Braised lamb is economical and efficient. A successful lamb braise intermingles the flavors of foods being cooked, the aromatics employed and the cooking liquid—performing a magical transformation of lamb while adding body to the braising-liquid-turned-sexy-sauce.

By Robert N. Corey, BA, AOS, CEC, EWS

Braising is for meat lovers. I have a passion for braised lamb shanks, an infatuation for sous-vide lamb necks, a serious affair going on with braised stuffed lamb breast and, from my very first taste of lamb, I have leg-of-lamb ecstasy.

While lamb is often considered an expensive meat for classroom use, braising allows me to focus on economical cuts of lamb. Thanks to the braise, I can find plenty of economical cuts for the long-simmered, wait-until-you-taste-this, top-of-a-heap goodness. My students will learn that dinner can be less expensive, and in all cases much more flavorful, when American Lamb meets a cook who can braise. This article will discuss the critical points of braising as related to utilizing, and enjoying economical cuts of American Lamb.

A new foodservice study shows that among all pork categories, bacon consumption grew the most per pound between 2011 and 2013, while carnitas meat grew fastest by percentage.

With a growth rate outpacing all other proteins in the foodservice industry, pork is hot. According to Technomic, Inc.’s 2013 Volumetric Assessment of Pork in Foodservice, pork is sustaining its popularity, having become the foodservice industry’s fastest-growing protein in each of the past two years.

This most recent study noted that total pork sold through foodservice outlets reached a record-breaking 9.25 billion pounds, reflecting a volume increase of 462 million pounds over 2011 when the survey was last undertaken. The 2.6% increase outpaced the total protein growth average of 0.8% and the 1.5% total growth of the foodservice industry itself.

“We are pleased to see such positive growth in foodservice, especially carnitas meat, shoulder/butt and pulled pork,” says Stephen Gerike, director of foodservice marketing for the Pork Checkoff. “The volumetric study shows that operators are leveraging pork’s versatility.”

Since 2011, fresh pork has driven growth of the total pork category, increasing by 3.5% on an annual basis. Sales of processed pork also grew 2.3%, largely driven by sales of ham, breakfast sausage and bacon. Sales of these traditional breakfast meats represent 56% of the carcass-weigh equivalent. Other study highlights include:

“Gold Medal Classroom” readers who answer a survey (see link below) will receive a special code for a $200 discount on Worlds of Flavor® 2013 registration. Also, all names will be placed into a drawing for one free Worlds of Flavor registration, and three respondents will receive a choice of one of three CIA books.

By Jan Stuebing Smyth

To be a chef today means to be plugged into local communities, national networks and global conversations. Information technologies are changing foodservice in profound ways in the kitchen, dining room and classroom, particularly since the current  generation of Millennial diners grew up with an unprecedented access to 24/7 connectivity.

Any curriculum for aspiring culinarians that does not include a nod to technology in the kitchen—from immersion circulators for new cooking techniques to tablets for access to their curriculum—is incomplete. A single YouTube video, real-time webcast or even an Instagram photo can transport a chef or student to a restaurant or village kitchen thousands of miles away and alter his or her culinary aspirations in an instant, turning the world into a classroom.

Culinary philosophies are being incubated in highly personal, globally conscious ways that could only happen in this hyper-connected age of information and social-networking technologies. Chefs in Spain look to the kitchens of Japan as part of re-imagining their regional traditions. Chefs from New York to California exchange ideas over the web as they re-invent Moroccan and Southeast Asian flavors. Chefs from Lima and Lisbon, Sydney and Shanghai gather at international conferences—like MAD in Copenhagen, Mesamérica in Mexico City and Worlds of Flavor in Napa Valley—to forge new professional bonds that expand the creative space in which they work.

Whereas previously, influential food critics at city and national publications controlled the destiny of ambitious chefs and restaurants, chefs today can build their own communities of support. A four-star review from The New York Times or a top Michelin rating still yields considerable weight in a restaurant’s ability to attract and retain customers, but they are no longer the only game in town. Crowd-sourced reviews from Yelp, Zagat and others, along with social media juggernauts like Twitter and Facebook and the commenting sections of blogs, have undercut the established critics who used to have the power to make or break a restaurant. Not having to court the favor of high-profile critics means not having to skew one’s cooking or dining concepts to the expectations of a small handful of gatekeepers.

Culinary instructors from across the nation recently participated in Emmi Roth USA culinary-externship program and American Cheese Society conference events.

Emmi Roth USA, a subsidiary of Switzerland-based Emmi Group and a leading provider of specialty cheeses and premium fresh dairy products, recently welcomed six culinary instructors to participate in a Wisconsin Cheese Immersion at the company’s creamery and Culinary Education Center in Monroe, Wis. Admission to the program was supported by partner CAFÉ.

From July 30 to Aug. 3, the instructors experienced a comprehensive cheese immersion though hands-on cheesemaking, working alongside Emmi Roth USA corporate chefs and educational sessions. The externship coincided with the 30^th Annual American Cheese Society (ACS) Conference & Competition in Madison, Wis. This national conference drew cheesemakers, specialty retailers and other industry professionals from around the country and offered additional opportunities for the externship participants.

Culinary instructors who participated in the program were Daryl Nosek, FMP, curriculum chair of culinary arts at Westchester Community College in Valhalla, N.Y.; Chris Bugher, CEC, of  Mountwest Community College in Huntington, W.V.; Colin Roche, Ph.D., CEC, FMP, CHE, of Johnson & Wales University in North Miami, Fla.; Michelle Gaw of Cuyahoga Community College in Highland Hills, Ohio; J. Claire Menck, Ph.D., culinary director of The Art Institute of Wisconsin in Milwaukee; and Todd Barrios, CEC, of Stephan F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Advanced planning, organization, preparation, creativity, flexibility and solid content knowledge are all necessary to challenge students and let them know what is expected of them.

By Bradley J. Ware, Ph.D., and C. Lévesque Ware, Ph.D.

Effective classroom management is possible when strategies that facilitate learning and reduce disciplinary problems are implemented. Solutions that can positively contribute to reaching this goal include:  preparing a well-thought-out syllabus that carefully delineates student accountability; using a system of evaluation that de-emphasizes individual grading; and including course work that is both relevant and challenging.

The Course Syllabus
A syllabus is a document that explains a course in detail. It provides students with precise information concerning what must be done to successfully complete a course. An organized syllabus sets the tone of the course and relays that the instructor is prepared and in control. A good syllabus clearly spells out the instructor’s expectations and should therefore be presented on the first day of class. When reviewing the syllabus with students it is important to make sure that they understand the rationale behind each rule, regulation and policy, and the reasons why these are critical to the overall success of the lab/class. A well-worded, clear syllabus can greatly reduce the occurrence of disciplinary problems.

De-emphasizing Individual Grades
In most colleges and university courses, instructors use quizzes, midterms and final exams as their primary evaluative criteria. Unfortunately, individual graded exams often cause fear and anxiety among students and create a competitive atmosphere that divides excellent students and marginal students. Using hybrid forms of these instruments can reduce test anxiety and provide greater opportunities for student success. A midterm or final exam might include a section that contains essay questions that are prepared at home prior to the in-class portion of the exam. “Take home” exams allow students to plan, prepare and organize their essays in advance, reducing the pressure of time constraints. The inclusion of a collection of essays from which students select a predetermined number and develop these is another option. Students might be asked to select and develop three essays from the five presented.