Rhubarb and Strawberry Shortcakes with Gingered Crème Fraîche

The arrival of spring's first crops, rhubarb and strawberries, are a welcome reminder that the warmer months of summer are not far away. When you put the two together—juicy sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb—over freshly-baked shortcakes and top them with a silky, gingered cream topping, it's easy to create a simple and delicious dessert that everyone will love."Many people are intimidated by using fresh rhubarb in recipes, because they are just unfamiliar with how to prepare it. Yes, rhubarb is known to have a tart taste, but when paired with sweet spring strawberries, the best of both ingredients shine through," explains CIA Chef Stephen Durfee from The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in California's Napa Valley. "The only caution for those making this dish at home is to be careful not to overcook the rhubarb, as it can get soft very quickly."

This new twist on how to make classic strawberry shortcake, was created to take advantage of both crops that are currently in season at supermarkets and farm stands everywhere. For those of you interested in pairing this treat with wine, Chef Durfee recommends serving it with a late-harvest Muscat, which provides another layer of fruity aroma.

If you are looking to take advantage of fresh strawberries and rhubarb, but don't feel like baking, you can always prepare these topping and serve it over your favorite store-bought biscuits as well.

These and more recipes are explained and illustrated in The Culinary Institute of America's Season's in the Wine Country (2010, Chronicle Books) cookbook available at bookstores nationwide or at www.ciaprochef.com/fbi/books/SeasonsWineCountry.html.

Watch the video on YouTube

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Rhubarb and Strawberry Shortcakes with Gingered Crème Fraîche

Makes 9 small square shortcakes or 8 small round shortcakes

Vanilla Shortcakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2-inch section of a vanilla bean
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons melted butter

Rhubarb

• 1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 quart)
• 3/4 to 1 cup sugar, depending upon desired sweetness
• One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and halved (about 1 1/2 ounces)
• 2 cardamom pods
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

Whipped Cream and Crème Fraîche with Ginger Chips

• 1/2 cup crème fraîche
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup ginger chips or candied ginger, finely minced

For the shortcakes:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.
2. Sift the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Slit the vanilla bean and, using a sharp paring knife, scrape the seeds into flour mixture. Stir the flour mixture to distribute the vanilla seeds.
3. Starting with 1 cup of the cream, mix the cream into flour with a large wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Add additional cream as necessary to take up all of the dry ingredients into a firm ball of dough with no dry spots; it should not be sticky.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 20 times, until the dough becomes smooth, but not shiny, and firm but pliable. Pat the dough into a square approximately 9 x 9 inches. Cut the dough into nine 3-inch squares. Alternatively, use a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cutting circles as close as possible to one another and folding the scrap dough under the main dough.
5. Brush each shortcake on both sides with a light coating of melted butter and place on an un-greased baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake until puffed and light golden, about 15 minutes.
6. Place the shortcakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

For the rhubarb:

1. Toss the rhubarb, sugar, ginger, and cardamom pods in a glass container. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Turn the mixture once or twice to evenly distribute the sugar.
2. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium saucepan. Gently pour the rhubarb mixture through the sieve into the saucepan. Remove sieve with the rhubarb and place over a bowl. Remove and discard the ginger and cardamom.
3. Bring the liquid and sugar in the saucepan to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring gently, until all of the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add the rhubarb to the saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb just begins to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the rhubarb mixture from the heat and reserve at room temperature while preparing the whipped cream. Rhubarb will continue to soften as it sits.

For the whipped cream:

1. Place the stainless steel bowl and whip attachment for an electric mixer in the freezer 10 minutes before whipping the cream. Place the crème fraîche, cream and sugar into the chilled bowl and whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Gently stir in the ginger chips. Reserve until needed.
2. Place the saucepan with rhubarb mixture back on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the strawberries and cook until the strawberries are just heated through but still firm, about 2 minutes. Tease shortcakes apart with a fork. Divide rhubarb and strawberry mixture between the shortcakes (about 1/2 cup per serving) and finish each shortcake with a small dollop of whipped cream.

Nutrition analysis for Rhubarb and Strawberry mixture per 1-ounce serving: 25 calories, 0g protein, 6g carbohydrate, 0g fat, 0mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol, 0g fiber.

