Although the trend in the United States was thought to have run its course in 2011, the number of American adults eschewing gluten is growing, making “gluten free” the health issue of the day.

About a third of U.S. adults say they want to cut down or be free of gluten in their diets, the highest percentage making this claim since The NPD Group, a leading global information company, began asking the question in 2009. NPD’s Dieting Monitor,which continually tracks on a biweekly basis top-of-mind dieting and nutrition-related issues facing consumers, reports that 30% of adults—or roughly one in every three—claimed to cut down on or avoid gluten completely in January 2013.

For many students, composing a bibliography with correct citations is a difficult accomplishment, but it needn’t be thanks to the rule of three: Cite, summarize and assess.

By Dr. Fred Mayo, CHE, CHT

Last month, we discussed the value of writing white papers, a different kind of assignment. For the next few months, we will focus on critical thinking, something we all value and many of us work to incorporate in our teaching and in our assignments.

This month, we will discuss the value of assigning annotated bibliographies as a way to encourage critical reading and writing. Next month, we will explain how requiring abstracts and executive summaries can serve a similar purpose and remind students not to absorb everything they find in print as the truth.

The Structure of an Annotated Bibliography
For many students, composing a bibliography with correct citations is a difficult accomplishment. Making them write an annotated bibliography, which some of them have never seen, extends the challenge. However, it does not need to be so difficult if you remember the rule of three (or CSA); there are three parts to an annotated bibliography: the citation, the summary and the assessment—Cite, Summarize and Assess.

Generally speaking, a perfectly grilled item should have a nice brown coating on the outside and be moist and juicy inside. Here’s how to successfully teach the technique of grilling within a shorter class period.

By Adam Weiner, CFSE

January’s 50-Minute Classroom was about whether it was more important to teach recipes or techniques. I concluded that both were important. February was teaching how to read and write a recipe.

Now it is time to continue the discussion on how to teach different techniques. I’ve already addressed how to teach your students braising(September 2010), baking (July 2011) sautéing(January 2012) and steaming (March 2013).This month: grilling.

1. Teach Your Students the Difference Between Barbecuing, Smoking and Grilling:

An eco-chic restaurant and catering service in Santa Monica wins the 2013 Sustainable Quality Award Grand Prize.

The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, Sustainable Works and the City of Santa Monica's Office of Sustainability and the Environment recently announced Tiato & An Catering as a grand-prize winner of the 2013 Sustainable Quality Awards (SQA). The SQA Grand Prize is awarded to businesses for combined excellence in three areas: economic development, social responsibility and stewardship of the natural environment.

“We are so honored to be awarded for our contribution in making the restaurant industry more sustainable,” says Catherine An, founder and owner of Tiato. “It is a commitment to run a sustainable and profitable business, yet every day we make these efforts to improve the lifestyle of where we work and live.”

Tiato & An Catering are committed to a role of environmental leadership in all facets of their business. Engagement in the community is a major component in their success, from Santa Monica neighbors and fellow business professionals to the farmers who grow the produce to keep their shelves stocked. The restaurant and catering services source local, healthy and sustainable products, hire locally and utilize sustainable goods in their retail market, restaurant and catering services.

Assertive radicchio mates happily with “power partners” to create blissful culinary marriages.

Courtesy of Royal Rose LLC

The assertive flavor of radicchio, once only the darling of cutting-edge chefs, has penetrated the U.S. salad market. No longer an “adult” ingredient, it is showing up in salads from McDonald’s to the salad blends in the produce aisle. Blending it with other, milder greens and lettuces has made radicchio an everyday player in salads everywhere.

Now, American ingenuity in the kitchen is taking radicchio beyond the traditional tossed salad. This is tasteful news, as radicchio’s bold flavor is an ideal foil for myriad other ingredients and flavors.

“Radicchio’s slightly spicy bite—its bright, bitter note—makes it pair deliciously with many other flavor components,” says Robin Kline, food writer, dietitian and culinary consultant. “In fact, there are five categories of foods that make radicchio perform brilliantly—mellowing its bitter character to 'just right.' These pairings or flavor-layering techniques create delicious synergy in a dish."

