The Culinary Insider - October 24, 2011 (Vol. IX, Issue 23)

USDA, Local Farmer and ACF Partner at Elementary School

Pumpkin salad, butternut soup, pumpkin chili and pumpkin pizza were on the menu Oct. 18 for first-graders at R.B. Hunt Elementary School, St. Augustine, Fla. Students were joined by USDA Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Deputy Under Secretary Dr. Janey Thornton, ACF chef David Bearl, CCC®, CCE®, AAC®, director of college advancement at First Coast Technical College in St. Augustine, and local potato farmer Nick Jones to celebrate National Farm to School Month and Michelle Obama’s Chefs Move to Schools program. More

“I’m proud of so many of you today,” said Thornton. “Many of you thought you wouldn’t like something, but you tried it anyway. You might not always like it the first time, but if you keep trying it, or if it’s prepared another way, you might actually learn to like it.”

Calling All Chefs

Please search your personal and ACF chapter archives for information on ACF’s founding organizations: Chefs de Cuisine Association of America, Societe Culinaire Philanthropique and the Vatel Club. We are gathering information for an article on ACF’s founding for The National Culinary Review. Email Kay Orde.

ACF Chef Hats from $7.95—NEW!

Top off your outfit with ACF headwear. Happy Chef now carries three styles of professional-grade chef hats featuring an embroidered, official ACF logo. Show your affiliation with the Classic Chef Hat, Flat Top Chef Hat, and Cordon Bleu Pleated Chef Hat. Get your exclusive ACF apparel today!

Help Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the ACF Student Team

Cast Your Vote by November 14

Did you know that the ACF Student Team Championship, sponsored by R.L. Schreiber, Inc., has been around for 20 years? Throughout 2012, we will be celebrating the competition's rich history, student participants and coaches. You can join in the celebration by helping ACF select a logo for this milestone. Visit our Facebook page, click “Vote Now,” or select photos from the left menu and choose “Vote Now” from the albums. “Like” the logo you want to win. Voting closes Nov. 14 at midnight EST.

If you are a past competitor, coach or judge, we want to hear from you. Post your photos, stories and memories on our Facebook page, so we can learn where our past winners and participants are today.

Protein: Meats on the Menu

Seated at the top of the food chain, when consumed in moderation, meat has advantages. Meat provides B vitamins that help the body release energy and build tissue, aid in the formation of red blood cells and play a vital role in the function of the nervous system. Meat also supplies iron, which is used to carry oxygen in the blood; magnesium, which is used in building bones and releasing energy from muscles; and zinc, which is necessary for biochemical reactions and helps the immune system function properly. Still, consuming excessive quantities of meat may be problematic to your health. Read more in October’s issue of “Culinary Nutrition News,” Protein: Meats on the Menu, sponsored by French’s Foodservice and provided through a partnership between ACFEF Chef & Child Foundation and Clemson University.

Set Your Menu Worlds Apart

Give guests the adventure they desire with Taste Travelers™—a new line of globally inspired foods by McCain®. Try Southwestern-style Pork & Queso Triangles, Latin-inspired Steak Mini Chimis and fresh-baked Cheese & Italian Sausage Mini Bread Rounds today. Try a sample.

ACF’s Garde Manger: Cold Kitchen Fundamentals Now Available

Want to learn more about the cold kitchen? Look no further. Check out ACF’s newest textbook, Garde Manger: Cold Kitchen Fundamentals (Prentice Hall, 2012). The book serves as a companion to Baking Fundamentals (Prentice Hall, 2007) and Culinary Fundamentals (Prentice Hall, 2006). Written for the garde manger chef, culinary students and educators, as well as cold salon competitors, the 912-page book focuses on techniques, provides an overview of the cold kitchen and features more than 400 recipes.