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Culinary Institute Of America Holiday 2009

With the holidays fast approaching, all of us at the CIA are standing ready to help you make this season fun and festive. Whether you stop by to enjoy a quick  lunch when you're out shopping, order holiday gift certificates for the foodies in your life, or sign up for a Dining Series themed event to enjoy after the hubbub of the holidays is over, the CIA has something for you. Season's Greetings to you and yours!
Holiday Gift Certificates Delight the foodies on your holiday list with a gift certificate for lunch or dinner at any of our four award-winning, student-staffed restaurants. Gift certificates make the perfect present and are available in the amount of your choice. To arrange for your holiday gift certificates, call us at 845-451-1588, visit us online, or stop by the Hospitality Office in the lobby of Roth Hall Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. We're happy to help you.
Take a Break From Your Holiday Shopping  When you're out holiday shopping, there is no better place to start the day or refuel than at the CIA's Apple Pie Bakery Café. Before you face the stores, stop by for a breakfast of French toast, a savory scone, or coddled eggs and grits. Or, rest your feet after a successful shopping adventure by stopping in for lunch or an afternoon snack of warming macaroni and cheese, chicken pot pie, a cobb salad, or soup.  Don't forget to order a Bûche de Nöel for your holiday table or pick up some beautifully hand-decorated snowflake, Christmas tree, dreidel, and snowman cookies. A day of holiday shopping never tasted so good! Open Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
Dining Series Themed Events Join us at one of our more than 50 Dining Series themed events beginning January 2010. We have something for everyone's interest and taste. Would you enjoy learning about wines from the actual winemakers and then enjoying a delicious wine-infused dinner? Have you always wanted to eat deliciously and sustainably from the sea? Is a meal highlighting the exquisite flavors of the finest Italian olive oils right up your alley? Call us at 845-471-6608 to find out all about these exciting events, or visit us online.
Holiday Decorating with Your Kids Follow along as Certified Master Baker and Associate Professor in Baking and Pastry Arts Kate Cavotti and her two children decorate holiday cupcakes with whimsical fondant ornaments. This video provides step-by-step instructions that are simple and easy to follow. Click here to get the recipe and watch it with your own kids today!
Tomorrow's Great Chefs Prepare Holiday Feast Melt away the winter chill on December 12, 2009 at the Winter Lights: Celebrations From Around the World holiday event. Planned and executed by our own senior bachelor's degree students, this event features dishes indicative of holiday celebrations from such diverse places as Mexico, Eastern Europe, and Thailand. A DJ will spin festive music to warm the spirits while you enjoy a silent auction, specialty cocktails, a delicious dinner buffet, and decadent desserts. Proceeds from this event will benefit Dutchess Outreach and The Culinary Institute of America Scholarship Fund. For information, click here or call 845-905-4674.

Culinary Institute Of America Holiday Gift Ideas 2009

	Make the holidays extra-special for the foodies in your life with unique gifts that truly reflect their culinary passions.  This holiday season, give the gift of culinary excellence: A cooking class with the CIA's chef-instructors Cookbooks and DVDs that offer inspiration and step-by-step instructions Exceptional culinary tools from our world-renowned kitchens It's easy to do your holiday shopping with the CIA. You can shop online or by phone at 1-888-579-4454.

Culinary Institute Of America Winter Lights Celebration SaturDay December 12th 2009

Make your reservation today for one of these student-run themed events. Click on the links below to find out how to reserve your spot. Winter on the Hudson Saturday December 5, 2009 Silent auction reception with passed hors d'oeuvres, followed by a 5-course tasting menu lunch with wine pairings. Proceeds to benefit the Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse in Dutchess County, and The Culinary Institute of America Scholarship Funds. Make your reservation now. Winter Lights: Celebrations Around the World  Saturday December 12, 2009 Featuring dishes indicative of the diverse holiday celebrations around the world, the evening will begin with passed hors d'oeuvres and progress into interactive buffet stations and dancing. Proceeds to benefit Dutchess Outreach, and The Culinary Institute of America Scholarship Funds. Make your reservation now.

