More than a cooking school - CIA Sizzle

The CIA Launches "Almonds, Healthy Baking, and Desserts: Tasting the Future" Online Learning Module

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) has introduced the "Almonds, Healthy Baking, and Desserts: Tasting the Future" online learning module on the college's www.ciaprochef.com Web site.

"Almonds, Healthy Baking, and Desserts: Tasting the Future" is a free online resource that illustrates how to use California almonds in every format—from almond oil to almond flour and almond milk—to enhance the flavor and nutritional profiles of pastries, breads, and desserts.

Although intended for professional bakers, "Almonds, Healthy Baking, and Desserts: Tasting the Future" is suitable for the home baker as well. The program explores the many health benefits of almonds; the culinary advantages of almonds in regard to taste and texture in baked goods including pastries, breads, crusts, and cookies; the pairing of almonds with other nutrient-rich foods such as dried fruits, whole grains, seeds, plant oils, and honey to create complexly flavored baked goods; and the versatility of using almonds in the desserts of many of the world's cuisines.

The online learning module also includes video demonstrations of the spectrum of almond-based breads, pastries, and desserts including Almond, Mission Fig and Golden Raisin Bread; Almond Rosemary Shortbread Cookies; Almond Cake with Yogurt; and Almond Milk Panna Cotta with Rosewater and Pomegranate Glaze.

"Almonds have remarkable versatility in the bakeshop," notes CIA Baking Chef-Instructor Aaron Brown, C.B., C.H.E. "Almonds and almond products—including almond flour—add flavor and nutrients, improving the texture, health benefits, and appeal of many baked goods."

"Almonds, Healthy Baking, and Desserts: Tasting the Future" was sponsored by the Almond Board of California and produced by the CIA New Media group. It can be found at www.ciaprochef.com/HealthyBaking. The college's New Media group has been honored with two James Beard Awards for Best Video Webcast.

Once-in-a-Lifetime Wine Tasting Becomes Tastier

Great news for wine enthusiasts anticipating the tasting of the 2007 Châteauneuf du Pape vintage at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone with Robert M. Parker, Jr. Three more wines have been added to the flight, making a total of 21 wines from this excellent vintage to be tasted. This annual event has generated an endowment in excess of $1 million for Wine Advocate scholarships for the CIA's Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies. This year's tasting is scheduled for Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. at the CIA's Napa Valley campus.

When Parker first reviewed the 2007 Châteauneuf du Pape wines, he awarded them ratings in the mid to high 90s. According to Parker, "the entire vintage will be very long-lived given the extraordinary balance in the wines. (And) given this quality, the high demand and limited supply from these producers makes 2007 one of the most collectible vintages in recent memory."

The 21 spectacular 2007 Chateauneuf du Papes to be tasted are listed in alphabetical order with a brief note from Parker on why they were considered for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

• Bosquet des Papes Cante le Merle Vieilles Vignes
"This wine may turn out to be their best since their debut release of this cuvee in 1990."

• Chateau Beaucastel"This may be their greatest vintage of Beaucastel since 2001 and 1998. It should age effortlessly for a minimum of two decades."

• Chapoutier Barbe Rac
"It reveals great texture, and amazing finish and riveting overall balance and purity."

• Chateau Rayas
"After going through a transitional period after Jacques Reynaud died in 1997, it is safe to say that his nephew, Emmanuel Reynaud, has returned this venerable estate to its previous level of high quality."

• Clos des Papes
"I'll go out on a relatively safe limb and state that I believe the 2007 Châteauneuf du Pape is the greatest Clos des Papes I have ever tasted!"

• Clos du Mont Olivet Cuvee du Papet
"With the introduction of their Cuvee du Papet in 1989, they created an old-vine, luxury product that can push Chateauneuf du Pape to its maximum expression of Grenache and Provençal typicity."

• Domaine de Saint-Prefert Charles Giraud
"This estate is well worth following, especially for (this) their top cuvee from the sandy soils of Pignan, near Rayas."

• Domaine du Caillou Le Clois du Caillou Reserve
"It should age effortlessly for 25 years thereafter. A reminder the 1998, the first great vintage of this cuvee, is still a young wine at age 10."

• Domaine de Cristia Vieilles Vignes
"As I have indicated over the last few years, this is one of the superb newer producers in the Chateauneuf du Pape."

• Domaine Giraud Les Grenaches de Pierre
"Kudos to Philippe Cambie for capturing the terroir and elusive quality of old vine Grenache that seemingly hits heights in Chateauneuf du Pape unequaled anywhere else in the world."

