Sugary treats, bread and tamales -- the dead have it so good! The Day of the Dead, orDía de los Muertos, is actually two days that combine Aztec traditions with Christianity's All Saints and All Souls Days on Nov. 1 and 2. It is by no means a somber holiday. In fact the Day of the Dead is a joyous time during which the dead re-join the living and are honored by their families.
Ancestors are memorialized with visits to cemeteries and homemade altars adorned with ofrendas(offerings). These include items belonging to the dead, candles, flowers, a bowl of water, incense and food, of which the dead are believed to consume the essence prior to the living's meal.
The food most closely associated with the Day of the Dead is pan de muerto (bread of the dead). It varies regionally, and is baked in many shapes, including skulls, human figures, crosses and teardrops, then sprinkled with colored sugar.
To celebrate the impending graduation of its 40,000th student, the Culinary Institute of America will hold a one-day trivia contest on Twitter on Nov. 4.
Throughout the day, the CIA will ask trivia questions on its @CIACulinary Twitter about everything from its textbook and history to basic cooking techniques. The CIA's Twitter followers who correctly answer the questions will be eligible to win autographed books by CIA graduates such as John Besh and high-end cookware.
For many foodies, becoming a professional chef is a little bit like running away to join the circus. It seems impossible, the kind of bold, crazy move that is compelling simply because it is so unlikely. On the other hand, after hearing dinner guests repeatedly praise your cooking and loudly declaring that you should open a restaurant, it is easy to get lost in daydreams of culinary glory, imagining yourself joyfully preparing outstanding food, day after day, for a dining room full of excited, appreciative customers.
To get a better feel for the realities of the cooking trade, I talked to David Herr, a former engineer who followed the ultimate foodie dream and became a professional chef. For him, the path to culinary contentment began with a job that was, increasingly, becoming unenjoyable. After 20 years in the structural engineering field, he found that "Work was drying up, I was burning out, and I wanted something new. Since cooking was an innate part of my life, I decided that that was what I wanted to do next." After a great deal of research, David determined that his best route would be to enter a chef training program at either the Culinary Institute of America or New York City's French Culinary Institute. After a great deal of consideration, he decided to go with The French Culinary Institute, as its six-month program was shorter and cost less than CIA's 2-year course of study.
I am often skeptical of big, multi-purpose cookbooks. I'm something of a Joy of Cooking girl myself (particularly the edition printed in the late sixties/early seventies) and so I don't always see the utility of having additional huge, all-encompassing cookbooks taking up space on my shelves when I'm always going to turn to Joy.
However, as soon as I opened up the Culinary Institute of American Cookbook, my dedication to Irma Rombauer's opus started to crack just slightly, making me think that it might be a good idea to open myself up to a few more large tomes. There are a number of useful tricks in the introduction, including one that made me slap my hand to my head with its useful obvious. They advise to keep a stick of butter in the freezer and then use a vegetable peeler to detach small bits which will then easily melt on veggies or toast. Genius!
This is a book written and designed for home cooks (as opposed to many of the CIA's publications that are intended for students at the Institute). It's printed on a combination of glossy and matte paper, so that there are several sections of gorgeous pictures, scattered among larger sections of recipes. I was a little disappointed in the recipes, as they seem to be the same collection of world cuisine we see all over these days. There were a couple of recipes that caught my attention, though. I've earmarked the Warm Black-Eyed Pea Salad (page 45), Garlic Cheese Grits (page 183) and Chedder and Thyme Muffins (page 254).
Bottom line: If you have a full-to-bursting shelf of cookbooks, you don't need this book. However, if you're shopping for a cook that is just moving beyond beginner status, this could be a great book to help them walk down that path.
I have never been to France (just Poland, Hong Kong and Indonesia). However, I dream about going someday, to have an opportunity to taste real French food (particularly the cheese). Until I find the time (and the budget) to make that trip, I've got a new cookbook to help me pretend and prepare. That book is Bistros and Brasseries: Recipes and Reflections on Classic Cafe Cooking. Written by two chef/instructors, John W. Fischer and Lou Jones, from the Culinary Institute of America it is an authentic and tasty collection of recipes that evoke the French bistro.
The book is divided up into six chapters, that focus on Cheeses and Aperitifs, Appetizers and Soups, Pancake and Egg-Based Dishes, Side Dishes, Main Dishes and Desserts in turn. There's also an additional section that discusses foundational cooking knowledge and can be immensely helpful for a novice cook.