Nutrition analysis for Shortcake serving: 260 calories, 4g protein, 27g carbohydrate, 16g fat, 210mg sodium, 50mg cholesterol, less than 1g fiber.

Nutrition analysis for Crème Fraîche per 1-ounce serving: 120 calories, 1g protein, 12g carbohydrate, 8g fat, 15mg sodium, 30mg cholesterol, 0g fiber.

Photo Caption:

Rhubarb and Strawberry Shortcakes with Gingered Crème Fraîche. (CIA/Annabelle Breakey and Faith Echtermeyer)

Contact:

Virginia Mure
Communications Manager
845-451-1555
v_mure@culinary.edu

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The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone Celebrates International Food Day with Local Students

St. Helena, CA, May 24, 2010 – As part of a community effort to expose high school students to healthy eating and foods from around the world, The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Greystone is partnering with St. Helena High School for the first International Food Day on May 28, 2010 at St. Helena High School. High school students, teachers and administrators, as well as the school board and local politicians, will be dining on items such as Sweet Potato Chaat from India and Vietnamese Rice Noodle Soup Pho Ga.

This unique collaboration is the result of a special auction lot offered at last year's St. Helena Public School auction. The auction lot, called Healthy Foods-Healthy Minds, generated over $65,000. It was developed with the premise that food education, and access to fresh, healthy food should become a part of the public school experience. Through the implementation of Healthy Foods-Healthy Minds, the school and community members made a commitment to serving more nutritious and freshly prepared meals using locally grown food, as well as to educate children about their food choices and the impact those choices have on students' health, their community and the environment.

"We are thrilled to create this synergy with St. Helena High School by bringing our expertise in global flavors and issues of health and wellness quite literally to the table," notes Charles Henning, managing director of the CIA at Greystone. "The cross-fertilization of our faculty and students with the students and educators at St. Helena High School seems a natural fit in educating the next generation about food-related topics that interest and concern us all."

CIA chefs have created a menu that will introduce students to a diverse selection of foods and flavors from around the world, while also raising the students' awareness about ingredients and nutrition. The St. Helena High School's culinary program will research the nutritional information for each of the dishes being served, as well as the culinary cultural history. This information will be made available to students and their families. Additionally, the recipes will be available to local families from the school community.

"Developing an understanding and appreciation of food, flavor, nutrition and health is the goal of the International Food Day," said Julie Synyard, principle of St. Helena High School. "The idea for this event came from our school's senior leadership class, but we could not have successfully implemented this without the generous support and vision of the CIA."

Contacts

Tyffani Peters
Media Relations Specialist
707-967-2322
t_peters@culinary.edu

Cate Conniff
Marketing Manager
707-967-2303
c_connif@culinary.edu

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Humorist David Rakoff to Hold Reading at The Culinary Institute of America

Presentation and Book Signing is Part of College's Dooley Lecture Series

Hyde Park, NY, May 13, 2010 – Humorist, writer, and actor David Rakoff will be reading from his work at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) on Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 2 p.m. in the Ecolab Theater in the CIA's Admissions Center. A book signing will follow. Rakoff's visit is part of the college's Dooley Lecture Series.

Rakoff is the author of the bestsellers Fraud and Don't Get Too Comfortable. His latest book, Half Empty, will be published in September. He is a regular contributor to Public Radio International's This American Life, and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, Wired, GQ, Gourmet, Vogue, and many other prominent publications. A two-time recipient of the Lambda Book Award for Humor, Rakoff also wrote the screenplay adaptation for—and acted in—the film The New Tenants, which won the 2010 Oscar for Best Live Action Short.

The public is invited to attend the reading and book signing on the CIA campus, which is on Route 9 in Hyde Park. Attendance is limited to 100, and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Speakers in the Dooley Lecture Series address more than just food-related topics. The series brings food industry leaders, as well as experts on international relations and other interesting luminaries to The Culinary Institute of America. It is named for Carroll F. Dooley, the first director of the college's food preparation division in 1946. His daughter, Patricia Dooley Fortenbaugh, has been funding the series since its inception in 2002.

