Quebec maple syrup—the flow is on!

Maple syrup production occurs just once a year for 6 to 8 weeks in mid-February through April. Maple syrup is made from the sap of the sugar maple tree, and that sap will run when the daily temperatures move above and below freezing.

Maple syrup production requires optimal temperatures and sugar maple trees, and thus, can only be made is a small geographic area of northeastern North America. Quebec produces more than 80 percent of the world’s maple syrup, equal to 93 percent of Canadian production.

"On average, Quebec maple producers will make about 70 million pounds of maple syrup each year,” says Joan Kimball of the Quebec maple syrup producers' "Do More with Maple” campaign. “We celebrate the maple season and recognize that real maple syrup is one of nature’s gifts.”To collect the sap to make the syrup, producers insert a tap into the tree (as pictured). Commercial maple syrup producers use gravity-fed plastic tubing and pipelines and vacuum pumps to collect the sap. The maple sap is boiled and evaporated to make maple syrup. Maple syrup is made when the sugar density reaches 66 percent. It takes approximately 40 gallons of sap to produce 1 gallon of maple syrup. Finished maple syrup is filtered and then graded based on color and flavor. In general, lighter colored maple syrups have a milder flavor while darker maple syrups have a stronger flavor.

In addition to maple syrup, Quebec maple suppliers produce maple butters, maple concentrates, maple flake and sugars, and maple vinegar. “In Quebec, maple syrup is not limited to pancakes,” notes Kimball. “Quebec producers have developed products that showcase maple’s diverse applications—from baked goods to candies to salad dressings.”

While many table syrups claim maple flavor, Kimball says there is no substitute for the real thing. “Real maple syrup comes from the annual sap flow of the sugar maple trees, not from a laboratory. Real maple syrup is a healthy, natural product and the flavor is distinct and pleasing.”

For more information, visit www.domorewithmaple.com.

ICE brings award-winning culinary program to Istanbul

The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) recently announced the start of an alliance with the Istanbul Culinary Institute (IstCI) in Turkey. This collaboration brings ICE instruction, methodology and teaching resources to this newly formed culinary school in Istanbul. The alliance marks a first foreign venture for ICE, further establishing its position as one of the leaders in America's culinary-education sector.

ICE has licensed IstCI to use and teach a large portion of its Culinary Arts curriculum starting with the January semester in Turkey. Additionally, an ICE chef-instructor is now in Istanbul to assist in the roll-out of the curriculum. The program also will include material from IstCI curriculum, including Turkish cuisine and an externship to be completed in either an outside restaurant or the school's on-premise restaurant. After the 28-week, 760-hour program, which will be conducted in English and Turkish, graduates will receive a Certificate Program of Culinary Arts. The third institute involved in this venture, Istanbul-based Bilgi University is providing registrar, admissions and housing services for the program.

"By offering ICE curriculum in other parts of the world and specifically, in a growing food and restaurant culture like Turkey's Istanbul, we're further participating in what has become a global culinary melting pot," says Rick Smilow, ICE president.

Located in the historic and trendy Pera section of Istanbul, IstCI is based in a new eight-story building that was completed in late 2007. The founder of the program is Turkish businesswoman/chef Hande Bozdogan, who has a diverse business background, including a stint as CEO of a major foodservice company, and an educational background that spans three U.S. programs at New York University, the Culinary Institute of America and the French Culinary Institute, respectively. In 2004, Bozdogan's book Flavours of the Street: Turkey won the Gourmand World Cookbook Award. Turkish ICE alum Lizet Gediciyan made the initial introduction between the two schools.

Going forward, ICE plans to expand their collaboration with IstCI by facilitating student and alumni trips to Istanbul and through the development of guest-chef programs that would allow ICE chef-Instructors to visit the school in Istanbul. Also in development is a 'study abroad' program that will allow students to begin their culinary training in Istanbul and complete it at ICE's New York City campus.

The connection between ICE and Turkey is not entirely new. Students from 44 countries have attended ICE in recent years and several have been from Turkey. The most notable example is graduate Nilufer Goodson. After a series of jobs in America, she went back home to become Turkey's first female executive chef at the Divan Bebek Brasserie in Istanbul.

Budding chefs wow judges at Carolina's ProStart Student Invitational

High school student teams from Daniel Morgan Technology Center in Spartanburg, S.C., Thunderbolt Career and Technology Center in Walterboro, S.C., and Donaldson Career Center in Greenville, S.C., each took top honors at the 7th Annual Carolina's ProStart Student Invitational in Myrtle Beach, S.C..

In the state culinary arts contest, sponsored by the The International Culinary Schools at the Art Institute of Charleston, Daniel Morgan Technology Center's team won first place. For the event, Culinary Cup teams of up to four students had 60 minutes to prepare two identical gourmet meals using only two butane burners. They had no electricity, no running water and could use no pre-prepared ingredients.

