Email: J_morano@culinary.edu
Email: m_king@culinary.edu
The Culinary Institute of America 1946 Campus Drive Hyde Park, NY 12538 Should you require further information, please visit http://ciachef.edu/consumerinformation.
CHECK OUT LA PAPILLOTE ON FACEBOOK: http://tinyurl.com/ fblapapillote
Scan To Visit Our Library on issuu.com/lapapillote. Thiana A. Anderson Layout Editor
September 5, 2014
3
An Open Mind and Empty Stomach
BY: Natalie Crumbaugh, AOS Culinary
Generally, I consider myself a fairly patient person, but if there is one thing that really pushes my limits, it’s a close-minded mentality, specifically with food. Like nails on a chalkboard, I cringe at the words “I don’t like…” or “I don’t eat…”, especially when the person has never tried the named food before. Little kids are notorious for statements like these, but as adults, we should know better than to make these quick judgments. Sadly, this is not always the case. Believe it or not, I met a girl once who claimed to hate vegetables and then refused to try anything even remotely similar to one. How can a person write off an entire food group? There are so many varieties of vegetables, not including the endless ways of preparing them, that it’s practically impossible to hate ALL vegetables. Maybe this is an extreme case, but we all have certain food aversions whether we realize it or not, and as future chefs, it’s our job to combat them in order to better utilize all available flavor profiles. What is the cause for this all too common unwillingness to venture into new flavors? Environment definitely plays a big role. If children grow up in a household that does not encourage eating from a variety of food groups at a young age, than these restricted eating habits will likely continue in later years as well. Family dinners are the perfect opportunity for parents to expose their children to new flavors, but unfortunately, formal dinner times are a rare occurrence in this fast-paced life style. As a result, the drive through window and microwave dinners are the go-to option for a quick and easy meal, but sadly do not foster much food exposure. Convenience meals offer nothing more than the typical pizza, burger, and fries. But if it’s not the environment that causes your close-mindedness to food, then there is the option to blame genetics. While uncommon, some people are deemed these so called “supertasters” having more tastebuds than the average tongue. Consisting of just 25% of the population,
Meat Room Gazebo Update
Since many of you are worrying about the smoking gazebo that is located near the meat room, we are happy to share with you good news. The gazebo is not going away permanently, we are just in the works of finding a better location for it. The President and Vice President of SGA are meeting with the appropriate deans to carry out this process. Once further information on the new location of the gazebo is available, we will let you know.
supertasters are highly sensitive to both bitter and sweet flavors which could be the reason for certain food dislikes. Since not all can claim this high status label though, there is always the food aversion resulting from sickness. Nobody likes to consume a food that previously made them sick to the stomach or nauseous. I have to admit, even for my impatience with food aversion, it took me many years to be able to eat red licorice after getting a bad stomach bug at the age of 6. Experiences and their psychological attachments can be one of the strongest players in food aversion. Lastly, if not from experiences, sometimes food aversions are the cause of a nutritional fad. Just think about the recent gluten-free craze. Suddenly people from all walks of life claim to be sensitive to a protein found in wheat and grain and thus, creating an entire food revolution. Now, it’s impossible to go to a grocery store without having a designated gluten free area or “gluten-free” written on product packaging Regardless of the reasoning, I believe this is no excuse for not at least attempting a bite of something different. One fork full will not hurt, and at the least, it will make you more familiar with the food you do not like. While we are in culinary school, this is the time to train our palates and appreciate all types of cuisine. Not only will we become better cooks with this well-rounded understanding, but we will also have a better concept of how to best serve a customer that likes the one food we hate. Plus, maybe over time we will learn to like it. In Jeffery Steingarten’s “The Man Who Ate Everything”, he describes his own food phobias and the way he overcame them. According to Steingarten, “Most babies will accept nearly anything after eight or ten tries,” and keeping this in mind, he ate all of his least favorite foods a minimum of eight times before miraculously learning to love them. Therefore, with increased exposure, the more chance we have to train ourselves out of food aversions. The world is full of food to explore with nothing holding us back from tasting it, only ourselves. So have no fear, keep an open mind, and most importantly, bring an empty stomach.