Contact:

Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
845-451-1372
j_levine@culinary.edu

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The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone Launches Oleoteca® Villa Campestri

First Super-Premium Olive Oil Program of its Type in the United States

St. Helena, CA, May 12, 2010 – As part of a groundbreaking initiative to introduce super-premium olive oil in the United States, The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) recently launched the Oleoteca® Villa Campestri and related OliveToLive restaurant offerings at its Greystone campus in the heart of the Napa Valley.

The Oleoteca Villa Campestri at the CIA at Greystone was created to bring some of the world's very best olive oils—what many are now calling "super-premium" olive oils—to American chefs and food enthusiasts. Representing top estates in California, Spain, Italy, and Greece, these oils are selected for their outstanding sensory profiles and for meeting technical standards higher than those for "extra virgin." These select olive oils are then handled under the most stringent storage and transportation conditions to assure a degree of freshness and flavor that will be strikingly new to most Americans.

The Oleoteca Villa Campestri was founded in Italy in 2000 to bring a new category of olive oil excellence, through educational programs, scientific partnerships, and culinary research, to the worlds of hospitality, food and wine. The third party in this partnership of elevating standards for olive oil quality is Association 3E, a non-profit organization whose mission it is to support the three "Es"—Ethics, Excellence, and Economics—in the pursuit of super-premium olive oils.

"The understanding and appreciation of top quality olive oil is perhaps 25 years behind that of wine in the United States. We have designed our new Oleoteca to bring these truly memorable oils to a wider audience, and stimulate greater interest in the entire top end of the olive oil sector," notes Charles Henning, managing director of the CIA at Greystone. "A focus on excellence—and the science and innovation that support excellence—will bring benefits to the entire production sector as well as olive oil lovers everywhere."

Oleoteca oils start their journey to the CIA at Greystone from olive groves and producers which have already met the world's most comprehensive growing and production standards. Olives are picked at the height of ripeness and flavor profile for a particular olive variety and then milled very quickly after harvest, typically within hours. The aromatics of these oils are captured at the peak of their "new harvest" freshness by being stored under nitrogen gas atmosphere and then transported under ideal conditions (away from light, air and oxygen). Oleoteca oils remain in this pristine state right up to the point of being individually bottled at the CIA at Greystone's Flavor Bar or served at its restaurant.

The Oleoteca at the CIA at Greystone will be part of the Marketplace at Greystone's innovative Flavor Bar, where dynamic and interactive "Taste Like a Chef" sensory and educational sessions give visitors insights into how a chef tastes and uses flavor to create a variety of foods. In the olive oil session, guests will learn how super-premium olive oils are produced, how to taste olive oil, olive oil attributes and styles, and how to cook with and store olive oil.

Photo Captions:

Super-premium olive oil being poured at the CIA at Greystone's Oleoteca. (photo credit: CIA/Terrence McCarthy)

Entrance to the CIA at Greystone's Flavor Bar and Oleoteca. (photo credit: CIA/David Wakely)

Contacts

Cate Conniff
Marketing Manager
707-967-2303
c_connif@culinary.edu

Tyffani Peters
Media Relations Specialist
707-967-2322
t_peters@culinary.edu

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"Renegade Lunch Lady" Challenges CIA Graduates to Make a Difference

Ann Cooper '79 Delivers Commencement Address at Her Alma Mater

Hyde Park, NY, May 11, 2010 – Author, chef, educator, and advocate Ann Cooper delivered the commencement address during graduation ceremonies at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) on Friday, May 7. The self-proclaimed renegade lunch lady told the 85 graduates that they are much more than chefs and bakers, but, in fact, they are the key to the future health of the country.

Cooper, a 1979 CIA graduate, is interim director of nutrition services in Colorado's Boulder Valley School District. This follows her work in Berkeley, CA, where—supported by a grant from the Chez Panisse Foundation—she revamped the menu. Now all the ingredients in school lunches there are freshly made, locally grown or produced, and as organic as possible.

"When I graduated, the food world was so much simpler. Thirty years ago we didn't live in a world where three out of four adults and one of every three children are overweight or obese," Cooper said. "You truly are the stewards of the health of this nation. Realize that you make the difference. You are the difference."

When not in school cafeterias, Chef Cooper can be found leading her new Food Family Farming Foundation to find solutions to the school food crisis or lobbying Congress in Washington, DC, to improve nutritional guidelines for school lunch programs. The author of four books, her latest is Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children (HarperCollins, 2006).