In the TBonz Restaurant Management Group-sponsored Restaurant Management Competition—in which teams present case study solutions to a panel of industry judges and compete in a Quiz Bowl game—students from Thunderbolt came out victorious.

For for Coach's Low Country Brands Recipe Challenge presented by BI-LO, teams developed unique and creative recipes using Coach's Low Country Seasonings. In addition to creativity, their recipes were judged on taste, cost and ease of preparation. The winning entry was Donaldson Career Center's "Layer It and Forget It Casserole." Plans are underway to feature the team and their winning recipe on BI-LO posters and on a BI-LO TV spot at participating BI-LO food stores. The team also won a $500 BI-LO gift card to be used to help their ProStart program.

In total, 46 teams from 24 high schools in North and South Carolina participated in the event at the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel, and the winning teams took home medals, trophies and more than a half million dollars in scholarships. The Thunderbolt and Daniel Morgan high school teams will represent South Carolina at the 2009 National ProStart Invitational in San Diego April 24–26.

Culinary Cup standings:
1. Daniel Morgan Technology Center; Teacher: Tim Page; Students: Michelle Sawyer, Kayla Scruggs, Sarah Anthony, Christina Munoz, Tiffany Brown, Bella Anthony
2. Thunderbolt Career and Technology Center; Teacher: Allison Bailey
3. Blythewood High School; Teacher: William Turner

Restaurant Management Cup standings:
1. Thunderbolt Career and Technology Center; Teacher: Allison Bailey; Students: Lauren Barrett, Victoria Fisher, Briana Jenkins, Lauren Standiford, Floyd Mulligan
2. The Academy for Technology and Academics; Teacher: Sallie Loveland
3. J. Harley Bonds Career Center; Teacher: Jim Miller

Coach's Low Country Recipe Challenge standings:
1. Donaldson Career Center; Teacher: Debbie Taylor; Students: Audrey Corbett, Temperance Sartor, Kim Wilbanks, Briar Thibault, Dusti Smith, Miahia Mansell-Green
2. Marion County Technology Education Center; Teacher: Patricia Owens
3. Dillon Technology Center; Teacher: Bonnie Barfield

World Pastry Cup results

Twenty-two nations came together to compete in the 11th Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, or the World Pastry Cup. This prestigious pastry competition took place Jan. 25 and 26 in Lyon, France.

Each country's team was composed of a pastry chef, a chocolate specialist and an ice cream specialist. Teams had 10 hours to prepare three chocolate desserts, three frozen fruit desserts, an ice sculpture, a chocolate sculpture and drawn-sugar sculpture.

First place went to Team France, second place to Team Italy and third place to Team Belgium.

While an unfortunate toppling over of Team USA's 3-foot-tall chocolate showpiece put them out of contention for the big win, team members beautifully executed other aspects of the competition. The team theme was "Native American," as pictured here in the Kokopelli design prominently featured on a uniquely marbled chocolate dessert.

Team USA captain David Ramirez (pictured below, second from left), executive pastry chef, Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando, Fla., told CET, "The marble look came from a coffee-infused glaze. Ninety-five percent of the glaze mixture was combined with white chocolate, and 5 percent we added [Valrhona] Pure Caraibe. When we actually glazed the cake, we would start with mostly the white chocolate coffee-infused glaze and only add a bit of the dark glaze at the end for the marble effect."

In addition to Ramirez, Team USA's members were: Roy Pell (second from right), executive pastry chef, The Phoenician, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Remy Funfrock (far right), executive restaurant pastry chef, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colo.; and alternate Jim Mullaney (not pictured), Artisans Group, Atlanta. The team president was En-Ming Hsu (far left), the former captain of the 2001 gold medal-winning Team USA and currently a pastry chef-instructor at the French Pastry School in Chicago.

Chez Boucher expands and opens Culinary Arts Training Center

Chez Boucher Cooking School recently announced the opening of the New Hampshire Seacoast’s first Culinary Arts Training Center as a significant expansion of its regionally acclaimed French cooking school. Established for budding professionals and novices alike, the Center is complete with a company store, a film production studio kitchen and an authentic bistro in the heart of downtown Hampton, N.H.

One-third larger than its prior Hampton location, Chez Boucher now occupies a 3,200-square-foot, custom-equipped facility decorated in the warm, welcoming tones characteristic of the Old World. Executive chef-owner Ron Boucher’s master plan for a cooking school-turned-culinary-training center features several exciting enhancements.

The new, larger teaching kitchen doubles as a film production studio and is outfitted with cameras and monitors for taping and viewing of cooking techniques and demonstrations. Later this year, Boucher plans to launch a professional, online training program.