The Whimsical Life of a Bento Box
BY: Maddy Morrison, AOS
Here at the CIA, students buzz around looking for an open kitchen during the lunch rush. However in Japan it’s popular for parents and students to make bentos for a school lunch. A bento boxed lunch includes meat and vegetables that are either cooked or pickled before being placed in a lunch box. The rice, fish, and remaining contents of the bento are ordinarily arranged in a pattern or are cut and fashioned into little animals. When making a bento there is an extensive amount of prepping involved. The rice has to be made, the vegetables have to be fried and cut into shapes, the meat has to be seasoned and cooked, then the final process of arranging the ingredients in the small container. Because of this, the prepping is ordinarily done either the night before or at least few hours before the student leaves for school. During the long school day, enjoying a bento made with care is sure to remind any student of home. Many people make this an art, testing out their bento ideas with food coloring, furikake, different colored vegetables that branch out from the ordinary carrots and radishes, or even using different peppers and pickled vegetables. Due to the variety of food that can go into a bento, there are almost no limitations on its creativity. They can be easily made vegan or even into a sweet dish by using fruits instead of vegetables. To learn more about bento boxes, check out this fun food blogger at cookingcute.com.
Contact: Connor White at connorwhite77@gmail.com
4
LA PAPILLOTE
CENTER SPREAD
Center Mangosteens Unwrapped
BY: Crystal Tan, AOS Baking and Pastry
The mangosteen is a tropical fruit about the size of a tangerine that originates from Southeast Asia. Although somewhat unfamiliar in North America, they are common in the rainforest areas of Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. The mangosteen has a leathery maroon shell capped with a light green stem. Inside the shell are moist, fragrant segments of flesh. It is a fresh fruit in great demand for its subtle flavors and refreshing balance of sweet and sour. These delicious fruits resemble a mix of peaches and clementines. Mangosteens are, for the most the part, eaten out of hand. Outside of the mangosteen’s native range, the fruit is considered exotic due to its fragile and perishable nature, creating difficulty in transportation and distribution. When I was growing up in China, mangosteens could be bought cheaply off the sides of streets. The popularity of the mangosteen has resulted in it being planted as a dooryard or backyard tree for local and home consumptions. After moving to Vancovuer, a city with a large Asian population, I was able to find them at street markets and specialty grocery markets for a high price. The mangosteen has a soft white edible center made up of segments (similar to orange segments) with one
seed in each segment. A fully ripe fruit can be opened by squeezing the rind until it splits open. Both the seed and the rind are bitter and should not be eaten. To pick the best mangosteens, squeeze them. They should yield to pressure and have no hard spots. The darker the color of the shell, the better the taste. The mangosteen can be left at room temperature for several days because the rind can protect the interior from moisture loss. However, mangosteens stored in the refrigerator can keep fresh for a couple more days. The seed color can be an indicator to a mangsoteen’s freshness. As the rind hardens on the outside due to moisture loss, the seed starts to turn brown on the inside. This is a rough gauge of how long the fruits have been off the tree. Mangosteen is becoming a popular “health drink” sold under the name “xango juice”, claiming to treat diarrhea, menstrual problems, urinary tract infections, tuberculosis and a variety of other conditions without reliable scientific evidence to support the claims. Mangosteen has many different uses. Mangosteen juice can be used for margaritas. Fresh mangosteen segments can be made into clafouti, or in substitute of lychees for a different taste. Frozen mangosteen puree can be used in recipes such as mangosteen yogurt panna cotta, mangosteen and lime sorbet, mangosteen mousse, and even mangosteen jelly.
Photo: thaiproduce.org For a salad dressing with mangosteen juice, make a champagne-citrus vinaigrette. Combine 1 tbsp champagne vinegar, 1 tbsp freshly squeezed mangosteen juice, ½ tsp dijon mustard, 1½ tsp orange zest, ½ tsp honey, drizzle in 1/3 cup oil and mix until smooth, salt and pepper to taste. (Adapted from Dr. Mercola’s book Healthy Recipes for Your Nutritional Type)
Breaking the Mold:
BY: Deja Burrows, AOS Culinary
Nontraditional Culinary Careers