"There is nothing more important than our children's health," Cooper advised recipients of associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts. "You hold the future of the earth, our food system, our farms and farm workers, and our children's health in your hands. No matter what your career path, you hold the key."

Photo Caption:

Ann Cooper '79 challenged and inspired graduates of The Culinary Institute of America during commencement exercises on May 7, 2010. (Photo credit: CIA/Keith Ferris)

Contact

Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
845-451-1372
j_levine@culinary.edu

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CIA President Honored as 2010 "Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America" Inductee

Dr. Tim Ryan Inducted During James Beard Award Gala; Eight Alumni Earn Awards

Hyde Park, NY, May 6, 2010 – Dr. Tim Ryan, president of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), is a new member of the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America. President Ryan was inducted during the Beard Foundation's annual awards gala in New York City on Monday, May 3.

"Inclusion in the 'Who's Who' is very special," Dr. Ryan said. "And I am honored to be able to represent the CIA within this distinguished group."

"Not only is Dr. Tim Ryan a wonderful role model for the literally thousands of students and chefs who have graduated from The Culinary Institute of America, but his distinguished career in the culinary world in America is legend," said Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation. "A testament to his role in shaping the future great chefs of America is the fact that many James Beard Award winners are CIA graduates."

In addition to Dr. Ryan's Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America induction, eight CIA graduates won 2010 James Beard Foundation cookbook, broadcast media, restaurant, and chef awards:

• Grant Achatz '94, Outstanding Service Award at Alinea, Chicago, IL
• Koren Grieveson '96, Best Chef: Great Lakes at Avec, Chicago, IL
• Jeff Michaud '98, Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic at Osteria, Philadelphia, PA
• Ron '92 & Colleen '94 Suhanosky, Best Cookbook: Single Subject for Pasta Sfoglia
• Rick Moonen '78 (Host) & Heidi Hanson '91 (Producer), Best Television Show: On Location for Chefs A' Field: King of Alaska
• Todd English '82 (Host & Co-Producer), Best Television Special for Food Trip with Todd English

A record 26 graduates of The Culinary Institute of America were finalists for James Beard Foundation awards this year.

Photo Caption:

Dr. Tim Ryan (right), President of The Culinary Institute of America, with fellow 2010 Who’s Who in Food & Beverage in America inductees (from left) David Rockwell, Founder and CEO Rockwell Group, NYC; Susan Spicer, Chef/Owner Bayona, New Orleans, LA; Leah Chase, Chef/Owner Dooky Chase Restaurant, New Orleans, LA; Jessica B. Harris, Author and Historian. (Photo credit: Kent Miller/James Beard Foundation)

Contact

Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
845-451-1372
j_levine@culinary.edu

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CIA Dean Holds Record for Presiding Over Most College Commencements

May 7 Marks Dr. Kathy Merget's 159th Graduation Ceremony

Hyde Park, NY, May 4, 2010 – As colleges around the United States prepare for their annual graduation ceremonies, at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY Kathy Merget will preside over her 159th commencement when associate degree cordons are presented on Friday, May 7, 2010. And, while there is no official world record in this category, it is believed nobody has been master of ceremonies at more degree-granting college graduations than Dr. Merget.

Because of the CIA's unique Progressive Learning Year—or "building block"—academic calendar, there are associate degree graduations every three weeks and baccalaureate degree graduations three or four times each calendar year. With just a few weeks off for summer break, it comes out to 19 or 20 ceremonies a year.

Dr. Merget, the school's dean of liberal arts and business management, has served as emcee at every graduation at the college's Hyde Park campus since 2002. She has heard graduation speakers go on for up to an hour and as short as a few sentences. There are many common themes: remain passionate; keep learning; never forget where you came from; and give back to the industry, the community, and each other. "I used to cry every time I heard Pomp & Circumstance. Now it has become the warm-up before I invite family and friends to join me in welcoming the graduates to begin each ceremony," Dean Merget says.

Despite the sheer numbers, Merget says every graduation is still meaningful, and many speeches resonate with her. "When I see the proud graduates and their loved ones, I'm reminded that each commencement is unique and special," she says. "It has been an honor to preside over so many special moments and to call out the names of graduates as they walk across the stage with a sense of accomplishment for a job well done—knowing they will go on to successful careers."