• Domaine Grand Veneur Cuvee Les Origines
"The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Origines may turn out to be one of this estate's finest cuvees… a luxury cuvee sold at a reasonable price."

• Domaine de la Janasse Cuvee Vieilles Vignes
"It is hard to say whether this is the finest wine Christophe Sabon has made since taking over for his father, but what a profoundly great effort!"

• Domaine Olivier Hillaire Les Petits Pieds d'Armand
"Olivier Hillaire has taken over most of the vineyards that once comprised Domaine des Relagnes, and has profoundly changed the wines from very good to sensational."

• Domaine de Saint-Prefert Charles Giraud
"Ever since winemaker Isabel Ferrando released her fabulous 2003s, this superb estate has become one of my favorite estates in Chateauneuf du Pape."

• Domaine Gerard Charvin
"Some serious tannins are lurking behind all the fruit, so this 2007 will benefit from 2–4 years of cellaring. It will drink beautifully for 15–18 years."

• Domaine La Baroche Cuvee Pure
"...the brilliant 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure does not rival the virtually perfect 2005, but I rated the 2005 similarly at the same state of development, and the 2007 will probably put on weight."

• Font de Michelle Cuvee Etienne Gonnet
"This has been one of the most reliable estates in Chateauneuf du Pape for well over two decades."

• Les Cailloux Cuvee Centenaire
"This will be interesting to taste out of bottle, but my best guess is that this wine will be approachable young, and last for 15–20 years."

• Pierre Usseglio Cuvee de Mon Aieul
"2007 is another stunning success from brothers Jean-Pierre and Thierry Usseglio."

• Vignobles Brunier Vieux Telegraphe
"This venerable estate, long run by the Brunier family, is a consistent source for fabulous wines."

• Vignobles Brunier Clos la Roquette L'Acent de Roquette
"This fabulous Chateauneuf du Pape will compete with the top wines of this stunning vintage. It should drink beautifully for two decades."

Parker will also host a BYOB dinner at PRESS restaurant in St. Helena following the afternoon tasting. The dinner is limited to 60 guests who will share wines from their own cellars during dinner as Parker visits each table. Proceeds from this dinner benefit the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. There are a limited number of seats still available for both events. The price to attend both the Seminar & Tasting and the Dinner at PRESS is $1,500 per person ($1,250 tax-deductible). Attending the Seminar & Tasting only is $750 per person ($500 tax-deductible). The cost of Dinner is $1,000 ($750 tax-deductible). Please contact Reuben Katz at r_katz@culinary.edu or call 707-967-2305 for reservations.

The CIA Celebrates the Opening of The Walkway Over The Hudson by Introducing a Special Cocktail, The Walkway

The Culinary Institute of America will mark the Saturday, Oct. 3rd opening of the Walkway Over The Hudson—the world's longest pedestrian-only bridge—by introducing a new cocktail, The Walkway.

The Walkway is a combination of rye whiskey, apple jack, New York State maple syrup, "Dutch" chocolate bitters in honor of the Quadricentennial, and is garnished with a chocolate "walkway" that also serves as a stirrer for the cocktail. Douglass Miller, a CIA Lecturing Instructor in Hospitality and Service Management, created the beverage. The Walkway cocktail will be offered in the college's three international restaurants; American Bounty, Escoffier Restaurant, and Ristorante Caterina de' Medici.

The drink will be available from Friday, October 2nd through October 31, 2009.

To learn more about The Culinary Institute of America's public restaurants or to make a reservation, visit www.ciachef.edu/restaurants, or call 845-471-6608.

Robert M. Parker, Jr. Hosts Tasting of 2007 Châteauneuf du Pape at the CIA at Greystone

Join world-renowned wine writer and critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. for an extraordinary wine tasting featuring the 2007 vintage of Châteuneuf du Pape at the Robert M. Parker, Jr. 6th Annual Seminar & Tasting at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. This event has generated an endowment in excess of $1 million for Wine Advocate scholarships for the CIA's Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies. A sparkling wine reception will follow the tasting, which takes place on Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. in the college's Ecolab Theatre.

The tasting will feature 18 of the wines from the 2007 Châteuneuf du Pape vintage which received ratings in the mid to high 90's when Parker first reviewed them. According to Parker, "the entire vintage will be very long-lived given the extraordinary balance in the wines. (And) given this quality, the high demand and limited supply from these producers makes 2007 one of the most collectible vintages in recent memory."

