Measuring digestibility, researchers find almonds provide 20% fewer calories than labels state. The results might have implications for other foods, as well.

A study conducted by scientists from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and released in the August issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) provides a new understanding of almonds’ calorie count, showing that whole almonds provide about 20% fewer calories than originally thought.

At first glance, the study results beg the question: How can a food’s calorie count suddenly change when the composition of the food itself hasn’t?

The answer is that David Baer, PhD, and his team from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) used a new method of measuring the calories in almonds, which built on traditional methods and allowed the researchers to determine the number of calories actually digested and absorbed from almonds. Resulting data showed a 1 ounce serving of almonds (about 23 almonds) has 129 calories versus the 160 calories currently listed on the Nutrition Facts Panel. The results might have implications for certain other foods, as well.

So Americans don’t cook anymore? That used to be true. The current economic climate has wrought good news for publishers of consumer cookbooks as U.S. households eat more meals at home, reports NPD.

U.S. families are more likely to be eating meals at home today, and the use of recipes is growing as a result, according to Port Washington, N.Y.-based The NPD Group, a leading market research company. A recently released NPD recipe-usage report finds the use of a recipe(s) once a week or more has increased from 37% of households in 2005 to 42% in 2011.

Two-thirds of all homemakers (67%) have used a recipe within the past month, and two in five (42%) use recipes even more often, according to the NPD report, entitled “Recipes are Cooking!” Dinner is the dominant recipe-using occasion. Nearly 38 million U.S. households have used a recipe while preparing dinner in the past week, and on a typical evening, 11 million households used a recipe to cook dinner.

One-third of the nation’s population 19 years old and younger is expected to be Latino by 2015. A Dallas-based pizza chain is already preparing for the slew of new customers.

In 2010, the Census Bureau reported that for every nine births among Hispanics, there was one death, compared to a roughly 1-1 ratio among whites. Experts have predicted that today’s young and expanding Hispanic population is a precursor of what mainstream America will look like tomorrow. With this continuing cultural shift, Dallas-based Pizza Patrón projects a doubling of its store count over the next three years.

Legendary pastry chef and baker Dieter Schorner continues to teach undergraduates at the CIA every day.

Dieter G. Schorner, a leader in the pastry field for decades, celebrated his 75th birthday on June 19, 2012. His colleagues in the Baking and Pastry Arts Department at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, N.Y., presented him with a surprise birthday cake on June 18. Schorner, a professor at the not-for-profit culinary college, has served on the CIA faculty since 1999. He was one of the opening chefs for the Apple Pie Bakery Café on the Hyde Park campus in 2000 and currently teaches basic and classical cakes.

In an era of social networking, having real conversations and deepening your connections with people takes skill and will. But the byproducts are new energy and excitement—and being heard.

By Dr. Fred Mayo, CHE, CHT

Last month, this column discussed helping students connect with ideas; this month we turn the focus to ourselves and discuss our connections with other persons—a fitting subject for your summer when you have a chance to slow down and reflect on what you do and why you do it. I hope this column encourages you to expand your reflections.

Meaning of Connection
Currently, when we think of being connected, we typically refer to the forms of social media and the ways we use them. It means we are proud of using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Foursquare and other programs. We also look for suggestions about how to maximize the benefits of being electronically connected since that means being up to date and technologically literate.

Here are the remaining five of 10 critical things you must teach your students if you want them to earn meaningful jobs, plus some sound advice on how to interact with potential employers.

By Adam Weiner, CFSE

Last issue I explained that it is critical to not only teach your students technical skills, but also the soft skills needed to get a job, keep a job and prosper in life. I suggested that you spend the summer revising and updating your curriculum to add job-searching skills. I published the first five things to teach, and now here are the remaining five:

Seattle Culinary Academy and UMass Dining recognized for innovations in sustainability.

Kendall College in Chicago and the Annapolis, Md.-based Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFÉ) on June 24 presented the 2012 CAFÉ/Kendall College Green Award to Seattle Culinary Academy, a division of Seattle Central Community College, at the CAFÉ Leadership Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Chef-instructor Keijiro Miyata, CEC, CCE, AAC, accepted the award on behalf of Seattle Culinary Academy from Christopher Koetke, CEC, CCE, HAAC, vice president of the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts and Laureate International Universities Center of Excellence in Culinary Arts.

“Seattle Culinary Academy was one of the first culinary schools in the nation to offer formal coursework in sustainability, highlighting the value of local and seasonal sourcing,” Koetke said. “The program is exceptional because it integrates health and environmental sustainability throughout the educational experience.”

Recognized for its elegance and flavor, lamb is a favorite protein of chefs across the globe.  While most chefs think of rack of lamb, today’s economy as well as a desire to utilize the whole carcass challenges chefs to look at some of the lesser-known and economical cuts.

By Christopher Heath Stone, CEC, MEd

The shoulder is one of the most affordable cuts of lamb. A square-cut bone-in shoulder can be barbecued, braised or slow roasted. It can also be broken down in a variety of ways to create shoulder arm and blade chops, shoulder ribs or various BRT roasts. Lamb-shoulder meat is also commonly used to create kabob and stew meat, as well as grind.

Brendan Walsh, a celebrated chef in New York City and around the country before joining the faculty of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), has been promoted to serve as the college’s dean of culinary arts. In his new position, he oversees curriculum development and management of the CIA’s culinary-arts education and is responsible for the quality of academic programming, services and staffing of culinary-arts courses.

“Chef Walsh has demonstrated himself to be a consummate professional with a strong commitment to the college,” said CIA Provost Mark Erickson, CMC. “He is the perfect person to fill this important role at the college—one that is responsible for keeping the CIA’s culinary education unparalleled and will ensure the continued high value of a CIA degree.”

A 1980 CIA graduate, Walsh returned to his alma mater in 2008 as a faculty member and, later, associate dean. Before that, he was the owner and executive chef of Elms Restaurant & Tavern in Ridgefield, Conn., North Street Grill in Great Neck, N.Y., and Coyote Grill in Island Park, N.Y., as well as the founder and president of Chef Brendan Walsh Services/FWF Consulting. Earlier in his career, Walsh held top positions at highly regarded restaurants throughout the United States, including executive chef of Arizona 206 in New York City, Water’s Edge in Long Island City, N.Y., and Ancient Mariner in Florida, Connecticut and New York. He was also chef of Gotham Bar & Grill in New York City and sous chef at Stars in San Francisco.

The first-ever Bite of Apprenticeship program, sponsored by the Washington State Chefs Association, brought in $5,000 in scholarship funds, attracted media attention and recognized the work of Seattle-area culinary students and apprentices.

The apprenticeship program provides 700 hours of classroom work for those already employed in the foodservice industry. Apprentices are sponsored by their restaurants and attend classes at Renton Technical College in addition to their restaurant work. Apprentices from Joey’s Restaurant, Earl’s Restaurant and No Junk – Good Food, Inc., a school catering company, and the Columbia Tower Club participated in the event, which offered bites of an amazing variety of preparations.