As students at The Culinary Institute of America, we are being prepared for the rigors of the kitchen; learning to make 20 gallons of stock at a time, to plate 500 desserts within thirty minutes, and bearing the cuts, burns, and bruises in the heat of it all. But what if we never make it to the kitchen? What if our life’s dreams are not to be an executive chef ? What if we would prefer food writing, food styling, or research and design? Nontraditional careers for chefs are becoming increasingly popular. It is a way to combine more then one passion and allow your culinary expertise to be displayed in a different light. In Irena Chalmers book Food Jobs she looks at several nontraditional career paths for chefs such as food blogging, recipe testers, and futurist. Blogging is a fairly new practice of posting articles, pictures, and opinions onto the internet via social media sites or personal blogs. Culinary blog posts can be anything from a photographed step-bystep tutorial for anything from homemade pie to a review of the best French restaurant in London. Large online companies such as Gourmet Connection and Fabulous Food actually pay culinary experts to write for their websites. Smaller food bloggers can sell advertisement spots on their websites in order to create revenue. Sasha Foppiano is a CIA alumnus who now supports herself, by blogging. Her food blog globaltableadventure.com explores the cuisines of a different country every week. Back in the 80’s, recipes weren’t commonly tested before being published. It took several failed recipes for recipe testers to come on stream. Notably, the substitution of wintergreen extract for wintergreen oil, which is potentially toxic
within a sugar cookie recipe found in Gourmet Magazine, could be noted by liaison. A recipe tester is someone who receives the recipe from its developer and tries it out. Their job is to make sure that the recipe not only makes the product it promises to, but does not include any potentially harmful ingredients or combinations of ingredients. Those in the Culinary Science program here at the CIA would be eligible to work in the food testing field, because recipes are like scientific formulas. A third career that Chalmers describes in her book is known as a futurist. Interestingly enough, a futurist is somewhat of an anthropologist. They research former trends and cycles while trying to predict new ones for the future. Futurists also do field research in culinary establishments and publish their own theories of where they think the food world is headed. This kind of theorist is essential in our preparation for the future and in helping agriculturists, businessmen, and chefs alike keep ahead of the curve. Food bloggers, recipe testers, and futurists all need an observant eye, creative mind, and broad knowledge base of a culinary expert. These fields all need a chef. I know many of you readers are now thinking, “Do these nontraditional jobs differ too much from the traditional ones? Will chefs still get to express their passion for food? How will their culinary knowledge and skills be put to use?” Most nontraditional culinary careers aren’t as far off as you think. Firstly, they all include food. Most careers such as recipe developing and cheese making include direct handling of ingredients and manipulating them in the same or similar ways that you would in a traditional kitchen setting. Also most of the nontraditional careers allow for the creativity and artistry that chefs usually display. This is highlighted in both food styling and food writing. Additionally, contest judges and product
developers would need to utilize the same knowledge and skill base as a chef. They must have the ability to recognize flavors and build complex foods. In comparison, nontraditional jobs include most of the key characteristics of traditional culinary jobs. It is unfortunate that many Chefs who choose nontraditional paths are not recognized or held as highly as traditional chefs. This lack of recognition though is not reason to avoid these types of careers, but instead to educate those around you about them and the knowledge and skills that they require. Chefs are known for the signature dishes they create, the restaurants they mange, and the concepts they introduce in to the field. The reason those in nontraditional careers are not recognized is because they do not necessarily have a chance to do these things. In his well-known book The Making of a Chef, author Michael Ruhlman discusses his experience as a student at the CIA. He was considered a writer more than a cook and had to work that much harder to prove himself as more than just a writer. Finally, Rhulman was given an approval as a cook by his fundamentals instructor, but not until the end of his schooling. This perception of Ruhlman shows that food writing, along with other nontraditional culinary careers, is not held as highly as traditional culinary careers. Nontraditional food jobs are all around us, and people in those careers influence the ingredients we buy, recipes we use, and food we see daily. Cooking is a passion. Don’t allow your fears of leaving the conventional kitchen environment to hinder you from pursuing your passion within that passion. Break the mold!
