July 1st, 2009
Here is one the best summer desserts recipe from our Pastry Arts class. The next Pastry Arts program starts September 7th. Enjoy!
La Pâte Brisée (Pie Dough)
Pie Dough
Ingredients: Y=1 ½ lb. or 3 ea. 9” tart shells
12 oz. AP flour
8 oz. Butter, cold
4 oz. Water, very cold or iced
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. White or cider vinegar, lemon juice
Techniques/Method:
1. Combine flour and salt in a bowl.
2. Cut the butter into 1/2″ pieces. Add and toss in the flour mixture. Squeeze into nickel to dime sized pieces (flat and disc shaped), working quickly to keep the butter cold and firm.
3. Starting with ¾ of the water and all the vinegar, add and mix just enough until dough sticks together when squeezed tightly. Add more water if needed a bit at a time, gently mix to moisten flour evenly and do not overwork. Dough is ready when most of it sticks together when squeezed.
4. Dump the dough onto the work surface and bring together using a pressing and folding motion (do not knead).
5. Portion, wrap and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes. Overnight is best. Roll out as needed.
6. Shape and chill.
7. Blind bake or fill pie shell as needed. Bake at 425° until crust has reached desired doneness. Lower the temperature if needed to finish baking without burning the edges.
Dough can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for a few months if well wrapped.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Adventures in Culinary Arts | No Comments »
June 30th, 2009
The Kitchen at Le Bernadin
It was just a normal Monday night here in Boulder… In New York, however, if you’re Amy Poweski, it was one that would be remembered forever. Amy, a CSR graduate of Culinary Arts July 2007, is doing a stage at Le Bernadin in New York City. Last night, she completed day one of fourteen she would be spending in the upscale, fine-dining restaurant known world-wide for their simplistic, elegant meals. Amy not only met chef and owner Eric Ripert, she plated dessert for the Prince of Saudi Arabia along with the Zagat family. Congratulation, Amy. CSR is so proud and can’t wait to hear about the rest of the stage!
Posted in Culinary School Students | No Comments »
June 24th, 2009
Karen Harbour
Check it out! Chef Track student Karen Harbour is on Fox 31 News at 8:45am Thursday morning, June 25. Karen is the owner of the Tea Spot in Boulder. She specializes in cooking with teas and will be doing a demo during a segment featuring the new movie My Sisters Keeper. Karen will be preparing a number of items during her on-air appearance including Mate Limon Tequila Roasted Corn on the Cob, Green Tea Smoked Salmon, and Grilled Pineapple Drizzled in Mango Tango Simple Syrup. All of her dishes utilize teas from her shop. In addition to her news debut, Karen was also featured in the most recent issue of Travelgirl magazine. Here is one of Karen’s delicious recipes:
Mate Limon Tequila Roasted Corn on the Cob
Ingredients:
· 6 ears corn
· ¼ cup tequila or apple cider vinegar
· 1 lime, zest and juice
· 3 TBS butter, at room temp
· Tea-Sonings: Tea + Seasonings = Tea-Sonings
Mix the following ingredients
o 1 TBS MATE LIMON CHAI, finely grounded
o 1 TBS sugar
o 1 tsp garlic powder
o 1 tsp cayenne pepper
o 1 tsp salt
o 1 tsp pepper
· Oil for cooking grate
Method:
1. Preheat grill until hot. Scrape grate clean. Lightly dip small wad of paper towel in oil, holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate.
2. Peel back cornhusks and remove silk. In a mixing bowl, combine tequila or vinegar, lime zest and juice, butter and Tea-sonings. Brush butter Tea-soning completely over corn. Close husks and set aside until grill is hot.
3. Place corn indirectly on grill and cook for about 10 minutes until tender and lightly browned, turning occasionally.
4. Enjoy warm!
Posted in Adventures in Culinary Arts | No Comments »
June 22nd, 2009
2008 Farm Dinner
Culinary Arts Farm to Table Program begins in a mere few weeks. CSR is getting the professional kitchen ready (semi-annual spring cleaning!) and our partner farms on the Western Slope of Colorado are eagerly anticipating our return. One in particular, Zephyros Farm and Garden in Paonia, can’t wait to have our Culinary Arts students back. September 15th, CSR and Zephyros Farm and Garden will host our second annual Farm Dinner. The Culinary Arts students will create a fantastic meal on the farm with produce and proteins harvested directly from the land. The dinner is a celebration of life on the farm, featuring the bounty of ingredients that are plentiful and sustainable. “It was the most amazing meal we had to date and we can not wait to do it all over again,” says Don Lareau, owner of Zephyros Farm and Garden. The public is welcome and invited to attend the dinner. Purchase tickets here http://www.zephyrosfarmandgarden.com/content/774
Posted in Adventures in Culinary Arts, Culinary School News | No Comments »
June 12th, 2009
After six months of rigorous culinary training,10 students in CSR’s Culinary Arts France Program will graduate. (This is bitter-sweet for CSR. This is the last class to include the France externship. However, we are very proud that our future programs are all Farm-to-Table focused.) The students have tested their limits, ”cooked” in the pressure cooker and are now finished. These talented students have been in our kitchen for 6 months and spent a five-week externship in Avignon, France learning classic French cuisine from masters of the industry. Chef Instructors Adam Dulye and Rebecca Peizer have taught these culinary students everything from brunoise to braising. We are all excited to share in the future accomplishments and successes of these students.