Culinary Institute Of America Holiday 2009

Fall leaves are almost all off the trees, leaving the landscape  silently anticipating winter's icy chill. At the CIA we know just how to help  you celebrate fall's bounty and the upcoming winter holiday season.
Make Thanksgiving Extra Special Prepare a Thanksgiving to remember. Now is the time to pre-order your holiday fixings and desserts from the Apple Pie Bakery Café. With a wide variety of both traditional, gluten-free, and no-sugar-added pies, plus our “centerpiece” pumpkin cake, you’re bound to find the perfect showstopper for your Thanksgiving gathering. These luscious desserts also make great host/hostess gifts.
Pumpkin Cake $34.95 Apple Pie $18.00 Pecan Pie  $18.00 Pumpkin Pie $15.00 (All pies available in no-sugar-added and gluten-free versions for $21.00)
Apple Butter Danish $2.95 Apple Cider and Fall Spice Marshmallows $5.95 Butternut Squash Brioche Tart   $2.95 Caramel Popcorn  $5.95 Cranberry Jam  $7.95 English Toffee $5.95 Fall-inspired Box of Four Chocolates $12.95 Nut-flavored Box of Four Chocolates $12.95 Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix $4.95 Mini Pumpkin-shaped Gingerbread Muffins  $3.95 Mulling Spices $3.95 Pumpkin Scone  $2.95 Pumpkin Seed Brittle $6.95 Turkey Stuffing $7.95
Our pies are available fresh or frozen. All frozen pies are not pre-baked. They are meant to be baked at home and will come with complete instructions.  Please note that 72 hours advance notice is required for all items. Stop by the Café or call 845-905-4500 to place your order. Last call for orders is Wednesday, November 18. Pie pickup is no later than Wednesday, November 25 in the Chairman's Room of the American Bounty Restaurant.
Get a Jump on Your Winter Holiday Shopping Gift certificates to the CIA's award-winning restaurants are a unique and perfect gift for friends and family. Order them by calling 845-471-6608 or create a certificate online.
Culinary DVDs Make the Perfect Gift Food enthusiasts on your shopping list will be thrilled when you present them with a DVD from the CIA. Each provides step-by-step instruction that will help sharpen their culinary skills and raise their gastronomic IQ.  Cake Art DVD: With a focus on decorating mediums, techniques, and equipment,Cake Art DVD offers clear and easy-to-follow directions for preparing several items featured in the CIA Cake Art cookbook, including the gift-wrapped cake, buttercream roses cake, and buttercream flowers cupcakes.  View details. Gluten-Free Baking DVD: Learn to make delicious baked goods using alternatives to gluten. This DVD features in-depth explanations of gluten-free flour blends, hands-on demonstrations of selected recipes, and tips on flour-blend, handling, and storage.  View details. The Best of Culinary Boot Camp DVD: Here's the perfect opportunity to get an inside look into the kitchens of the CIA. Join our award-winning chefs as they demonstrate more than three hours of key cooking techniques.  View details. These DVDs—along with our wide selection of CIA cookbooks and other DVDs—are great gifts for the food enthusiasts in your life.
Bring Your Holiday Party to the CIA Gather friends, family, colleagues, or fellow club members for a memorable winter holiday party. Book reservations in any of our award-wining, student-staffed restaurants or private dining rooms by calling 845-471-6608.
Holiday Tips from Boot Camp Class The holidays are rapidly approaching and Chef David Kamen from The Culinary Institute of America would like to give you some tips from CIACulinary Boot Camp classes. Each year more than 6,000 food enthusiasts take part in the program, and to help make the holidays a little easier, Chef Kamen has compiled five of his favorite suggestions for a foolproof meal.