September 5, 2014
5
r Spread Egypt: The Origin of Fermented Bread BY: Sera Park, AOS Baking and Pastry Every morning around 7:15 a.m., I go to Farquharson Hall for my breakfast. I grab a toasted bagel and place it on my plate with blueberries and melons. The bagel has a slight sourness and delicate sweet aroma, and makes a great combination with my bittersweet coffee and the fresh fruit. In a bakeshop class around 2:30 p.m., Chef Coppedge asks if we are hungry and puts a batch of croissants in the oven. The classroom is filled with a great buttery aroma very shortly after. We enjoy a happy time with these sweet golden croissants. I grab one, slowly tear it apart and see the layers of bread inside. The steam escapes immediately and I can feel the moistness and tenderness. It gives me energy for my afternoon time. For my dinner, I have a salmon salad with soft roll and soup. The best part of the meal is digging the bread into the cream soup, soaking the creaminess into the bread and melting it on my tongue. It is a great symphony of texture and flavor. This is my day with bread and it could be someone else’s, too. Today many people all over the world enjoy bread daily but few people know when people first started to eat it. Every civilization started near a river because it provides fertile soil and quality crops. The characteristics of civilization are social hierarchy, written, symbolic language, and cultivation. The first nation occurred in the Fertile Crescent where Mesopotamia was located. At that place, the Sumerian civilization flourished approximately 6,000 years ago. The Neolithic Revolution was a turning point from the use of natural elements to the making of cultivated resources. People started to grind the grains that they cultivated. Once harvested, the grains would be cooked in boiling water. The result was a porridgelike product called “the bread you drink”. The Sumerians invented beer from wheat that they cultivated. It was the first time that people used wild yeast for consuming. They also had bread that was made by mixing ground wheat and water, and then baking on a flat top. Thus, creating a flatbread that looked like a tortilla. Around the same time of Sumerians, Egyptians
BY: Maddy Morrison, AOS Here at the CIA we all have different backgrounds, different places we like to call home, and different meals that we can only get at home. To some people, home is a beautifully done country-fried steak with grandma’s mashed potatoes; to others it’s a fun bowl of bibimbap with a fried egg on top. Regardless of where our roots lie we all have found or are going to find a new adventure upon externship. We foodies want to know the best regional foods to eat because not everybody knows the city that they are working in. All cities have a Chinatown and a little Italy, but what about the delectable eateries that only the locals know? San Francisco is a crazy, beautiful city that is home to the Golden Gate Bridge. Between the business and shopping districts, you will find gourmet restaurants right on the pier, as well as several others sprinkled around the city. If fine dining gets a little too repetitive after a few weeks there is sure to be an In-N-Out around the corner. It is at In-N-Out where the animal style burger was born with the sloppy animal style fries on the side. Why go to some other chain restaurant when there is In-N-Out? Although it is only found in California, they people there know
actually invented the bread that give an exact definition for the modern times: “a usually baked and leavened food made from a mixture whose basic constituent is flour or meal”. This is why many people say Egypt is the origin of fermented bread. On the other hand, there are several experts assert that Sumerians invented the fermented bread before Egypt. The refute is that Egypt was influenced by Sumerians. Egypt had their own civilization along the entire 3,473 miles of the Nile River approximately 5,500 years ago. Egyptians had royal bakeries and developed the bread including equipment and baking methods. There were over 40 different types of bread. In the ancient times, people called Egyptians “bread eaters.” Bread was once even used as money. People dedicated bread to a temple. One of pharaohs, Ramses III, offered about seven million loaves of bread to the temple and it was the largest of his gifts, which included fish, geese, and oxen. In Egyptian society, the number loaves of bread they could get a day showed one’s status. For example, a pharaoh got about 1,000 loaves of bread a day. Lower class Egyptians got only a few loaves for their daily meal. During the reign of Ramses IX, laborers got paid with fat and beer but no bread, causing a big strike of workers. There are two hypotheses how Egyptians started to use the fermentation process for bread. The first one is from wild yeast. After making a dough with only water and meal, the dough captures natural yeast from the air and then the yeast doubles the dough by producing carbon dioxide and alcohol. Another hypothesis involves beer. At that time, Egyptian bakeries had a beer brewery in the same location. By accident, a beer was spilled into the dough mixture, causing the dough to rise. Thus discovering the method of bread fermentation. Egyptians first used an oven for baking bread, so it was possible to bake thick, fermented bread. The oven was not like the modern ovens that we use in class. It was a conical vessel made with clay and known as bedja. While making sourdough, they would put the dough into the bedja and covered it with another bedja on the top, so it could have the same function of an oven by capturing the heat inside of the vessel.
Food Culture
what they are doing and aren’t shy on the cheese. Another favorite in San Fran is the Crab Louie. Being along the Pacific Ocean has its perks, and fresh shellfish is a popular favorite among locals and tourist. Crab Louie is a salad that originated from California that is made up of iceberg lettuce, loads of crabmeat, an avocado, tomatoes, cooked asparagus, and then topped with a Louie sauce which just pulls all of the flavors together. There are other popular eateries on the West Coast, but In-N-Out and Crab Louie are a must when on externship in San Francisco. On the southern part of the map deep in the heart of Houston, Texas lies the home of the Lyndon Johnson Space Center and the crispy, juicy barbecue of the South. If you ever have the pleasure of working down south, it is an absolute must to get some southern hospitality along with their world-renowned barbecue. Every restaurant has its own secret spice rub and complimentary sauce, each very different than the next. Many restaurants proudly smoke their meats on site so the costumers can get a real understanding of how their food is being prepared. Meals on wheels is a popular dining experience in Houston as well. There are nearly an endless amount of food trucks. If you find a truck parked on the side of the street serving foods with names you cannot pronounce, take a leap of faith and try it! There is everything from burgers to Tex/ Mex food to sweet filled crepes, as the vendors only seem
Photo: Jane Howard, “Bread in Ancient Egypt,” Tour Egypt, painting. There is so much evidence in the tomb frescoes in Egypt. The picture depicts ancient Egyptian bakery; it shows kneading dough, mixing ground grains with liquid, and panning dough in long vessels. According to Baking & Snack International, global bread consumption grew 30.1% from 2005 to 2010. All of the six continents are consuming bread. Bread is high in carbohydrates and proteins yet low in fat. It is a good source of minerals and B vitamins. Bread has very long history, beginning once people started to cultivate crops. The consumption of bread is still increasing to this day. Because a bread has essential nutrients and a great taste, it has maintained its popularity since its beginnings.