For me, one of the marks of a good cookbook is when the writing conveys a personal involvement and appreciation for the food it is trying to convince you to prepare. This volume is so lucious with description that even opening the front cover inspires me to leap up and run to the stove, so that I can prepare the dish. If you are a fan of French cooking and are looking for some fresh spins on classic dishes, this might just be a good cookbook for you.
I just have to tell all you Slashfoodies about the new Astor Center in New York City. Some of you may have heard me mention one of my favorite shops, Astor Wine & Spirits before; like when I reviewed St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur. When I lived in NY I stopped by there on a weekly basis, now it's more like 6 times a year, which is pretty good when you consider it's over 400 miles from my new home in Mid-Coast Maine.
For the past three years I have been hearing rumors about the Astor Center being developed by Astor Wines & Spirits and they finally opened just last month. The Astor Center is a state or the art culinary education and events center where they have panels, workshops, symposia, seminars, courses on every aspect of the food and beverage world. They have three beautiful spaces for their events, courses, and seminars. The Study- a seminar hall with stadium seating looking down to a teaching kitchen and podium from comfortable seats set at counters set up for professional tastings; with a light box, running water, and a sink for every seat. No spitting in nasty slop buckets here. The Kitchen- A huge, top of the line teaching kitchen with every gadget you can imagine. The Gallery- a multi-use space for wine pairing dinners, food festivals, lectures, and other events.
Their presenter list is nothing short of amazing with top experts in all areas of the culinary world joining together to explore both the cutting edge and historical aspects of food and beverages. There is a strong focus on wines, spirits, and cocktails; something you would expect from the Astor Wines folks. F Paul Pacult, Jim Meehan, Maximilian Riedel (of Riedel Crystal), Kara Newman, Brian Van Flandern, Timothy Sullivan, Henry Sidel, and more experts on various libations are on hand to delve into the glorious world of all that is wet and tasty; for beginners and experts, consumers and those in the trade.
Most healthy cookbooks are written for home chefs by home chefs - or at least by those who specialize in writing for home chefs. Few are written from the perspective of professionals and even fewer are marketed towards them. The Professional Chef's Techniques of Healthy Cooking is an exception, then, as it was prepared by the Culinary Institute of America to give pros a "grounding in nutritional principles" and a base of healthier recipes to work from. That being said, home chefs and pros alike can benefit from this particular volume. The recipes cover a huge range of dishes and come off as being more elegant - and often more flavorful - than your standard low fat fare and the photos that accompany many of the dishes are sure to tempt even the most reluctant healthy eater. Fat does, of course, equal flavor in most restaurant dishes, so there is a lot of detailed discussion about enhancing the flavor of foods by choosing high quality base ingredients and working with spaces and fresh vegetables. For those who aren't just interested in cutting fat, there is plenty of information on using less sugar and salt, as well. The recipes rage from very basic sauces to complex main courses, and include Veal Stock, Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with Artichoke and Mustard Sauce, Broiled Swordfish with Tomatoes, Anchovies, and Garlic, Tropical Fruit Parfait with Honey-Vanilla Yogurt.
The Culinary Institute of America has put out some great books in the past, all of which are not only good references for home cooks looking for creative recipes, but are great references for those interested in learning as much as possible about cooking techniques. The Culinary Institute of America Book of Soups: More than 100 Recipes for Perfect Soupsis no exception. The book covers stocks, cream soups, cold soups and just about any other type of soup that you can think of in great detail, walking you through all the steps needed to perfect your technique. There are over 50 step-by-step instruction sets, as well as tips for correcting consistency and flavor. The emphasis is on classics, such as Vichyssoise, Clam Chowder and Cream of Tomato (which would be perfect with Grilled Cheese), but there are plenty of creative twists on standard flavors to keep things interesting for even adventurous cooks. On top of all the soup recipes, or rather following them, is a chapter dedicated to the accompaniments that can turn any soup into a meal, primarily breads, croutons and crackers.
With the all the scurrying around that preceded Christmas, I missed the obit for Jerry Berns, the longtime host and co-owner of New York City's famed 21 Club. Berns, who welcomed presidents and celebrities, until he sold the onetime speakeasy in 1985 for $21 million died at the age of 99.
The number 21 figures not only in the club's address (21 W. 52 St.), but it also happens to be the date that the affable Berns passed away, December 21, 2006, to be exact.
