Culinary Boot Camp at Schenectady County Community College in January

Have you ever yearned to enroll in one of the culinary boot camps at the Culinary Institute of America down in Hyde Park, but were rendered speechless by the exorbitant cost?  Well, today is your lucky day, readers and friends, because good ol’ Schenectady County Community College will be offering their own three-day Boot Camp in January, for about the half the cost of the CIA’s.  And the best part is – SCCC’s Boot Camp includes two nights at selected Schenectady hotel (all of which are REALLY nice, trust me).

Here’s the scoop, from the official press release:

The Chamber of Schenectady County’s Tourism Committee and Schenectady County Community College have teamed up to offer Schenectady County’s first-ever culinary “Boot Camp”, taking place January 4-6, 2010. Schenectady’s Culinary Boot Camp is a three-day, two-night culinary workshop, offering food lovers and novices alike the opportunity to learn classic cooking techniques, taste ingredients, and share a great experience with fellow foodies.

The Boot Camp workshops will be taught by Christopher Tanner, culinary instructor at SCCC. Chef Tanner is a Certified Executive Chef as well as a Certified Hospitality Educator with the American Hotel & Lodging Association. His education includes an AOS in Culinary Arts from SCCC, a BBA from SUNY Delhi and a Masters in Gastronomy and Food Studies from Boston University. On a national level, Chef Tanner is an ACF Approved Culinary Judge, which takes him to various locations in the country to judge ACF sanctioned culinary competitions.

The three days of professional instruction by Chef Tanner are centered on the theme “A Taste of Tuscany.” Students will learn about traditional Italian cuisines, classic Italian ingredients, Antipasti, Primi (pasta, polenta & risotto), Italian ingredients, pairing wine with Italian dishes, and creating Italian desserts. Brief seminars blended with extensive hands-on cooking time will offer students a true interactive culinary experience (which even includes a professional chef’s coat)!

The Boot Camp schedule will also offer opportunities for students to experience what Schenectady County has to offer:

• On the first evening, the chef at the Glen Sanders Mansion in Scotia chef will prepare a delectable 4 course meal which will be paired with wines from Italy’s Tuscany region. The Mansion’s sommelier will offer a brief seminar on wine and food pairings. Cooking methods learned during the class will be incorporated into the evening’s menu, and a tour of the Glen Sanders Mansion historic facility will also be included.
• On the second evening, students are invited to visit restaurants in Schenectady, during the Dine Around Schenectady event. Boot Camp tuition includes a $20 restaurant gift certificate that can be used at participating restaurants.

The cost for Schenectady’s Culinary Boot Camp is $690 per person, which includes instruction, the wine dinner at Glen Sanders Mansion, a two-night stay at a Schenectady hotel of the student’s choosing (Glen Sanders Mansion, Holiday Inn, Parker Inn, Stockade Inn), and motor coach transportation between hotel(s) and Schenectady County Community College. Participants may also purchase an optional professional knife kit for $40 (includes a chef’s knife, paring knife, and sharpening steel).

The Schenectady Culinary Boot Camp offers cooking enthusiasts the opportunity to experience first-class instruction at one of the nation’s most highly praised culinary schools, at a fraction of the cost of similar courses at other culinary institutions – and Schenectady’s Boot Camp even includes lodging and event transportation! Boot Camp Registration is open NOW at www.cookinginschenectady.com.

This class would make an AMAZING holiday gift for the food lover in your life, wouldn’t it???

Full disclosure: I was on the committee that helped put this Boot Camp together, and I am so jazzed that this is finally happening here.  SCCC has an incredible culinary program, and Chris Tanner is a talented chef (not to mention a really nice guy!).  Matt Mazzone is the chair of the Chamber’s Tourism Committee, and he was really the driving force behind this whole thing - a big shout out to Matt for getting this together (and offering the services of noted chef Jaime Ortiz, if the class gets too full for one instructor…)

It’s the Great Pumpkin Shortage, Charlie Brown!

Could this be the Year Without a Pumpkin Pie?  Or pumpkin cheesecake?  Or pumpkin soufflé?  Well, every year’s the year without a pumpkin soufflé in my house, but folks, this is not a joke: there could very well be a shortage of canned pumpkin this holiday season.