to get more creative as the business becomes more popular. Right along Lake Michigan lies the bustling city of Chicago; home to the Sears Tower and the monstrous deep-dish pizza. To many the pizza looks like a pie, but to Chicagoans its slice of assorted melted cheese with a choice of meats and other toppings and finished with tomato sauce. A deep-dish pizza is approximately three inches deep making it look more like a cheesecake than a pizza. When someone orders a cake shake with their Chicago-styled hot dog on poppy-seed bun, they are most likely at one of the most popular food chains in Chicago: Portillo’s does it right. They devised a recipe in which they place an entire slice of chocolate cake in a milkshake that tastes absolutely amazing. This no ketchup rule is one that is followed almost religiously by restaurants and local Chicagoans alike. There are so many different do’s and don’ts to follow while on extern. When on extern, it feels as though the time will be gone before it even started. Do not be afraid to go taste the foods of the locals. Each city has its own specialty. Whether it’s related to history or geography, every state and every country has its own unique way of preparing food. It is up to us, the eager culinary students, to taste as much as we can!
6
LA PAPILLOTE
BY: Frank Guido, AOS Culinary
Fundies Do’s and Don’ts
It seems as though Fundamentals was just yesterday for me. Between putting on my uniform for the first time and frantically searching YouTube for a video on how to properly tie your neckerchief, I was suiting up for the first battle so to say. This is the beginning of Fundamentals. Give it about two weeks and it will soon only be called “fundies”. This is the most influential and important class of your entire CIA career. You can only build from it. You will either rise or fall. If you skate through fundies, you will slowly fall behind. This class will show you right away if you have what it takes. While 70% of your final grade is hands on, 30% are tests, quizzes, and homework. If you study and ask the right questions it is simple. Here are six tips on how to not only survive fundies, but how to be the best you can be! 1.) READ McGEE! Yes, you may understand the difference between a sauté and a pan fry, but you need to be fluent in it. You need to make culinary fundamentals a way of life. If you want to be the best, then you need to be the one others come to with questions. The school gives you the tools, but it is your job to use them. McGee is not just a paperweight! Read the chapter of focus for the night and take notes right in it! I can’t tell you the times you will be asked questions in class that the answers will only be in that book. After a while the book becomes easy to read, plus becoming everyone’s reference has its perks. 2.) Practice your knife cuts.
That knife skills practical will sneak up on you, and before you know it you will have 35-40 mins to complete it and make it perfect. Take potatoes home and tourné until your frail little fingers cramp. Don’t be the one who can’t make a decent tourné in À la Carte. Challenge your self to take 5 minutes off of your time every day until you are producing high quality knife cuts with shorter times. Don’t worry about being the last one done. If it’s perfect it doesn’t matter. Here is what I did: Cut two potatoes a night five nights a week, with ten tourné on the two off nights. If you are struggling, go to the learning strategies center. There is no shame in it! If you take short cuts early in your career, they will follow you the whole way through. 3.) Keep your knives sharp. You don’t want to be the kid that looks as though someone killed their puppy because there is a knife check to get into class. Sharpen them as needed, and steel them religiously! There is also nothing more embarrassing then your knife being chosen to use in demo and then being called out in front of the entire class for being unprepared. Also, if your knives are sharp your times will improve on your knife skills tray. If you are just down right bad at sharpening knives ask your chef for help. After all, that’s what they are there for, to teach! 4.) Volunteer for everything! If you see volunteers are needed at an event in the city than go! If one of the chefs needs help for a catering event down in Fishkill, NY on a Saturday night then do it! The more experience you can get outside of the kitchen the better. It will only help you in the long run but give you knowledge that can be brought with you into the classroom. This will also give you networking opportunities,
Lady Chef Lament
BY: Dana DeRiancho, AOS Culinary