Culinary Institute Of America Best Of Cooking Boot Camp Friday October 9th @ Noon

		Exciting News! The CIA has developed The Best of Boot Camp exclusively for ShopNBC, the premium lifestyle shopping channel. Tune in to ShopNBC thisFriday, October 9th at Noon EST and 7 p.m. EST to learn more about these two and five day hands-on courses.
You will enjoy a full-hour CIA presentation detailing these unique programs by Laura Pickover, our director of food enthusiast programs and CIA alumna, and featuring a cooking demonstration by Certified Master Chef Ron DeSantis. The demonstration will showcase our Masters Collection of knives and cookware and the CIA Professional Series Vita-Mix. Visit ShopNBC to learn more.  Check your local listings for ShopNBC channel information, and be sure to tune-in this Friday, October 9th at Noon EST and 7 p.m. EST to learn more about these exciting new CIA Boot Camp offerings.

Culinary Institute Of America October 2009

Spend a day in the Hudson Valley and discover just how exciting fall can be. You'll find breathtaking red and golden-hued foliage, the newly opened longest pedestrian-only bridge in the world spanning the gorgeous Hudson River, and  great food, drink, and hospitality at the CIA.
October 3, 2009 marks the grand opening of Walkway Over the Hudson—the landmark Poughkeepsie-Highland railroad bridge that has been transformed into a linear park and trailway. You won't want to miss strolling across the 1.25-mile bridge and experiencing unprecedented access to the Hudson River's scenic landscape. Created for pedestrians, hikers, joggers, bicyclists, and people with disabilities, it will also connect with an extensive network of rail-trails, parks, and communities on both sides of the river. Visit Walk Way Over the Hudson for details on parking and access.  At the CIA, we are marking the opening of The Walkway in our own inimitable way. We've created "The Walkway," a special drink for your enjoyment. Conceived by Douglass Miller, CIA lecturing instructor in hospitality and service management, it is made of rye whiskey, applejack, New York State maple syrup, and "Dutch" chocolate bitters, with a chocolate "walkway" garnish that serves as a stirrer. The cocktail will be offered in the college's three international restaurants—American Bounty, Escoffier Restaurant, andRistorante Caterina de' Medici—through October 31, 2009.  Hate weekend crowds? Visit both venues during the week. Take in the river views from The Walkway. Enjoy a delicious and informal lunch at our Ivy-award-winning Apple Pie Bakery Café. Reserve your spot on one of our officialcampus tours where you'll learn about the behind-the-scenes workings of the world's premier culinary college. Stay for dinner at one of our four student-staffed restaurants. Then stroll the campus as the sun sets and casts its glow across the river, setting the fall foliage ablaze. To make reservations, call 845-471-6608 or click here.  Be sure to visit Dutchess Tourism for more information about points of interest and events that will make your day along the Hudson River a memorable one.  Halloween Punch for Young and Old You can borrow the witches' chant from Shakespeare's MacBeth—"Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble!"—as you stir these special Halloween punches from The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). Young boys and ghouls will love to add the candied worms and other sweet creepies to the Ghoulish Gummy Punch below, a tasty concoction filled with healthy fruit juices. For a special trick, add candy that fizzes to their glasses before you fill them up.  Treat those of drinking age to delicious Tea Punch. Made with Green Tea or any other type of tea you prefer, the combination of rums and simple syrup will surely please your guests. Watch the video for Halloween Punch.