Following the May 7 ceremony, Dr. Merget will be undergoing surgery. She scheduled her operation based on the CIA's graduation schedule, so she can return in time to lead her 160th consecutive commencement on May 28.

Photo Caption:

Dr. Kathy Merget presides over a baccalaureate graduation ceremony at The Culinary Institute of America. Dean Merget will serve as emcee at her 159th consecutive commencement on May 7, 2010. (Photo Credit: CIA/Keith Ferris)

Contact:

Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
845-451-1372
j_levine@culinary.edu

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Say Cheese When Planning a Picnic

Warmer temperatures invariably seduce us towards the outdoors. Whether your plans for a day's outing bring you to the ocean, lake, park, or even your own backyard, the experts at The Culinary Institute of America suggest bringing along the cheese.

CIA Associate Professor John Fischer explains how to thoughtfully plan a picnic without refrigeration by bringing foods and wines that can travel in your cooler without adding ice. For a simple sumptuous picnic, he suggests packing a selection of cheeses, olives, olive oil, crackers, a fresh French Baguette, and a light-bodied red wine. Chill the wine overnight, then put it in the cooler with your other items to keep the food cool. Once you arrive at your destination, take out the food so it can warm to room temperature. Leave the wine to remain cool until you are ready to pour.

When selecting the cheeses, consider the range of styles and flavors that your family and friends enjoy. For a complete understanding about the world of cheese, Mr. Fischer has devised a way to pick your pleasure by organizing his new book, Cheese: Identification, Classification, and Utilization (2011, Cengage), according to the flavor profiles of cheese. He calls this cheese fingerprint, MORPA.

"MORPA stands for Milk, Origin, Rind, Paste, and Aging, all of which are considered the most basic information you need to understand a particular cheese," he says. "By taking all of these factors into consideration, you can identify a distinct flavor."

For instance, Mr. Fischer suggests choosing one cheese from each of the five chapters such as fresh goat cheese, mild aged Camembert and Spanish Garrotxa, complex and rich Alpine-style cow's milk, and strong and stinky Pont L'Évêque for a well-rounded mix of flavors sure to please your guests.

The following recipe is from Cheese: Identification, Classification, and Utilization, available at bookstores nationwide or at www.ciaprochef.com/fbi/books/KPSCheese.html.

"I was first introduced to this dish while working for Mark Strausman at Campagna Restaurant in Manhattan," says Mr. Fischer. "It was largely from Mark that I learned how incredibly thrifty Italians can be regarding the number of ingredients in a dish, while still creating astonishing results. This dish does exactly that, yielding a range of flavors, textures, and colors using only two main ingredients."

Watch the video on YouTube

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Grilled Trevigiano with Smoked Scamorza

Yield: 4 to 8 appetizer portions

• 2 large or 4 small heads trevigiano or treviso (you may substitute radicchio if not available)
• Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• Salt, as needed
• Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
• 8 ounces smoked scamorza (substitute smoked mozzarella if not available)

1. Preheat the grill and the broiler.
2. Remove the outer leaves of trevigiano if wilted. Cut small heads in half and larger heads in quarters. Leave the stems intact to hold pieces together while grilling. Drizzle all sides sparsely with oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Slice scamorza lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices.
4. Grill trevigiano pieces until the edges are slightly burnt, and the inner leaves begin to look tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from grill and put on a sizzle platter or broiler pan, cut side facing up.
5. Arrange the cheese slices over the trevigiano pieces. The cheese does not need to completely cover the trevigiano. Place under the broiler until cheese is melted and lightly browned on top, 4 to 5 minutes.
6. Serve as is, or put a few drops of balsamic vinegar and good olive oil on the plate as a functional garnish.

Nutrition analysis per 4-ounce serving: 150 calories, 7g protein, 4g carbohydrate, 12g fat, 270mg sodium, 20mg cholesterol, less than 1g fiber.

Photo Captions:

Associate Professor in Hospitality and Service Management John Fischer '88 talks about what to pack for your next picnic. Photo Credit: CIA/Keith Ferris

Grilled Trevigiano. Photo Credit: CIA/Ben Fink

Contact:

Virginia Mure
Communications Manager
845-451-1555
v_mure@culinary.edu

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