Ever Tried Baking with Olive Oil?
|
|
|
|
|
It's California Almond Season!
When we think of California's summer harvest, we don't often think of almonds. Available pre-packaged year-round, they are at their peak season in the heat of mid-summer. Our state's largest tree crop, the bulk of the entire world production is grown right here in California. Over 6,000 individual almond growers statewide (some four generations strong) produce this annual crop exceeding 1 billion pounds and valued over $1 billion dollars. Interestingly enough, over 80% of the crop is actually exported (CA's largest and the sixth largest U.S. food export). Germany and Japan are the largest importers 'going nuts over these little nuts'. (Sorry, I had to say it).
Back in the Day
Similar to the olive, the almond has been found in ancient writings, in Roman scriptures and even referenced in the Bible. Arriving in California in the mid-1800's, it thrived in the Central Valley's hot climate and soil conditions similar to that of the Mediterranean. These days, almond consumption is on the rise. US per capita consumption has nearly doubled in the past decade, according to the Almond Board of California. More folks are incorporating almonds into their daily intake not only for buttery taste and crunchy texture, but for added nutritional value. Yes, the secret is out about the many health benefits of this little power snack. An excellent source of antioxidant vitamin E, protein and magnesium, incorporating almonds into your daily diet helps lower cholesterol levels and may reduce the risk of heart disease. These little nuts are cholesterol free and high in 'good' unsaturated fat, similar to the 'heart-healthy' fat found in olive oil. Yes, a fat that's good for you!
In a nutshell, you can add almonds to virtually any menu item out there - whole, sliced, slivered or diced. Toss atop a summer salad, add crunch to almond-crusted fish fillets, and add to cheese platters with spice-enhanced almonds. So, Go Nuts! Let us know what YOU create!
|
Recipes Featuring
California Almonds and CA Olive Ranch EVOO
|
A Early Taste of Harvest
Courtesy of Carol Firenze, Author "The Passionate Olive"
|
Chef Bill Briwa The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone . St. Helena . CA
|
Well versed in all things related to the food and wine industry, Bill Briwa has been senior chef-instructor at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone since 1996. Bringing his passion for global tastes to the kitchen, Briwa is also a 1980 graduate of the prestigious CIA program, known worldwide for its commitment to excellence. Having just returned from three weeks traveling in Turkey, his extensive knowledge of global cuisine makes most green with envy. "We can learn a lot from other countries," he states. "I've notice that American cuisine, whatever that may be, is changing. Other countries - in the Mediterranean, Asia, Latin America - tend to focus on seasonal foods that are flavorful, fresh, healthy, quick to prepare, and, at the same time, are interesting and unique. American consumers are now bringing these bold flavors into their own kitchens."A taste for international flavors has long driven Chef Briwa's enthusiasm. As host of the DVD series, Savoring the Best of World Flavors, he and CIA producers earned the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Webcast of 2007. With rich cinematography, the series provides viewers with the rich feeling of a PBS documentary, making one want to book the next flight available, just to taste the local flavors.Just listening to Chef Briwa, his culinary curiosity is palpable. "When you go to other countries without pastures, without dairy, without cream, they look for other ways to richen their sauces. That's where nut-enriched recipes come from - pesto from Italy, romesco sauce from Spain, mole from Mexico, skordalia from Greece. In Turkey, I tried fried mussels with tarator sauce and, of course, olive oil." As if I wasn't hungry already."Yes, I am passionate about olive oil", smiles the self-proclaimed olive oil 'pusher'. "I provide what I call 'gateway olive oil experiences', pairing olive oil with items people already have a passion for. Ice cream - I make an olive oil sorbet and pair it with an almond shortbread. Dipping sauces - I make 'dukkah' sauce, originally from Egypt, a flavorful combination of hazelnut, coriander and cumin. First, I have folks dip bread in extra virgin olive oil, then in dukkah. No one has yet told me they don't absolutely love the flavor." When not teaching, or creating podcasts for CIA Network, Chef Briwa shares his diverse expertise with thousands of food enthusiasts worldwide. Among many other industry event presentations just this year, such as "Exploring World Kitchens", "Wine Pairing with a Global Culinary Influence", Chef Briwa presented at Beyond Extra Virgin: An International Conference on Excellence in Olive Oil, co-hosted by the CIA and UC Davis Olive Center. Lucky attendees and students alike are enthralled by all they've learned from Chef Briwa."I've always tried to make learning fun and to set the stage for my students to become life-long learners, to develop a genuine curiosity about worldwide cuisine," he says in a humble tone. "The face of food is changing."
"When I was fresh out of cooking school, I was already behind the curve on new culinary trends. Learning about global cuisines, about different countries, has brought the realization that food actually brings every person on the planet together. If my students walk away with the perspective that we can all learn from one another through culinary appreciation, and to have fun in the meantime, I'd be happy with that." |
About the Culinary Institute of America
The Culinary Institute of America been recognized as a leader in culinary education for over 60 years. Many well-known top chef alumni - Cat Cora, Roy Yamaguchi, Michael Chiarello, Charlie Palmer - launched their culinary careers from the CIA. Not only professional academic programs, but e-learning and professional wine studies programs are all offered by master chefs from 16+ countries across three branch campuses - New York, Texas and here in California at Greystone in St. Helena. For food enthusiasts at home, the CIA offers a whole menu of programs, including hands-on wine exploration courses, 2-5 day epicurean boot camps, cooking demonstrations and sophisticated palate culinary vacations to provide the culinary knowledge to fuel your passion for cooking.
Nov 12 - 14 CIA at Greystone in St. Helena, CA "Frontiers of Flavor: World Street Food. World Comfort Food."
One of the culinary industry's premier events, this 3-day annual conference showcases international cuisines that are shaping exciting trends in American cooking. Top culinary talent from the Mediterranean, Asia, Latin America and the United States will present menus exploding with flavor and trends inspired by world street foods and comfort foods. Learn more about "this epic tour"! Click here for more info ~
| |
Comments welcome to [email protected].
Warmly,
Your friends at
California Olive Ranch www.californiaoliveranch.com
|
|
|