Nov 12, 2019
Plant to Plate Series: Vegetable Snacks When we asked Executive Chef Jamie Simpson his thoughts on transforming fresh vegetables into snacks, his first comment was “I love this space.” In part this is because it dovetails with his commitment to eliminating food...
Nov 4, 2019
The Sazerac Cocktail Gets a Sassy Makeover It is fitting that we photographed the “Sasserac” in the Culinary Vegetable Institute library. It’s a literary drink, after all. A play on a traditional Sazerac cocktail, the touch of absinthe in this Southern favorite...
Oct 25, 2019
Beauty of Seasonal Food Preservation Methods Experimenting with new and different ways to preserve the fruits of the season is an ongoing endeavor at the Culinary Vegetable Institute—something that’s fueled by practicality, sure, but also because Chef Jamie Simpson...
Oct 18, 2019
You can imagine the scene. There he is, the legendary chef, John Folse, preparing for his participation in the Dueling Hams portion of the Fêtes des Bouchers on the grounds of the Culinary Vegetable Institute. He’s got his ham, he’s got numerous containers of...
Oct 8, 2019
The Essence of Midsummer Midsummer solstice is the time of year when the sun reaches its pinnacle in the sky and summer days are drenched with the year’s longest hours of daylight. Spring’s fertility has birthed a harvest that is ripe for the picking, and soon the...
Oct 3, 2019
Boucherie Meaning Explored by Historians Meet Stephen “Steve” Estopinal and James “Jim” Hunter, the Boucherie history enthusiasts who will be at the Fête des Bouchers fall harvest celebration at the Culinary Vegetable Institute on Saturday, October 12, 2019. At this...
Oct 1, 2019
“Food is the ultimate expression of the human experience. I don’t think anything is as powerful as sharing a meal and breaking bread.” (Andrew Zimmern, Roots 2018) This quote by Andrew Zimmern has resonated so much with us that we’ve decided to dedicate an entire post...
Sep 27, 2019
As you develop a menu, it can be a fascinating process of comparing and contrasting, of finding textures and flavors that work well together as you also find ways to surprise and delight diners. You may start with a signature dish and then develop a creative menu...
Sep 10, 2019
Big Melon of Flavor in a Single Glass Spiking a watermelon with vodka is like a magic and indulgent party trick. A 10-pound watermelon can soak up about three cups of vodka through a small hole cut into the rind. After the flesh is fully infused, some kind of crazy...
Sep 4, 2019
Putting it all Together on the Plate Chef Jamie Simpson’s edible study in circles may be a trypophobiacs nightmare but, for anyone who appreciates the intricacy of a meticulously plated dish, it’s an artistically geometric showpiece. Shapes are just one essential...