Robert Parker, perhaps more than anyone, has defined modern wine criticism with his writing, tasting notes, and ratings published in his bi-monthly newsletter, The Wine Advocate.

Parker will also host a BYOB dinner at PRESS restaurant in St. Helena following the afternoon tasting. The dinner is limited to sixty guests who will share wines from their cellars during dinner as Robert Parker visits each table. Proceeds from this dinner benefit the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

The price to attend both the Seminar & Tasting and the private dinner is $1,500 per person ($1,250 tax-deductible). Attending the Seminar & Tasting only is $750 per person ($500 tax-deductible). The cost of the BYOB Dinner at PRESS is $1,000 ($750 tax-deductible). Please contact Reuben Katz at r_katz@culinary.edu or call 707-967-2305 for reservations.

The Culinary Institute of America Expands Food Enthusiast Offerings to its Greystone Campus in the Heart of California's Napa Valley

"Saturdays at the CIA" Offer Food Enthusiasts the First-Ever Hands-On Food and Wine Programs at the West Coast Campus of the World's Premier Culinary College.

The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone has introduced its first-ever weekend classes for food enthusiasts. "Saturdays at the CIA" will offer a wide array of hands-on cooking and wine exploration classes for Napa Valley visitors with no previous professional training. Each of the two-hour classes--taught by the same expert faculty that has made the CIA the world's premier culinary college--costs $75 per person.

With titles ranging from "Hot Latin Cooking" to "Street Foods of the Middle East," these unique hands-on cooking classes take students on a culinary journey while creating dishes inspired by global cuisine. Class sizes are small--just 12 students--so all participants have the opportunity to work one-on-one with the chefs of the CIA. Over the course of the two hours, students will work in teams to prepare a tasting for their fellow classmates to enjoy.

Saturdays at the CIA wine exploration classes introduce students to the world of viticulture in our state-of-the-art Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies. Instructors guide students in tasting a number of grape varieties and exploring the diversity of wine regions throughout the world. Participants will also learn helpful tips when tasting, buying, and serving wine for their friends and family.

Students who enroll in Saturdays at the CIA can get even more out of their trip to campus by making a lunch or dinner reservation at The Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant. Guests who make a reservation before class will receive a seat at a communal table with their classmates and enjoy a special fixed-price menu for only $19 for lunch or $29 for dinner. All Saturdays at the CIA participants will also receive a 10% discount on any purchases from the college's Spice Islands Marketplace.

Too busy to visit the CIA on a Saturday? The new food enthusiast offerings also include a limited number of exclusive Sunday classes taught by Chef John Ash that focus on how to pair food and wine, for just $95 per person.

A schedule of all the new food enthusiast courses can be found at www.ciachef.edu/SaturdaysatGreystone. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 707-967-2320.

Global Food Crisis Expert Speaks at CIA

Raj Patel Lecture is Part of the College's Dooley Lecture Series.

Writer, academic, journalist, and activist Raj Patel spoke at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park on Tuesday, January 15, 2009. Dr. Patel's talk is part of the CIA's Dooley Lecture Series.

Dr. Patel earned his Ph.D from Cornell University. He is currently a scholar in residence at University of California, Berkeley. He has worked at the World Bank, the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. Dr. Patel is the author of Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System (Melville, 2007). He has been a frequent contributor to the BBC, NBC, Al Jazeera, and NPR. In 2008 he testified on the global food crisis before the U.S. House of Representatives' Financial Services Committee.

The Dooley Lecture Series brings food industry luminaries and experts on international relations to The Culinary Institute of America. The series is named for Carroll F. Dooley, the first director of the college's food preparation division in 1946. The public is invited to attend the lectures. The CIA is on Rt. 9 in Hyde Park. Attendance is limited to 100, and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

New Series of Food Enthusiast Classes Lead Spring 2009 Schedule at The Culinary Institute of America

Innovative "Saturdays at the CIA" Curriculum Offers Continuing Education Classes Built Around Best-Selling Cookbooks

A new series of classes for food enthusiasts, highlighting recipes from best-selling cookbooks, leads the Spring 2009 curriculum at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). The new "Saturdays at the CIA" lineup of classes will give budding chefs the chance to prepare signature dishes from the CIA's popular line of cookbooks.

Among the 12 new classes to be offered this season: Rise of Asia; Spain and the World Table; Soups; Grilling; Baking at Home--The Desserts; Cake Decorating; Gourmet Meals in Minutes; and Breakfast & Brunches. "Saturdays at the CIA" classes will be held on the following Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.: March 7 and 21; April 4 and 18; May 9 and 16; June 6 and 20.