To anyone who has spent time in the food industry, it’s old news that our kitchens are primarily run by men. When I first began working in back of house, it was a struggle to adapt my personality and priorities to such a testosterone-fueled environment. Becoming a successful kitchen worker demands that women embody many of the traits we were raised to fear seeing in ourselves. When psychologist James Mahalik was conducting research about gender, he asked those surveyed, “What do women need to do to conform to female norms?”. The top responses are summarized as “[they should be] nice, thin, modest, and use all available resources for appearance”. I think this description was hand plucked from the thesaurus, filed under “Chefs, antonyms”. Here at the CIA and in the real world food industry alike, prospective chefs are expected to be assertive, confident, competitive, and as for the weight management, our whole lives revolve around food. “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,” you’ve obviously never indulged in hollandaise, or melted a paperthin veil of lardo against your tongue...but I digress. During my externship in San Francisco, I relied on public transportation and nightly rode a crowded bus to get home from work. On one such occasion, after a particularly relentless night, I caught my reflection in the bus window and my facial expression quickly morphed into an uncanny resemblance of the Scream mask at the horror looking back at me. Starting at my hair in its frantic knot of unruly curls to my ol’ dependable white v-neck slightly graying from wear, and the seven nights of grill brick
caked beneath my stubby nails that just would not wash clean, right down to my Crocs; the fashion faux-pas which bring me a pleasure greater and guiltier than listening to Uncle Kracker. Once I was able to pick my jaw up from the grimy bus floor, I just had to reassess and laugh at the whole situation. How did I expect myself to look after a busy ten-hour shift behind the line? And why did I carry this constant obligatory burden of needing to be pretty, or the shame when I was unable to do so; as if prettiness is the rent I pay to occupy public space as a female? I found so much tranquility in that frantic and sweaty kitchen; it’s a feeling I would not be willing to sacrifice for any manicure, and definitely not for my Crocs. So where does that leave us, when we find ourselves to be women daily devoid of all the characteristics that are said to make us female? We can either feel the tremendous guilt and weight of not being able to live up to these expectations, or we can challenge them. I am here to tell you, girls, that every action you do is feminine because you are a woman doing it. I have deep respect for the women I work beside at the CIA. They are strong, clever, passionate, meticulous, and committed workers; and such a bland descriptor as pretty would never do them justice. I want to see women being universally valued for something other than their coyness or outward appearance. As faces of the next generation’s work force, we have the power and persuasion to reinvent those female norms. When someone spots me on that late bus in all my disheveled glory, I want them to nod in appreciation and think, ‘She looks like she works really hard.’ I want them to wish they could cook like a girl.
because you really never know who you are going to be able to meet. 5.) Stay out of the drama. You will be surrounded by your peers all of the time. Alliances will naturally form. Add to that time restraints and the fact that your grade depends on the people around you and naturally drama will form. Whether it’s over who got group leader or who burnt the veal bones, remember there is an end to every class. Your grade will be fine as long as you are competent on your own. Be able to do everything yourself, be prepared for the day, and only then are you in the clear. If you do find yourself getting caught in drama, then just let it roll off your shoulders. Chefs will know what is right and wrong. 6.) Game plans Time lines, game plans, kitchen plans, or whatever else you call them, these things are key. Find a template you like and stick to it. Spend time creating them and hang it on the wall. Once it comes time to take your practical you will see how important they actually are. These are often tickets into the kitchen, and no one looks more pathetic then the kid trying to make up a pommé purée recipe just to get sent home for it being a sloppy mess. Be organized and be professional about them. These were just six quick tips that will help accelerate you from being good to being great. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and make mistakes. This is your time to learn! Embrace the knowledge that is being shared with you and put it to good use! Best of luck and know that help is always around every corner!
September 5, 2014
ON CAMPUS
The Struggle is Real
BY: Morghann Crossley, AOS Baking and Pastry
As my first semester here in the Baking and Pastry program comes closer and closer to an end, I can’t help but to think, “My that has gone quickly.” It seems as though it was just yesterday that I was eagerly moving into my new home. While I was certainly welcomed with utmost opened arms, I still longed for my old home too. It wasn’t long after that I was writing my very first La Papillote article thinking, “Wow, this place is truly a dream come true.” Not much longer again after that, the struggle began to take form. Between balancing deadlines, rat races, always being eager to do your best, and the constant drive to shake the most hands, it can get chaotic out there! Before I knew it, twelve weeks have passed, not including breaks. In the beginning it was simply mind blowing to believe it was even real. Now it is even more shocking to watch how fast it goes. My advice to new students, overwhelmed students, or even students caught up in the very real struggle itself.