Items on tonight’s buffet includes: Quail Stuffed Mushrooms, Twice Baked Fingerling Potatoes, Duck Meatball with Heirloom Tomato Sauce, and Lemon Mousse Vol au Vents. Culinary School of the Rockies extends best wishes to all of the students and a big congratulations.
Posted in Adventures in Culinary Arts | No Comments »
June 12th, 2009
A new wave of culinary students are emerging. At the top of the wave are new ways to finance culinary education. A new solution? Cooking contests with scholarship money awarded to up and coming chefs. Cooking competitions are heating up kitchens across America. The prize? Money to pay for culinary education. Careers Through Culinary Arts Program, or C-CAP, is a nonprofit organization that works with students in several U.S. cities and is among one of the largest cooking competition scholarship foundations in the country.
If you’re interested in applying to CSR and looking into scholarships or grant options, check out our website. Culinary School of the Rockies is eligible to receive scholarships from The James Beard Foundation, International Association of Culinary Professionals, Colorado Restaurant Association’s education Fund, American Culinary Federation and many more. We encourage our prospective students to apply for any and all of these options, including competing in culinary competitions!
Posted in Adventures in Culinary Arts, Culinary School News | No Comments »
June 4th, 2009
Chef Tracks Toasts To A Great Class
It was an evening filled with smoked trout, local produce and cheeses, breads from around the world, mushroom “cappuccinos“, strawberry rhubarb stuffed pork, and braised bison brisket. The Chef Track students worked hard and felt the pressure of working in a kitchen last night as they put out a celebratory meal for eighty friends and family. The students presented their dishes by describing each one as they placed it on the buffet table, whereby the guests helped themselves to the fabulous foods. Guests of the Chef Track program applauded loudly for their friends and family as they received their diplomas. Each guest left with a smile and a full belly.
Posted in Culinary School News | No Comments »
June 3rd, 2009
Chef Adam Prepping in the James Beard House Kitchen
Chef Adam Dulye was recently featured in Draft Magazine for crafting a Colorado inspired dinner, paired with craft brewed beers, at the James Beard House in February. Regarded as one of the most prestigious culinary honors, Chef Adam towed 450 pounds of fresh and local produce from Denver International Airport all the way to New York. Staying close to his Colorado themed evening, Dulye’s menu was paired with beer from Steamworks Brewery in Durango, Colorado. The night was an incredible success, the dinner was delicious, and the guests enjoyed the lovely “transported” Colorado atmosphere.
Enjoy the full Story in Draft Magazine
Posted in Culinary School News | No Comments »
June 2nd, 2009
Chef Traci Des Jardins
In a recent article published by Forbes, the magazine said that female chefs are the new rising stars in kitchens across America. Women are firing up grills and flambéing their way towards rebuilding the high-end restaurant scene by crafting down-to earth menus and affordable dishes. Working in a world dominated by men, women are chopping along, proving to be the underdogs in a struggling niche market of fine food and dining. Featured in the article is Chef Traci Des Jardins, one of the few female veterans of the upscale culinary world. Chef Jardins is now the owner of her own mini-empire including restaurants such as Mijita, Jardiniere, and the Acme Chophouse. CSR also has some powerhouse female graduates who are making waves in the culinary world. Culinary Arts graduates Sylvia McGrath and Cathy Wearp just opened their own restaurant named Cilantro, which is located in Ft. Collins. Kelly Simonton is the chef at Empire Café in Louisville and Adia Benson is working as a cook at d.b. Bistro Moderne, owned by Daniel Boulud in New York. Traci Des Jardins, along with Culinary School of the Rockies alumnae are becoming role models for a new generation of female chefs sprouting up around the country.
Did you know in the past 20 years, the enrollment of female students at Culinary Institute of America has nearly doubled? And, 30% of the James Beard Foundation “Who’s Who” are women, and 40% of national celebrity chefs on TV are women. As for CSR, 54% of our students are female.
Read full article
Posted in Adventures in Culinary Arts | No Comments »
May 29th, 2009
Ahoy. The Pastry Arts Spring classes graduation sailed its way to success this afternoon. This Pirates of the Caribbean themed graduation was filled with pate a choux skulls, skull and cross bone shortbread, and the big hit of the day sculpted cake that exactly resembled The Black Pearl pirate ship. It was even complete with a steamy caldron of pirate punch. There was loot and booty to be found in nearly every inch of the kitchen. Gold cookies that looked like hidden treasure were scattered throughout and every guest was clearly impressed. The students did a marvelous job. The food was delicious and the chefs, staff and students are extremely proud!
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Adventures in Pastry Arts | No Comments »