"In our new Spain and the World Table course, participants will have the opportunity to work with ingredients they may have only seen until now on the Food Network," explains Laura Pickover, director of food enthusiasts programs at the CIA. "In making the signature tapas, the small bites so popular in the Latino world, students will work for the first time with fiery peppers, exotic spices, and savory foods that are used to create Spain's greatest culinary inventions. It's like traveling abroad with our chefs to sample specialties--right here in Hyde Park."

A Saturday schedule begins at 9:30 a.m. with orientation, followed by a lecture. Students head to the kitchen for food production and collaborate together on lunch. All attendees will receive a CIA cookbook and an official apron. Tuition for classes is $225 per person.

To register for one of the new "Saturdays at the CIA" classes, food enthusiasts can visit the CIA Web site at www.ciachef.edu/enthusiasts or call the college's Continuing Education Department at 1-800-888-7850.

The Culinary Institute of America to Become Site of SkillsUSA National Culinary Training Center

In partnership with SkillsUSA, The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) has established the SkillsUSA WorldTeam National Culinary Training Center on its Hyde Park, NY campus. The CIA will provide technical expertise and educational resources to prepare the national culinary champion to represent the United States at next September's 2009 WorldSkills Competition in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

To qualify for SkillsUSA's WorldTeam, top culinary performers from the annual SkillsUSA Championships will be ranked by contest scores and other professional qualifications, and subsequently invited to train at the CIA.

CIA faculty will design a training curriculum for the finalist, who begins training in January 2009 in preparation for the competition in Calgary eight months later.

"SkillsUSA is proud to partner with The Culinary Institute of America," says Peter Carey, coordinator of SkillsUSA's WorldTeam. "By joining forces with one of America 's premier culinary education institutions, SkillsUSA students will have a leg up in their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete on the world stage at the WorldSkills Competitions."

SkillsUSA is a nonprofit educational association serving more than 300,000 teachers and students annually who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and health occupations. SkillsUSA complements technical skills training with instruction in the "employability skills" that employers increasingly cite as deficient in the emerging work force. The association holds an annual conference that includes the SkillsUSA Championships, showcasing the finest high school and college students in more than 80 skilled trade and leadership competitions, including culinary arts.

The Culinary Institute of America announces the winners of the Annual "Top Turkey" Scholarship contest

More than $35,000 in Scholarships Awarded to Seven Aspiring Chefs from Across the Country.

Seven aspiring chefs have been selected as winners in the second annual Culinary Institute of America Top Turkey Scholarship competition. The top award was presented to Carolyn Cho of Torrance, CA, who received $10,000 for her Korean-American Thanksgiving Pancakes & Cranberry Dipping Sauce recipe and video.

The $7,500 Second Place winner was Matthew McCarthy of Marietta, GA who prepared Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Roasted Turkey, Seasonal Vegetables, and Brown Butter Jus. The $5,000 Third Place award went to Justin Henry Lee of Oak Hill, VA for his Turkey and Stuffing Pumpkin.

An additional $5,000 People's Choice Award was won by Matthew Goike of Naples, FL for his video on how to prepare Turkey Mandu.

Three $3,000 honorable mention awards went to Darren Beauregard of Lynchburg, VA for his Turkey Panini with Cranberry Mango Relish; Cyndra Rook of St. Louis, MO for her Thanksgiving Turkey Roulade; and Kathleen Baran of Ann Arbor, MI, who prepared her own Quiche Valerie.

Each of the winners has been accepted to The Culinary Institute of America, and will begin pursuing either a bachelor's or associate degree at the world's premier culinary college in the coming year.

The Top Turkey Scholarship contest was especially notable because students were encouraged to submit video recordings with their original recipes. These video presentations, detailing the preparation of their creations, were required for the special $5,000 People's Choice Award. Finalists were rated by YouTube viewers from across the country, and the video with the highest ranking was crowned the People's Choice. Creativity was encouraged, since entries had to first impress the expert chef-instructors at the CIA, and then entertain thousands of visitors to YouTube.com.

Recipes and videos from the finalists of the second annual Top Turkey Scholarship Contest offered by The Culinary Institute of America are available to inspire home cooks for this holiday season. To view the winning videos and print the recipes, visit www.ciachef.edu/leftovers.