Stop and take a look around you. This place is a lot, and it will drag you to places you never dreamt you could conquer. Yes, it will seem like too much to handle sometimes, but in those times just remember to enjoy the ride. Take a walk to stone pavilion to take a breather. Appreciate some of the most beautiful views that are right on our doorsteps. Get some exercise at our amazing rec center, which may I add is only getting cooler and cooler by the day. Go sit by the waterfall, close your eyes, and remember these beautiful things are here for you. You have worked hard to get here, and you deserve to enjoy it. We all live in a culinary paradise designed to launch us toward success. It won’t be easy, but it is a paradise here nonetheless. This is simply something we cannot forget, yet somehow we all too often do. The next time you are piling on the homework, studying for that final that seemed to creep up when you weren’t looking, or attempting what you wish could be your last genoise, stop and take a minute. The grass is always green here at the CIA, and we are all in this together. So if we believe in our ability, work hard, and overcome that gosh forsaken struggle, than together we cannot fail.
Frustrated and Famished: The Birth of Chèvre Crostini
BY: Connor White, AOS Culinary
As I counted down my days left in Chicago, I made it a point to see and do everything that I had yet to experience there. On one of my last nights, I had planned on going out to eat at Graham Elliot Bistro. However, when I showed up to the restaurant it was closed. Then, the next two places that I tried were closed as well. Just my luck, no restaurants were open on a Friday night. Eventually, after a clearly unsuccessful quest, I decided that going out to eat was just not in my cards. Frustrated and famished, I made my way back to my apartment. When I walked into my apartment, of course I went straight to my fridge to see what I could eat. I hadn’t gone grocery shopping in awhile, and I knew that this was going to be a task. Salvaging something worth eating was not easy. Luckily enough I had a few veggies lying around as well as some day old baguette. After some poking around, I finally decided on these chèvre crostini. I enjoyed them as a nice snack while I cuddled up to a movie. I also had some three-month aged Manchego cheese in the fridge that just so happened to find its way onto my plate. These crostini would make for an hors d’oeuvres that is sure to have people talking. With its bold flavors and easy preparation, these chèvre crostini are a knockout. Ingredients: Crostini French baguette, cut into slices Olive Oil Chèvre Spread 1 c. Fresh chèvre 1/4 c. Mayonnaise 3 Tbsp. Chopped dill To taste Salt and pepper Roasted Pepper Sauce 3/4 Red bell pepper, roasted and pureed 2/3 c. Plain Greek yogurt 1/3 c. Mayonnaise To taste Salt and pepper
Photo: Courtesy of Connor White
1/4 1/4 cup 1/4
English cucumber, thinly sliced Red onion, small diced Red bell pepper, sliced Dill sprigs
Method: 1. Cut baguette on sharp bias in 1/2 inch slices 2. Drizzle with olive oil 3. Bake at 400°F until golden brown 4. While baking combine chèvre, mayonnaise, dill, salt, and pepper then set aside 5. When crostini reach a golden brown, remove from oven and top with 1 Tbsp. each chèvre spread 6. Combine all ingredients for roasted red pepper sauce, set aside 7. Put crostini back in oven for 3 minutes 8. Once the spread is melted remove from oven 9. Top the crostini with 1 tsp. each red onion, 2 cu cumber slices, 2 red pepper slices, 2 tsp. red pepper sauce, and a sprig of dill 10. Enjoy!
7
Un-Embracing My Heritage
BY: Emily Dittmar, AOS Baking and Pastry
In the cultural lottery, I didn’t make it out so hot. Where meat and potatoes rain from the sky and baked beans count as a vegetable, Pennsylvania Dutch cookery doesn’t seem quite fair. No doubt a handful of dishes I continue to crave if nothing else for nostalgia’s sake. For the most part my appetite is similar to the phenomena where everyone with curly hair wants straight hair and vice versa. My appetite for something new (relative to my experience) but much older in history is merely growing with each day. The first time I went to an Indian restaurant the menu may as well have been the map to Atlantis. Up until that point, Chinese take-out encompassed all Asian cuisines. I was way too old for a lack of experience to be an adequate excuse for such blissful ignorance. Nonetheless I foraged on through the night remembering everything to be extremely spicy for my unseasoned palate. (Mild Salsa still makes me blush.) My saving grace was the fried naan. Oh man. Forget the fact that it was fried; I found the bridge to my familiarity. I ogled in soft, warm, and yeasty. Bread! One gleam of hope that I have taken from the glutenfree disaster is the craze for ancient flours that have resurfaced from the graves that all-purpose flour dug for them in the past. It is a slow resurrection with amaranth and rice flour making sad appearances in vegan cupcake boutiques and $12 boxes of “allergen-friendly cookies.” What I would truly like to uncover, however, is the very deeplyrooted recipes of other cultures. Up until now flatbreads are the strange recipes I ignore at the back of most of my bread-baking cookbooks. Using bread as the fail-safe bridge between comfort and other cuisines, I hope to gain a small idea of the lesser-known cuisines that have yet been formed into a watered-down restaurant chain. The layer of pretention that enrobes how “authentic” a dish might be is too thick to ever entangle. My best efforts to recreate the flatbreads that make up the staples of many countries would most likely be scoffed at in their country of origin. Just like the first day of college, where all of us were freshmen, I’ll barrel through my position as a novice.