According to food giant Nestlé, consumers can expect a shortage of Libby’s brand pumpkin on store shelves, a week before Thanksgiving, inarguably the biggest pumpkin-consuming event of the year.  Heavy rains drenched the company’s thousand acres-plus of pumpkin fields, preventing harvesting equipment from getting in and picking the entire crop. The company claims that acres upon acres of pumpkins sit unharvested in inaccessible fields in Morton, Illinois – the “pumpkin capital of the world.”  (who knew?).  As a result, less pumpkin has been picked and canned, leading to an anticipated shortage.  The longer the pumpkins sit in these muddy fields, the more likely it is the quality of the pumpkin has declined. Officials have determined that pumpkin which fails to meet Nestlé’s quality standards will be plowed under.

If you’re the type of person who  just can’t live without a pumpkin pie on the Thanksgiving or Christmas table, you’d better head to the grocery store TODAY and stock up on the canned pumpkin you think you’ll need.  Nestlé claims the pumpkin drought could be pretty severe, draining store supplies even before Thanksgiving arrives, a mere 8 days from now.  And the worst part – there won’t be any more pumpkin until the August 2010 harvest!

To help its disappointed customers (somehow) make it through, Nestlé is encouraging bakers to visit www.VeryBestBaking.com, where they’ll find new recipes added to the pie collection.  All I know is: Grandma better have already bought her canned pumpkin, because if she shows up at my house without a pie, I’m gonna slam the door in her 80-year old face.

In other food-shortages-related-to-heavy-rains news:  Leggo My Eggo!   There’s an Eggo waffle shortage happening AS WE SPEAK.   Grocery stores will be experiencing a shortage of the waffles until mid-2010 due to problems at two bakeries in Atlanta, accoring to a Kellogg’s spokeswoman.   Back in September, samples of Buttermilk Eggo waffles tested positive for the bacteria listeria.  (Listeria has been linked to meningitis and encephalitis, according to the Food and Drug Administration.  Yum.)   Kellogg issued a recall of two of its products, although no illnesses had been reported.   Then, after they eliminated the listeria, heavy rains in October caused flooding, shutting down production temporarily.  And, to make bad matters worse, equipment at Kellogg’s largest waffle facility in Tennessee needs extensive repairs.  Talk about a perfect storm!

The end result of this string of waffle-tastrophes: a limited supply of Eggo waffles, which will be heavily rationed to grocery stores around the nation.  This shortage affects not only waffles, but other Eggo products, including  pancakes, syrup and other breakfast food.  My grocery store (Hannaford in Clifton Park) has had signs in the freezer case doors for a couple weeks now, explaining the shortage.   What’s a waffle-lover to do?

I have an idea – go with me on this: how about making your own homemade waffles?  Or maybe even buying a waffle mix?  And – you may even have to resort to using (gasp) real locally-produced maple syrup!  Crazy talk, I know.  But desperate times call for desperate measures, my friends.   Finally, if you need an alert the minute Eggos make it back on the shelves, Kellogg’s has provided a handy-dandy little email notification service that will keep you updated with the latest breaking waffle news.

Seen in the Supermarket

In the “We Calls ‘em as We Sees ‘em” Department:

Crispy Hexagons

Clear, descriptive, to the point.  The marketing team must have been out sick the day they named this product.

Schenectady Greenmarket Happenings for November 15

Lots of cool stuff happening at the Schenectady Greenmarket this Sunday!  From now until May, the Schenectady Greenmarket will be held inside Proctors, from 10am-2pm.

Activities, Performances, and Demos:

• Local Expert, Chef David Brough will demonstrate proper techniques for cutting up chicken at the market this Sunday. Shoppers may purchase fresh, whole chickens from Cooper’s Ark Farm then bring them upstairs to the Local Expert table to learn how to cut them up.
• Live classical and new age guitar from Harry George Pellegrin.  Harry is a good friend of mine – he played at my wedding!  He’s fantastically talented – don’t miss this opportunity to hear Harry!
• Children’s Activities with Mark-IT Art. A new mini art project each month. Kids of all ages can be creative and make art.
• 11am – Jam session with Tim Barker and Friends. Bring your guitar, violin, mandolin, banjo, bass and play and sing along.
• Community Table: Waggin’ Tails Pet Rescue.
• The Farmers Market Nutrition Program for 2009 concludes this Sunday, senior citizens and WIC recipients can use their coupons with any produce vendor at the market.
• Variety vendor: Burden Lake Creamworks
• Alternate week vendors: David Smyth, Moseskill Marketplace, Full Quiver Farm