Culinary Institute Of America September 2009

Back to school. Back to work. Back to the day-to-day grind! Don't let the end of summer get you down. Prolong the pleasant, relaxed feelings  of summer by treating yourself to a special lunch or dinner at the CIA. And once you get here, we'll pamper you with perfectly prepared food and specially selected wines. So, ease back into the swing of things with our help. Your table is waiting.
Chef's Select Fixed-Price Menus Enjoy delicious Chef's Select Menus for a special fixed-price at any of our international restaurants. The chefs at Ristorante Caterina de' Medici, Escoffier Restaurant, and American Bounty have carefully selected menu items that will both tantalize and satisfy. With these special menus, enjoy a two-course lunch for $19.95 or a three-course dinner for only $29.95.** And that's not all! Our sommeliers have chosen a special flight of the CIA's own Greystone Cellars* wines directly from the Napa Valley to round out your dining experience. Available at all three restaurants, the flight includes two-ounces each of three special vintages. All for just $6.00.** Make a reservation today at your favorite CIA restaurant. These offers are available Monday–Thursday through Sept. 30, 2009.  *Greystone Cellars is produced and bottled by Markham Vineyards in the Napa Valley exclusively for sale at CIA campuses. All fruit for the wines is grown in the Napa Valley. Labels were designed by Jim Cross, using images of corkscrews from former Christian Brother's winemaker Brother Timothy's collection, much of which is housed at Greystone. **Tax and service additional  Seasonal Fixed-Price Menus at a Casual Café This time of year, when locally grown ingredients are so abundant, the menu at St Andrew's Café is overflowing with a cornucopia of seasonal delights. Our chef at St. Andrew's is constantly sourcing the freshest ingredients and has created fixed-price menus packed with bright and enticing flavors. Enjoy a three-course lunch for $19.95 or a four-course dinner for only $29.95.* And don't miss the 20 Wines for $20 opportunity at St. Andrew's. Our sommelier has hand-picked 20 of the most delicious values from the cellar and is making them available to you for just $20 a bottle during this special promotion.* Make a reservation today at St. Andrew's Café. These offers are available Monday–Thursday through Sept. 30, 2009.  *Tax and service additional  Sweet Treat for a Sweet New Year  Rugelach, a traditional dessert at the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashanah that falls every year in September, symbolizes the sweet promise of the coming year. They are so delicious, and make such a hit with company, that everyone will want to know how to make these bite-size, crescent-shaped treats. Click here to get the recipe and watch recent CIA graduate Sean Pera show you how easy it is to bring sweetness to every day of the year.

Dining @ Culinary Institute Of America June 2009

June brings to mind romantic weddings, fun-filled Father's Days, emotional high school graduations, and the promise of the longest day of the year. All of us,  at the CIA would love to celebrate life's important moments with you.
Oh M'Gosh, It's Ommegang Beer! Beer lovers, and those interested in learning how beer and fine foods pair up, will want to reserve their spots for this exciting dinner event. We'll be celebrating the perfect pairing of Ommegang's Belgian-style beers with fine Belgian-style fare. Join us in the Danny Kaye Theatre on August 5, 2009 at 6 p.m. for a welcome beverage and lecture, introduced by Associate Professor and Maître d'Instructor John Fischer. Then listen as Ommegang's Brewmaster, Phil Leinhart, shares the secrets of pairing beer with food. At 7 p.m., Maître d'Instructor Douglass Miller and his students will serve a four-course meal, showcasing four Belgian-style beers. Your chef for the evening will be Belgian-born CIA Chef-Instructor Alain V. De Coster, C.E.C. Only $55 plus tax and service. Make your reservation today at 845-471-6608. The Ommegang Dinner Menu First Course Rabbit Terrine Stewed Prunes and Foie Gras Second Course Dover Sole Filets en Paupiette  Blanche de Bruges and Watercress Mousse Intermezzo Kriek (Cherry) Sorbet Peppered Local Strawberries Entrèe Selection Oven Roasted Guinea Fowl St. Hubert  Braised Belgian Endive and Fingerling Potatoes with Monk Ale Scented Natural Pan Drippings Cheeses Course Dessert Nutella Ice Cream Assorted Sweets Coffee - Tea - Decaf Dinner at 8 If you find that as the days grow longer you dine a little later in the evening, we have a special treat for you. Make reservations at any one of our student-staffed restaurants for 8 p.m. or later between now and August 31, 2009, and receive complimentary desserts and coffee for up to four people, based on availability.Make your reservations by calling 845-471-6608.
Q & A with Associate Professor John Fischer  Maître d'Instructor, Escoffier Restaurant Q: What was your path to the front of the house? A: My first job out of college was bartending at the Chart House in Dobbs Ferry. I thought it was a stopgap job while I was looking for "real" work, but I found I liked it. I began to wait tables though when I discovered that waiters made more money and had more fun. Soon, I realized that the front of the house was going to be my career. I was encouraged by a number of people to consider learning to cook at the CIA if I really wanted to truly understand front of the house. Q: How do you balance the students' educational experience with the patrons' dining experience? A: Very carefully! Our standards at the restaurant are very high. We are always instructing students on the subtle points of service that help to create an exceptional dining experience. I am constantly circulating in the front of the house and stepping in to quietly guide a student. Patrons are usually surprised to learn that CIA restaurants are classrooms for our students in both the kitchen and in the dining room.   Q: What changes have you seen over the years in the restaurant? A: I think our students exhibit more well-rounded personalities and are more interested in the front of the house than they used to be. And our patrons are showing an increased interest in and sophistication about food. Q: How do you see yourself helping patrons with wine selections? A: Every day our students work with me to taste all the wines offered by the glass in order of importance, so they are equipped to speak intelligently about them. Once there are more complex questions about, say, which of two chardonnays is better with a specific dish, I will often step in as sommelier. I was, in fact, cellar master at the Rainbow Room in New York City, so my experience is a comfort to our students at those moments. The Perfect Father's Day or Graduation Gift A gift certificate valid at any of the college's student-staffed, award-winning restaurants is the perfect present for Dad or a recent high school graduate. And they're going to be taking the whole family out to celebrate with them, suggest lunch or dinner at St. Andrew's Café where the new, affordable Kid's Menu and activity placemats are a huge hit.
Watch the CIA's Douglass Miller '89, lecturing instructor in hospitality and service management, as he offers hints for pairing beer with food on this informative and fun video. Watch the video >
All CIA restaurants will be closed from July 3 through July 28, 2009. Anticipate your summer dining desires and make reservations now for August.