The big traveling trophy is back again at Technology Center of DuPage (TCD) in Addison. On Feb. 23, TCD’s high-school culinary team pulled off a repeat state championship win at the 12th Annual Illinois ProStart Invitational, hosted by the Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (IRAEF). TCD team members include Julia Matiradonna, Zachary Molokie (both from Carol Stream), Jared Dollinger of Glen Ellyn and Benjamin Kitchen of Wheaton. All are high-school seniors and second-year students in TCD’s Culinary, Pastry Arts & Hospitality Management program. As state ProStart champs, the TCD team now has the honor of representing Illinois at the National ProStart Invitational, April 19-21, in Baltimore, Md.

The Utah State Senate and House of Representatives recognized students and faculty from Salt Lake Community College's Culinary Arts Program in two ceremonies at the State Capitol building. Culinary-arts students were introduced by Senator Karen Mayne and honored on the floor of the Utah Senate; House Majority Whip Gregory Hughes recognized students in attendance in the Utah House of Representatives’ chamber.

“The recognition Salt Lake Community College Culinary Arts students and faculty received today was well earned and much appreciated,” SLCC Vice President of Government and Community Relations Tim Sheehan said. “It’s clear that those working on the Hill are very appreciative of the services provided. It was nice to see our students formally recognized for their work to provide an important service and to further their education.”

The steps to making decadent chocolates are many and varied: from harvesting the pods to designing tempting packaging that belies its rich, melt-in-your-mouth appeal. Every other year, the Fine Chocolate Industry Association (FCIA) hosts its Recognition of Excellence ceremony to award individuals and businesses that have contributed to this diverse community of chocolate makers.

On January 19, 2013, Chef Jacquy Pfeiffer received the FCIA’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his role in cofounding The French Pastry School of Kennedy-King College at City Colleges of Chicago and mentoring future generations of chocolatiers. Other honorees at the San Francisco ceremony included Santiago Peralta for Outstanding Fine Chocolate Maker; Andal Balu for Innovation in Fine Chocolate Products; and Mary Jo Stojak for Outstanding Service to the Industry.

The FCIA is a nonprofit organization founded by a group of chocolate professionals who wished to support the art of fine chocolate making by encouraging innovation, quality and best practices. They accomplish this through offering educational opportunities, effectively communicating values of artisan chocolate making and recognizing those who embody the highest standards. Recipients of these awards are nominated by peers from the chocolate industry and voted on by members of FCIA’s international organization.

The Kentucky Restaurant Association has named Sullivan University National Center for Hospitality Studies graduate Kendall Knies the 2013 Culinary Student of the Year. The 2013 Restaurateur’s Gala and awards ceremony took place on Jan. 21 at the Brown Hotel. Knies is a native of Celestine, Ind., and a 2012 graduate of the Baking and Pastry Arts program at Sullivan. She is currently employed at The Bakery at Sullivan University. Knies was one of four Sullivan students who recently participated in the IKA World Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany, where she earned a diploma.

The Kentucky Restaurant Association is a nonprofit organization run by its almost 1,000 members. The association is involved in a range of activities such as student scholarships, legislation and expos. State headquarters are located in Louisville. The organization honors the success of one culinary professional in each category of restaurateur, manager, supplier, employee, chapter member and student at its annual gala.

Le Cordon Bleu graduates 13,000 students a year. As this author reveals, the biggest change among U.S. schools involves teaching interpersonal skills so that successful grads know what’s going on all over the business.

By Tristan Navera

Whether they be aspiring young cooks or experienced and refined restaurateurs, people involved in the profession today are finding that working in a restaurant has drastically different demands than it did five or ten years ago. To the faculty at Le Cordon Bleu, the largest international hospitality institution in the world, these changes mean formal culinary education is more helpful than ever.

Back to Basics
Culinary education has always been essential for its teaching of ground-level cooking skills, says Chef Edward Leonard, Certified Master Chef, Le Cordon Bleu vice president of culinary education and corporate chef for Le Cordon Bleu North America.