Greetings From The Program Chair
 Greetings,
Just an update on where we stand with the new Culinary Arts facility. Collin College’s Board of Trustees has approved Hunt Construction Group as Construction Manager-at-Risk for the Culinary Arts Facility at Preston Ridge Campus (PRC). This means the project is moving in the right direction. If we are on schedule, the construction should start in March, which should allow for culinary classes to begin at PRC in Spring 2009.
The new Culinary program has been given the green light by the Curriculum Advisory Board at the College. The new Culinary program will be presented to Collin College’s Board of Trustees at the February meeting. The final step for approval is taking the proposal to the State of Texas Coordinating Board. I will keep you posted.
Cheers!
Karen
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A journal entry from Sheila Kao
8 a.m. – Check in at the lab (aka culinary kitchen), making sure the instructor has all the material he needs.
9 a.m .- Garbage disposal is reported not working, ice machine is still out and steamer is to be repaired. Emergency calls are made to AHS facility.
10 a.m. – Arriving at Kazy’s Gourmet Shop at Dallas to purchase sushi grade tuna. They do not have side of a salmon so I head out to Central Market at Plano for the purchase. The wind is blowing hard and my little SUV is swaying left and right – Scary!
11:30 a.m. – Back to the kitchen and tasted wonderful dishes prepared by International Cuisine Class. Garbage disposal is fixed. The perpetrator is a metal fork. The repair man for the steamer is still here. I bring a plate to the head of the AHS facility thanking him for prompt response to our little emergency.
12:00 p.m. – Checking emails at the office, then the electricity goes out completely due to strong wind.
1:00 p.m.- Jeff and I go back to the pitch, dark kitchen to finish up a big pot of veal stock, which is simmering from the night before. We prop open the door to the cafeteria for some light to come in and strain the stock. I prepare trays of food for tomorrow’s classes with the help of a flashlight.
2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Electricity comes back. We clean up the kitchen. Jeff is such an asset to our program and I cannot do what I do without his help. I think my over-achiever-ness has rubbed off on him a bit over the years and we both developed the same attachment to our kitchen. Thank you, Jeff, not just on a black-out windy day.
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” –Mahatma Gandhi
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HCSA President's Note
First let me extend my appreciation to Chef Morris Salerno of The Grotto in Highland Village for our wonderful chef’s table, how excellent that was! I hope everyone that attended found it as amazing as I did. We are currently working on our 3 course Valentines dinners that are on sale now, for $20.00, that serves 2 people ~ what a bargain!
We are very excited about our next chef’s table! It will take place in March, at Shinsei Restaurant in Dallas, tickets will go on sale soon, so watch our boards for more information. Please check our website for new pictures, from our recent events and keep a close eye on our website calendar, as we are busy adding new events.
Thank you very much, for your continued participation in HCSA.
I am honored and excited to serve you!
Cynthia Stafford
President, Hospitality & Culinary Student Association
Valentine's Dinner Menu: Kissed with Craisins Salad, Bread with Herb Butter
and
Smoked Chicken Heart Shaped/Striped Pasta
OR
Smoked Mozzarella Heart Shaped Pasta
with Marinara Sauce
and
Delicious Brownies for Dessert!
Order today and make your Valentines Dinner special, delicious, inexpensive and easy!
For Questions and/or to Place your order: e-mail to HCSA@CCCCD.EDU or Cynthia Stafford 214-808-7909. Please select the campus where you will pick up your meal SCC, PRC, CPC and CYC on 2/14/08 between 2:00 – 3:00. Please include a cell phone number on your order. Cash or Checks only please. Limited quantities available. Deadline is 2/10/08.
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Niblets from the Culinary Department
Chef Michele Brown
 If I had a show on the Food Network, it would be called “Cooking with Food” and would be about cooking with food. I would really like to have a PBS show and interview the chefs, kind of follow them around the market, the kitchen and their favorite spots.
The most memorable dining experience I ever had was - there are so many; one of my favorites was the recreation of “Babette’s Feast” at the James Beard House, Andy D’Amico of Sign of the Dove chef. Another was at Tabla with my sister for lunch last year on my birthday. Food so good you want to kiss the waiters!!!
The best culinary advice I received was “If you don’t know, ask.” Nicola Zanghi used to make us stop prep and get to know the produce that was being delivered, smell it, taste it and figure out how to use it if it was exotic to us.
The worst culinary advice I received was “Just wing it”.
Chef Will Whitlock
If I had a show on the Food Network, it would be called “Cookin’ with Big Chef” and would be about everything from basic to advanced techniques and procedures utilizing all types of cuisines.
The most memorable dining experience I ever had was my first Valentine’s dinner with my wife, then girlfriend, 9 years ago. It was a restaurant called First.
The best culinary advice I received was always be open to learning new things in different ways. Your way is never wrong if we all make it to the end with the same result.
The worst culinary advice I received was “quit”.
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Calendar of Events
February is National Hot Breakfast Month
| Wednesday, February 6 |
Pay A Compliment Day
College Transfer Fair
CPC - Atrium
10:00 am - 2:00 pm |
| Sunday, February 10 |
Last day to order Valentine's Dinner from HCSA
To place an order, please email HCSA@ccccd.edu |
| Wednesday, February 13 |
Get a Different Name Day - yes, it's an official day!