Spring Events @ The Culinary Institute Of America

Have you seen the crocuses and daffodils peeking out from beneath the winter-hardened ground? Have you smelled that sweet something in the air that is always a harbinger of spring? We have too. At the CIA we are feeling all the excitement and anticipation that April brings. Come share it with us by dining at one of our award-winning restaurants and enjoying our glorious campus overlooking the Hudson River.

Tour the CIA, Then Stay for a Great Meal See the CIA in Action! Now you can find out what really goes on behind closed doors at the CIA. Sign up for one of our fun and informative tours available Mondays at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; and Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 4 p.m. The fee is $5 per person and reservations are required—call 845-451-1588, Monday–Friday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Sweet Deals, Savory Savings We've extended our three-course, fixed-price menu offer! Now you can savor a CIA lunch for only $19.95 and dinner for $29.95 every weekday—that's Monday through Friday—until April 30. Don't let today's economy stand in the way of you enjoying a truly great meal in any of our four student-staffed restaurants. Make reservations by calling 845-471-6608.

Meet Chef Gianni Scappin Ristorante Caterina de' Medici For Lecturing Instructor in Culinary Arts Gianni Scappin, teaching in the kitchens of Ristorante Caterina de' Medici means sharing the skills and the passion essential to creating a fine-dining experience for patrons. Get to know Chef Gianni Scappin. Q: What is your earliest cooking memory? A: My father owned a small trattoria in the Veneto Region of Italy. He cooked regional foods mostly for weddings and christenings. I saw how hard he worked and decided, of course, that it was not for me. So I went to study for the priesthood. But I was thrown out for bad behavior and decided to do what I knew, and entered the Recoaro Terme Culinary Institute—a four-year culinary college. Q: When did cooking become your passion? A: It was just a job to me until I came to the U.S. to work for the Bice Group. When I was opening one of its restaurants, I developed a friendship and mentoring relationship with one of the other chefs. Also Italian, but from the Emilia Romagna region, she opened my eyes and my heart to the breadth of Italian cooking. Ironic that I was here and not in Italy when that happened! Q: How did you come to the CIA? A: I have been here two times. The first time, in 1998, I taught the Skills I course. But I was too full of energy to feel comfortable with just that. I left the CIA and opened restaurant Gigi in Rhinebeck. Three years later, after I sold it, I worked in Florida and it was there that I met CIA President Tim Ryan. Over a cup of coffee we decided that I should come back and teach in the kitchen at Caterina. That was about four years ago. Now I teach by day, and at night I head over to my restaurant, Cucina, in Woodstock, NY. Q: How do you balance the student's education experience with that of the restaurant's patrons? A: What I give the students is a real-world education—real stress, real feedback, and real expectations in a real-life situation. The recipes they prepare reflect the skills they have learned during their studies at the CIA. And, I am always asking them, "Is what you have prepared good enough? Always remember you are serving to patrons who are expecting a great meal." Q: What is on the menu this April at Caterina? A: We are celebrating the vegetables and fruits that always come in springtime. So, we have fresh peas, fava beans, asparagus, dandelions, and rhubarb made in so many delicious ways. Q: What is your favorite meal? A: This is maybe not what you expect a chef to say, but after a day at the CIA and before I head over to my restaurant, I enjoy a warm bowl of brown rice or quinoa, vegetables, and an over-easy egg that is drizzled with a bit of olive oil. Delicious and comforting.