8
LA PAPILLOTE
Graduation
AOS Graduation Speaker: Frank Crispo ’80 SUBMITTED BY: Shelly Loveland, CIA Staff
Frank Crispo is the chef/owner of Crispo Restaurant, located in the heart of Chelsea in New York City’s West Village. Born and raised in the outskirts of Philadelphia, PA, Chef Crispo got his start in the foodservice industry at the age of 12, washing pots and pans in a local Italian restaurant. From working his way through all the stations at the restaurant to working with his father in the elder Crispo’s plumbing business, young Frank accumulated a wealth of food, plumbing, and mechanical knowledge. With a desire for a career in food, Frank enrolled at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. From that point forward, his focus was clear: work hard, learn your craft, and keep an eye toward opening your own restaurant. After graduating from the CIA in 1980, Chef Crispo moved to New York City and worked for Jean-Jacques Rachou at La Côte Basque for three years. He then moved on to the Polo Restaurant at the Westbury Hotel, where he worked under Roger Vergé, and fellow members of the kitchen crew included Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller. After a stint at Manhattan’s famed Tavern on the Green, Chef Crispo returned to his hometown of Philadelphia to work at Dilullo Centro. In 1987, he returned to New York for a position at Andiamo! and, later, served as executive
chef at Zeppole, which was owned by Drew Nieporent, Robert De Niro, and François Peltzer. In 1990, Chef Crispo opened Chefs Cuisiniers Club with fellow CIA graduates and La Côte Basque veterans Charlie Palmer ’79 and Rick Moonen ’78. Located in the Flatiron District, the restaurant was open to the public, but was meant to be a place for chefs to gather after their own restaurants had closed for the night. From 1994 to 2001, Chef Crispo was much in demand at restaurants in and around New York City, for which he consulted, cooked, created menus, organized contractors, and designed kitchens. He was a kind of “underground chef,” with a butcher knife in one hand and a monkey wrench in the other. In July 2002, after all the years of building and “chefing” for others, Chef Crispo finally opened up what most of his customers consider one of New York City’s bestkept secrets: Crispo Restaurant, a neighborhood spot for food and drinks. Crispo’s quickly began collecting accolades, including being named Best New Restaurant by Time Out magazine in 2002 and earning a nod from New York magazine for Best Spaghetti Carbonara. Photo: Courtesy of Crispo Restaurant
AOS Graduating Class of September 5, 2014
Culinary Arts Group #1
Front Row: Beth Needelman, Colby McCormick, Julie Lodato, Mackenzie Mendez, Christina Marinucci, Joo Seok Lee Back Row: Arianna Goarin, Sam Kirsch, Evan C. Bass, Kendall DaCosta, Jake Bercume, Kenny Sugiarto
Culinary Arts Group #3
Front Row: Christian R. Duncan, Katie Lutin, Fernanda Michelsen, Luscio Agostini, Jesse DeLorenzo, Stephen La Rosa, Robert Patzke, Charles Kisiday Back Row: James Bates, Jeffrey Jackson, Patrick Erskine, Jesseriah Gass, Rachel Thoms, Israel Weiss, Patrick Knott, Michael Knipp, Ricardo Sandoval
Culinary Arts Group #2
Front Row: Taagamanusina Paialii, Jay Gopal, Oscar Sanchez Back Row: Jordan Vandiver, Jonathan Rodriguez
Baking & Pastry
Front Row: Alexis Zeigler-Holleman, Ehlana Covert, Christine Park, Thomas Bradley, Karla Castro, Megan Bernal, Beatrice Wilson, Shelby Bondzio Back Row: Victoria Field, Alison Rizzo, Olivia Agrenot, Harshita Jain, Maddison Orman, Brittany O’Connor, Lauren Morgan, Sarah Uhlarik, Kelsey Finley, Tyler Martin