The Culinary Institute of America Announces the 2009 Vintners Hall of Fame Inductees

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) announced the wine industry leaders who will be officially inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame (VHF) at a gala reception and dinner ceremony on March 14, 2009 at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, CA.

The 2009 Hall of Fame inductees include noted wine journalist Gerald Asher, Gourmet magazine; Jack and Jamie Davies, founders of Schramsberg Vineyards; Jess Jackson, founder of Kendall-Jackson Estates; Carole Meredith, UC Davis professor and co-founder of Lagier-Meredith Winery; Justin Meyer, co-founder of Silver Oak Cellars; and Warren Winiarski, founder of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.

Frederick and Jacob Beringer, who founded Beringer Vineyards, will be inducted as "Pioneers," a category that recognizes those who made a significant contribution to the California wine industry and passed away prior to March 1989.

"We owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women who have made the California wine industry the success it is today," says Dr. Tim Ryan, president of the CIA. "Their efforts and dedication in creating the worldwide prestige of the California wine industry are inspiring, and the Vintners Hall of Fame is a wonderful place to recognize their contributions."

This year's nominating committee, chaired by noted wine journalist W. Blake Gray, included Charles Sullivan, wine historian and author; Mike Dunne, Sacramento Bee; John Olney, The Wine Country Club; Jim Gordon, Wines and Vines; and Darrell Corti, Corti Brothers, who was inducted into the VHF in 2008. The final inductees were elected by the 45 members of the Vintners Hall of Fame Electoral College.

"I'm delighted that the voting members of the Vintners Hall of Fame Electoral College have chosen such an outstanding induction class that represents so many aspects of the California wine industry: not just making, selling and promoting wine, but also researching and writing about wine," says W. Blake Gray. "This superb induction class brings great honor to the Vintners Hall of Fame at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, and I thank the voters for selecting it."

The Vintners Hall of Fame annual induction dinner provides scholarships for the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the CIA's Greystone campus. The 2009 induction gala and ceremony will be supported by a spectacular selection of seminars, luncheons, and food and wine tastings that will take place on March 13 and 14, 2009.

For more information on the 2009 Vintners Hall of Fame Induction Dinner and weekend celebration of California food and wine, please contact Reuben Katz at 707-967-2305 or r_katz@culinary.edu. To view photos from previous galas, please visit www.ciaprochef.com/winestudies/vintners.html.

2009 Vintners Hall of Fame inductees' bios:

Gerald Asher
Wine editor of Gourmet magazine for more than 30 years, Asher displays both great knowledge of wine and the ability to write about it without technical jargon. His elegant, witty writing has passed along a passion for wine to many food lovers.

Jack & Jamie Davies
Jack and Jamie Davies resurrected the abandoned Schramsberg estate in the mid-1960s. With Jack overseeing production and Jamie doing the marketing, they established Schramsberg as a world-class house of sparkling wine. Every president starting with Richard Nixon has served Schramsberg wine at an official White House function.

Jess Jackson
In 1974, Jackson, a founding member of Family Winemakers of California, converted an orchard in Lakeport to a vineyard. By 1982, the first Kendall-Jackson-labeled wine went to market. He created a new style of Chardonnay that made it the most popular varietal in America. Jackson has also embarked on a quest to elevate the best Sonoma County wines to the highest level of respect in the wine world.

Carole Meredith, Ph.D.
Dr. Meredith spent 20 plus years in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis, studying grape genetics and using DNA typing methods to discover the origins of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, and, most recently, Zinfandel. Today she is the co-owner of the Napa winery Lagier-Meredith.

Justin Meyer
A Brother in the Christian Brothers order, Meyer began his winemaking career as an assistant to Brother Timothy at Greystone Cellars, now the West Coast campus of the CIA. After studying at UC Davis, he left the Brotherhood to create the Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon-only program with David Duncan. The wine became one of the most requested premium wines in U.S. restaurants.

Warren Winiarski, Ph.D.
Dr. Winiarski left his teaching position at the University of Chicago to become a winemaker, first working at Robert Mondavi Winery before forming his own company, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars. The very first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon produced at his new winery won the famous 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting, instantly proving that California red wines are as good as any in the world.

2009 Vintners Hall of Fame "Pioneer" inductee bio:

Frederick & Jacob Beringer
The Beringer brothers emigrated from Mainz, Germany in the 1860s to seek their fortune, and became leaders of the California wine industry in its rise to greatness from the 1870s until the 1890s. A Beringer Riesling won a silver medal at the Paris Exhibition of 1887. The winery and house they built are among the most treasured buildings in the Napa Valley.