What’s Fresh and New at the Market this Sunday:

• Cooper’s Ark Farm: eggs, fresh whole chicken, chicken sausage, and MAYBE a couple turkeys for Thanksgiving.
• Madura Farms: exotic mushrooms, micro-greens, sprouts, popcorn and unique vegetables including black radishes
• Pixies Preserves introduces a new line of no-sugar added spreads made with just fruit (no added sweeteners). Also try their seasonal Pumpkin Pecan Butter.
• Native Farms: long-lasting Fall and Thanksgiving centerpieces with dried fruit, grains and greens
• Hudson-Chatham Winery: desert wines packaged in distinctive bottles for holiday gift giving
• Ambition Cafe and Eatery: omelets, coffee, egg sandwiches
• Saratoga Peanut Butter Company:  sample the new gingerbread peanut butter–Catch me if you can!
• Merry Hill Farm: alpaca yarn, fiber for spinning and crafts, and hand knit alpaca accessories and NEW sock and scarf knitting kits!

You can find the latest info about the Schenectady Greenmarket by visiting their website or their group on Facebook.  You’ll find updates, recipes, links, and lots more.

I hope to see you there!

Vegetarian Options at a Local Restaurant?

I just got a message from a friend:

My husband, needs to make a restaurant recommendation to a friend who is coming in from out of town with family. They want to go somewhere nice but not necessarily fancy. Here’s the hitch, a couple of them are vegetarians and one has some health complication that means they need vegetarian choices (no onions, can you imagine?). Me, I’m a meat eater. Heck, I’m an everything eater. So I came up almost blank. Being the foodie you are I thought you might have a suggestion. Any ideas?

I’m drawing a blank as well…does anyone have any suggestions?  I’m assuming that the restaurant would preferably within easy driving distance from Schenectady.

Pie á la Mold

Last night, Bob and I went to eat at our usual weekend quick-dinner place, the Halfmoon Diner on Route 9.  I’ve mentioned it here before, and I’ve always had good things to say about it.  After last night, however, I’m rethinking a few things.

Dinner was fine – tuna melt for me, pot roast for Bob.  Uneventful.  As usual, Bob ordered a piece of chocolate mousse cake to go.  Feeling frisky, I ordered  a piece of coconut cream pie to go.  I’ve raved about their coconut cream pie here before, and was looking forward to its creamy goodness.

About halfway through the piece of pie. something began to taste a little off.  I looked down, and found 3 or 4 pea-sized pieces of bright green mold in the pie.  I immediately spit out what I was chewing, dumped the rest of the horror pie in the trash, and went upstairs to brush my teeth.  It was all I could think about all night.  I even dreamed of eating the moldy pie again.

That pie must have been sitting in that cooler for more than a WEEK, or not kept refrigerated, in order to get mold like that.  Either way,  it was nasty.  I didn’t bring it back, because it was late and I was in my pj’s.  I also didn’t call them, because I didn’t retain the evidence.  All I know is, I’m never eating dessert (or probably even dinner) there again.  Ick.

Today is the Day!

I’m so excited for my buddy Chef Mark!  Today is the day he and his chef buddies (Jaime Ortiz from Angelo’s 677 Prime, Larry Schepici from Tosca, and Jackie Baldwin Russell from Sage Dining Hall at RPI) are cooking for a dinner at the James Beard House in NYC.  It’s called Upstate in the Big Apple, and it’s the culiminating event in the team’s 4×4 Dinners series, “a gathering of 4 of the top chefs in the area creating 4 fabulous dinners paired with 4 great wines at 4 phenomenal restaurants” (it all happened this summer).   Here’s the team:

Left to right: Jackie Baldwin, Jaime Ortiz, Mark Graham, Larry Schepici

So, today’s the day they all get to cook for about 80 guests at the James Beard House, a vertitable Mecca for gastronomes. 

Mark left at about 8 this morning, and sent me a few photos when he got there:

Here it is!

Here We Go!

Can’t wait to hear how it went!  Best of luck to all of the Capital Region chefs in NYC tonight – show ‘em what you’ve got!

What a Day to be a Food Lover!

Today was a great day.

I spent the morning at the Schenectady Greenmarket, picking up lots of great vegetables, bread, vegan hummus, and wine from the Hudson-Chatham Winery.  I probably would have forgotten to go the market, had I not been reminded by my neighbor and buddy Chef Mark that he would be cooking at the Greenmarket today.