Springtime at the Bakery Café You'll never think of Easter in quite the same way again after you see what's hatching over at the Apple Pie Bakery Café. Decorate your Easter table with hand-crafted chocolate eggs and bunnies that are so beautiful they will be the talk of your holiday feast. Available starting April 6. Easter Eggs (hollow) These gorgeous eggs are available in five heights. 3" $4.95 5" $6.95 6.5" $8.95* 11" $19.95* 16.5" $49.95* Chocolate Bunnies (solid) Adorable and tasty, these delightful bunnies come in milk, dark, or white chocolate. 5.5" $9.95 7.5" $14.95 ½ Dozen Marshmallow Eggs in a Box Flavored with yuzu, elderflower, lemon, coffee, lavender, and chocolate, these delicious marshmallow eggs come enrobed in a real (sanitized) egg shell. Treat your guests to a surprise at the end of your holiday feast by serving these unique treats for dessert. $19.95 * These items must be pre-ordered at least three business days before arranged pickup. To order, stop by the Apple Pie Bakery Café or call 845-451-1545.

Easter Basket Cupcakes Join CIA Chef Stéphane Weber as he demonstrates how to easily create beautifully decorated cupcakes. For a fun and creative family project, ask your kids to help decorate the iced cupcake. Get the recipe > | Watch the video >

Bachelor's Student Charity Dining Events These themed dining events are presented by students from the graduating class of June 11, 2009. These future stars in the hospitality industry are responsible for all of the evening's planning and execution, from menu development to the overall ambiance and design of the event. Swing into Spring – April 25, 2009 A wine and cocktail reception with passed hors-d'oeuvres and a silent auction on Anton Plaza, followed by a four course dinner and night of swing dancing to The Big Band Sound orchestra in Farquharson Hall. 6–11 p.m. Proceeds to benefit the Anderson Center for Autism in Staatsburg, NY and The Culinary Institute of America Scholarship Funds.

Pretty in Pink – Mother's Day, May 10, 2009 Hors d' Oeuvres will be served at the reception on Anton Plaza, accompanied by Mimosas and soft drinks. A brunch buffet with hot interactive stations will follow in Farquharson Hall. Seatings at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Proceeds to benefit the Grace Smith House and The Culinary Institute of America Scholarship Funds.

Tour Behind The Scene @ The Culinary Institute Of America Mondays 10: AM & 4: PM

Sweet Deals, Savory Savings! We've extended our three-course, fixed-price menu offer! Now you can savor a CIA lunch for only $19.95 and dinner for $29.95 every weekday—that's Monday through Friday—until April 30. Don't let today's economy stand in the way of you enjoying a truly great dining experience in any of our four student-staffed, award-winning restaurants. Make your reservations by calling 845-471-6608 or by reserving online. See the CIA in Action! Now you can find out what really goes on behind closed doors at the CIA. Sign up for one of our fun and informative tours available Mondays at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; and Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 4 p.m. The fee is $5 per person and reservations are required. For reservations call 845-451-1588, Monday–Friday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. The Culinary Institute of America • 1946 Campus Drive • Hyde Park, NY 12538-1499 California Branch Campus • The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone • 2555 Main Street • St. Helena, CA 94574