Chez Boucher also will have an on-site company store to sell items preferred by the school’s chef-instructors: customized chefs’ clothing, cookware, specialized cooking tools, electronics, bakeware, table top items and other supplies. A variety of spices, seasonings, homemade sauces, prepared meals and a selection of wine will also be available.

Also integrated into the practical element of the Professional Training Certificate Program is a 36–40 seat dining room featuring authentic bistro cuisine. Students will experience food preparation in real time, and the bistro will offer a four-course menu to the public every other Thursday and Friday evening. Chez Boucher will host small functions and dinner parties in this dining room as well. On- and off-site catering is available and will soon become part of the professional program.

Save the date: Robert Morris College 2009 culinary symposium

Some of Chicago’s most highly regarded chefs and food professionals will participate in the second annual culinary symposium conducted by the Institute of Culinary Arts at Robert Morris College (RMC). This year’s event, Culinary I.D.E.A.S.: Innovation, Diversity, Exploration, Arts, Sustainability—Finding our Past, Preparing for Our Future, will be held Friday, March 27, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the RMC Chicago Campus, 401 S. State Street, eighth floor.

Under the direction of associate dean Jennifer Bucko Lamplough and director of purchasing Amy Keck, workshops and sessions specifically designed for culinary students, industry professionals and culinary educators will address such timely issues as leadership challenges for women chefs, sustaining a business in today’s economy, building a successful professional kitchen and preserving a wide variety of foods.

Keynote speaker, Jeff Stratton, McDonald’s corporate executive vice president and Chief Restaurant Officer, will kick off the day’s activities at 8:30 a.m. Other distinguished culinary professionals conducting sessions throughout the day are: chef Gale Gand, Tru Restaurant; chef Carrie Nahabedian, Naha Restaurant; chef Michelle Garcia, The Bleeding Heart Bakery; chef Shelley Young, The Chopping Block; Peter Testa, Testa Produce; Robert C. Marshall, vice president operation, McDonald’s; chefs Allison and Rob Levitt, Mado Restaurant; chefs Ryan Hutmacher and Jill Houk, Centered Chef Food Studios; Lara Field, University of Chicago; chef Myk Banas, Chicago Marriott; Ralph Aylward, Boelter; chef Gail Huesmann, Assaggia Cafe and Trattoria; Camille Stagg, food author and journalist; chef Dan McGee, Dan McGee Restaurant and Catering; Randy Vickery, Wyncroft Wines; and chef Nathan Chappell, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute.

In addition to the workshops there will be a student cake decorating competition, culinary expo and job fair. Chefs Gale Gand and Michelle Garcia will judge the cake competition and announce the winners at an afternoon reception.

Admission to the Symposium is free to students with a valid student ID. The admission fee for culinary educators is $35.00 and $50.00 for industry professionals. All participants will receive a complimentary continental breakfast, coffee and snack, lunch and a cake reception. To register online visit www.robertmorris.edu/culinary/symposium or call Maria Garcia at (312) 935-6918.

USA Rice recognizes Hendrix College's Mike Flory

The USA Rice Federation, national advocate for all segments of the U.S. rice industry, recently launched a new “Foodservice Recognition Program” to acknowledge the efforts of innovative chefs, operators, distributors and industry professionals who menu, market or teach with U.S.-grown rice. The program commenced in December 2008 in Arkansas, the number-one rice-producing state, accounting for nearly 50 percent of the U.S. rice crop.

Mike Flory, executive director of dining services at Hendrix College, Conway, Ark., was among the four Arkansas-based chefs recently recognized by the USA Rice Federation. Honored for menuing U.S. rice daily during all meal/day parts, Flory heads Hendrix College's award-winning foodservice operation, which serves over 1,000 students three meals a day, seven days a week. Flory says the foodservice staff and students recognize the significance of the U.S. rice industry, and enjoy rice dishes every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Other honors were:

• Chef Capi Peck, owner of Trio's and Capi's Restaurants, Little Rock; honored for supporting the U.S. rice industry and local products for over 20 years.
• Chef Mark Abernathy, owner of Loca Luna and Bene Vita Restaurants, Little Rock; honored for innovative applications using U.S. rice.
• Chef Kathy Webb, owner of Lilly's Dim Sum, Little Rock; honored for supporting local foods, including U.S. organic brown rice and U.S. jasmine rice.

Flory and his fellow honorees were presented with a Certificate of Recognition and will be: announced in USA Rice Federation's “Rice Daily” newsletter disseminated to rice industry members, media and industry influencers; featured on USA Rice’s foodservice Web site (www.MenuRice.com), visited by 15,000 foodservice chefs and culinary professionals each month; and promoted as innovators and leaders in foodservice.

Recipients are invited to use the new "Grown in the USA" rice logo on menus or other marketing materials to showcase their ongoing dedication and support by serving U.S.-grown products in their operations.