Sprouts

Popcorn and Taters

Onions, Red and Yellow

Brussels Sprouts

Chef Mark Graham cooking at the Schenectady Greenmarket

Part Two of today’s excitement after the jump…

Cocina Criolla*

I had lunch yesterday with my friends Gail and Nell, at Schenectady County Community College’s Casola Dining Room.  The Casola is the college’s restaurant “laboratory,” where the culinary students get real life experience cooking and serving in a restaurant.  SCCC is just one of five colleges in New York State that is accredited by the American Culinary Federation Educational Institute.

From SCCC’s website:

Since Spring of 1993, the Casola Dining Room has been serving gourmet meals to the patrons of the Capital Region of Upstate New York. The Casola Dining Room is open for business during the college school year, generally from the first week of October to the first week of December and from the last week in February to the first week in May. Reservations are required.

Menu selection and themes are changed weekly. In the fall semester, menus are themed for Regional American Cuisine. In the spring semester our students prepare International classics. Guests choose one appetizer, a main course and a dessert from the choices. Guests are encouraged to bring in their own wine to compliment the meal experience.

Gail and I had a meeting at SCCC last week with Chef Chris Tanner, to plan the upcoming Culinary Boot Camp (details coming VERY soon), and Chris told us that this week’s cuisine was Puerto Rican.  We were very intrigued – neither of us had ever eaten Puerto Rican food – so I called to make reservations for the three of us (details about making reservations can be found here).

The Casola Dining Room has undergone extensive renovations over the last few years, and it has truly become an elegant space.  The walls are a lush chocolate-brown, the pillars and moulding are off-white, and the walls are decorated with colorful and intricate pieces of fiber art.  I forgot to find out if they were produced locally – I’ll have to make phone call.

It isn’t a very large dining room, with only about 10 or so tables, but it is very warm and welcoming.  The chairs have rounded backs, and are comfortably upholstered in moss-green fabric.  The tables are set with crisp white linens, and are complete with a full flatware service (including soup and coffee spoons).  The decorator was obviously looking to recreate a fine dining experience, and it definitely works.  So far, so good!

We were seated immediately, and one of several servers welcomed us, handed us menus, and took our drink orders.  It was a while before he came back.  When he did finally return, we placed our appetizer and entree orders:

Gail ordered Ensalada De Pulpo: grilled octopus sliced thin and tossed with Spanish onion thinly sliced into rings, crushed garlic, lime juice, virgin olive oil, white vinegar, chopped celery

Nell and I ordered Sacocho: A classic Puerto Rican stew that features the tropical life with yucca, yam, cassava, plantains, corn, beef short rib, and ham with tomato sauce and broth.

We all ordered the same entree: El pargo de cacerola-quemó con Salsa de Criollo, which is pan seared red snapper fillets with pumpkin fritters and avocado-tangerine salad, accompanied by yellow rice and pigeon peas garnished with plantanos.  (don’t normally order fish, but the thought of pumpkin fritters was so enticing that I thought I’d risk it.)

More after the jump…

Election Results

The results of the Comfort Food Election have been tabulated, and here’s the breakdown:

Total Number of Votes: 24 (thank you – that’s certainly better than 7).

Here is a list of the ‘other answers’ that people wrote in:

• “Bread Pudding – Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce”
• “Pizza. How is this not on the list?”
• “Mashed potatoes”
• “Chocolate” (2 write-in votes)
• “Clam chowder”
• “Chili”

Interesting findings.  What’s my favorite comfort food, you ask?  If I had to choose from among the choices I gave, I’d have to say Macaroni and Cheese.  I used to make this KILLER mac & cheese, using a recipe I got from Cooking Light magazine a bunch of years back.  It was four-cheese thing, using fontina, Parmesan, cheddar, and Velveeta Light.  They don’t make Velveeta Light anymore, so I’ve been too afraid to make the recipe with the full-fat version – it might end up to be too good, and I’d eat the whole thing.  The recipe called for crushed melba toasts, to give it a nice crunchy topping.

Oh! I just found the actual recipe, from MyRecipes.com (this blog happens in REAL TIME, my friends – no preplanning):
Creamy Four-Cheese Macaroni Recipe – MyRecipes.com

I may have to revisit that old favorite. Except my husband does not like macaroni and cheese. Luckily, he travels a lot.