Known as Mr. Jerry, Berns was associated with 21 for 50 years. During that tenure he warmly welcomed everyone who walked through the doors from the likes of Frank Sinatra and Humphrey Bogart to more ordinary folks. Berns also served as a trustee of the Culinary Institute of America. Thanks to his efforts to spur the directors to move the CIA to Hyde Park, N.Y., he was one of the first people to be named to its Hall of Fame.
Incidentally the number plays another eerie role in the restaurant's history. Pete Kriendler, the other co-owner also died on December 21, five years earlier in 2001. As far as I can tell the number 21 has nothing to do with the number of chutes and levers that helped the club avoid detection by the police during its heyday as a speakeasy.
The Culinary Institute of America has launched an R&D program with several leading food-service players, including The Coca-Cola Co. and Campbell Soup Co. Who knew that the CIA was involved in food-service research? In my mind it's always been more well-known for turning out top chefs.
The other partners in the CIA's Menu R&D and Flavor Discovery Initiative are Tyson Foods and Ventura Foods. Each founding partner has ponied up $250,000 toward the project, which will focus on food science as it pertains to food service.
Applied research that can be published in trade journals is one of the venture's primary goals. The research areas will include flavor discovery, consumer preference and emerging food-service technologies. Perhaps the program's findings will help Hardee's come up with a salad that doesn't break the 800-calorie mark.
Just reading the title of The Professional Chef, 8th Editiontells you exactly who the book is written for and what kind of recipes you're going to find inside. The book was complied by the Culinary Institute of America, based on the techniques that they are teaching now and the ones that were the foundation of modern cooking. It is part cookbook, part reference guide, as it was designed to be a "comprehensive 'bible for all chefs.'" Serious professional chefs will probably already have a copy, but it is a must have for anyone who intends to produce restaurant-quality food at home. And we're not taking the "quality" you'll find at a casual dining chain, either.
In addition to over 600 recipes, plus a number of variations on them, the book covers food safety, cooking tools, ingredients and nutrition. You'll find information on matching and balancing flavors, as well as in-depth instructions on the more than 125 different techniques that are used to create each of the dishes. The book also includes photographs of the components of dishes, the cooking processes and the finished plates, as well as step-by-step diagrams for many of the techniques that warrant it.
Until the book Culinary Boot Camp: Five Days of Basic Training at The Culinary Institute of America came out, I had no idea that there was actually a Culinary Boot Camp program at the Culinary Institute of America. The programs (which you can get 10% off of through Amazon by buying the book!) take place at the CIA's New York campus and offer people the opportunity to experience what it's like to go to culinary school and pick up some new tips and techniques, without having to change careers. While it's not the same as a hands-on kitchen classroom experience, this book aims to guide the reader through the program.
It is written by a professional cookbook author who attended the class and detailed her experience there. She tries to filter through the mass of information and pass on only what the reader, presumably a home/amateur chef, needs to know. The book, while it does have a lot of recipes, is not as good as a reference as some of the CIA's other cookbooks, though it is a good choice for someone interested in going to or learning more about culinary school. Or someone who lives across the country from the CIA's NY campus and can't make it to the real thing.
The CIA combines helpful, step-by-step recipes with beautiful photos in The Culinary Institute of America: Breakfasts & Brunches, the perfect combination to get your brain and your taste buds eager to get to work in the morning. The volume covers the basics that you'll want to have every day, like banana bread or oatmeal, and more elaborate dishes that are worthy of company or spoiling yourself on a lazy Sunday, like cheese blintzes and wild mushroom quiche. All of the more than 175 recipes are up to the high professional standard of the CIA. It's a great, comprehensive book and, because it focuses on breakfast and brunch, it's a great way to fill out your cookbook collection.
The New York Times Travel section has a list of twenty slightly offbeat,
more interesting things to do for Spring Break, when most people pack up a bikini and sunscreen and head off to the
beach. One of their suggestions is to learn a new cuisine by enrolling in a
weekend cooking course that can go anywhere from spending the weekend in a bed and breakfast to the CIA. Their
recommendations (all on the East Coast) are:
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I just have to tell all you Slashfoodies about the new 
With the all the scurrying around that preceded Christmas, I missed the obit for 
The Culinary Institute of America has launched an R&D program with several leading food-service players, including The Coca-Cola Co. and Campbell Soup Co. Who knew that the CIA was involved in food-service research? In my mind it's always been more well-known for turning out top chefs.
Just reading the title of 
Until the book 
10 More Dirty Restaurant Tricks
5 Things You Didn't Know About Turducken
10 Catchiest Food Jingles We Love to Hate