College Transfer Fair
PRC - Founders Atrium
10:00 am - 2:00 pm |
| Thursday, February 14 |
HCSA Valentine's Dinner Pick Up
2:00 - 3:00 pm at your selected campus |
| Tuesday, February 19 |
Beauty Undressed
SCC Conference Center
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Award winning songwriter Sharon Cutts uses story telling and music to explore the relationship between eating and mood disorders. |
| Wednesday, February 20 |
College Transfer Fair
SCC - Atrium
10:00 am - 2:00 pm |
Recipe of the Month
from Jonathon Azevedo
HCSA Treasurer and Culinary Student
Shrimp Creole
· 2 lbs shrimp peeled and deveined
· ¼ cup vegetable oil
· 1 cup onion diced
· ½ cup celery diced
· ½ cup bell pepper diced
· 2 cloves garlic minced
· ½ cup flat leaf parsley minced
· ½ cup green onion chopped
· 1 (14oz. can) diced tomatoes
· 1 (8oz. can) tomato sauce
· 1 (6oz. can) tomato paste
· 1 cup water
· 1 ½ tsp. salt
· 1 tsp. black pepper
· ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
· 2 bay leaves
· 1 tbsp. lemon juice
· 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
· Dash of hot sauce
· 1 tbsp. parsley chopped
Combine oil and flour in a Dutch oven; cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture is golden colored. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Add onion, celery, green onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, 15 minutes or more until vegetables are tender. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, the water, salt, black and red pepper, bay leaves, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp and simmer for about 10 minutes more, or until the shrimp turn pink. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in parsley and serve over rice. Serves 8.
Enjoy!
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Book Review
by Michele Brown courtesy of Cheftalk.com
Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner by Peter Greweling (author) and the Culinary Institute of America
This is an artisan style book for the serious chocophile.
Before reading this review, please understand that if you love chocolate, science, beauty and truth, you need this book in your culinary library; as reference or simply as inspiration. This is no fluff piece; this is the Diamond Standard, bringing together technical tomes and coffee table-book beauty. I am bringing this book into my classroom for the section on chocolate work. Although we are a small community college and can spend minimal time working with chocolates and confections, Chef Greweling's "Chocolates and Confections" will be a learning tool to be referenced well into the professional career of any pastry chef. My hopes are that the more serious students will either add this book to their reference library now or aspire to owning it when they get their first paycheck.
Peter P. Greweling, CMB has been teaching confections at CIA and I have heard only the most wonderful complements on his teaching style, knowledge and professional demeanor from both former students and colleagues alike. It becomes clear such high praise is warranted and shines through in the pages of his book, with his thoughtful presentation of ideas, detailed explanations, and care in writing technique. Step by step, he takes you through the scientific reasoning behind the most beautiful confections: from marshmallow to toffee, pralines to perfection in tempering technique, fat or crystallization, unfolding the essence of procedure from top to bottom.
Those who know just a thing or two about chocolates and confections may not be prepared for the contents of this book. Even with a good supply of the latest books from the best sellers list, the novice will be both blown away and inspired with the technical merit of Chocolates & Confections. The professional will be enlightened by the chemistry and explanation of the intricacies and mysteries of chocolate and sugar confection. This is not a history of chocolate, but a compendium of 140 formulas featuring full analysis and explanation of each pitfall and how to correct disasters (when applicable). Chef Greweling has written many of the formulas in a manner that puts the novice at ease while adding the degree of technical difficulty and immaculate explanation worthy of textbook level with the beauty of a photo journal.
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Tip of the Month
My tip of the month is to stay focused on your goals, but to remember to have fun while working towards them. Stress can take the life out of what you are working to gain. Your work suffers if you are stressed. Rem ember why you decided to go into this line of work and enjoy yourself!!
By the way, on Valentine's Day if you need someplace to go, come and join me at Ruth's Chris Steak House. A table for two will definitely put a smile on your face.
Enjoy life,
Kathryn Martin
Pantry & Pastry Chef
Ruth's Chris Steak House
(photo courtesy of Plano Profile)
Thinking Corner
 With so much emphasis on romantic love during the month of February, we tend to overlook other important relationships such as friendships. Love comes in all kinds of forms. Remember to love yourself first and then honor all those in your life who have made a difference in your life, whether it be a neighbor, an old friend or colleague at work. Paying a compliment, giving a warm hug, or simply sharing conversation over a cup of coffee is all that it takes. Your thoughtfulness and time is what matters.
Enjoy the moments! It is all those little moments that keep you whole.
With much love this Valentine’s day,
Vernie
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This newsletter will let you know about upcoming activities and programs in the Hospitality & Food Service Management department and the Hospitality and Culinary Student Association (HCSA). For a format other than text for this newsletter please copy the link bellow:
http://www.ccccd.edu/
hospitality/
newletters.htm
Administrative details (like how to be removed from the mailing list) are at the bottom of this mail.
This newsletter will be generated once a month and sent to all HAMG/CHEF students, faculty, staff and Advisory Board members. This mail is sent in format that should be readable from most any e-mail program. If you would like to be removed from the mailing list, please use the "Subscribe/Unsubscribe" box at the bottom of this newsletter.
Program Chair Hospitality & Foodservice Management
9700 Wade Blvd.
Frisco, TX 75035
972.377.1672
www.ccccd.edu/hospitality
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