CHEF DEAL FEATURED IN POST & COURIER

CIC Adjunct Instructor and Tristan restaurant Executive Chef Aaron Deal garnered some pretty fine press in this week's Post & Courier!

"Deal moved to Charleston several years ago and graduated from Johnson & Wales in 2005. ... [He] works an average of 12 hours each day of the week. He recently started teaching culinary courses at Trident Technical College," wrote Sophia Rodriguez.

For the complete story, including some great quotes, go to: http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/sep/25/tristans_new_chef_wont_let_youth_get_way55626/

Chef Bob Waggoner Shows Farm to Plate Class Wild American Shrimp

Thanks to Wild American Shrimp Executive Director Eddie Gordon and Chef Bob Waggoner, the Farm to Plate class had a hands-on experience with right-off-the-boat Wild American Shrimp. (Note the "whiskers" on the shrimp in the first and second pictures, the true tell.)


Chef Waggoner prepared one of his Charleston Grill specials, Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed with Carolina Shrimp Mousse (see recipe on the side feature of our Blog: What We're Eating). A board member of the prestigious Chef's Garden in Huron, Ohio, where he sources his squash blossoms, Chef Waggoner was kind enough to bring enough for the students to make two stuffed blossoms each. A real treat!

FARM TO PLATE FIELD TRIP TO KENSINGTON PLANTATION FEATURED IN POST & COURIER

In a September 24th article titled "Going for Gold," Post & Courier Food Editor Teresa Taylor writes:"Last week, [Richard] Stoney, whose family owns Kensington, and [Batt] Humphreys, a longtime friend and business associate, shared their tale and their table with students at the Culinary Institute of Charleston. A dozen or so class members and faculty visited Kensington in Berkeley County as part of the school's new "Farm to the Plate" course.

"Stoney also is an attorney and owner of Crew Carolina, a restaurant and catering group that includes Carolina's and the Boathouse restaurants. Humphreys is its communications director.
They and Carolina's chef Jeremiah Bacon served as hosts and educators for the excursion that took students into the rice fields and then to a plantation lunch under live oaks. Bacon rewarded them with a sumptuous platter of chicken and okra pilaf, or "perlo" in Charlestonese, made with fresh, handpicked rice."

See the full story, complete with color pictures, at: http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/sep/24/going_goldprospects_look_good_carolina_r55495/

FARM TO PLATE CLASS EXPLORES HISTORIC CAROLINA GOLD RICE

On Tuesday, September 16th, the Farm to Plate class has a one-of-a-kind field trip to Kensington Plantation to see authentic Carolina Gold Rice grown again where it had been grown as long as three hundred years ago. It was a historic moment when the class was served a chicken pilau made from Kensington's rice. Chef Jeremiah Bacon, of Carolina's Restaurant, did the honors, and subsequently came to the Palmer Campus to lead the class in cooking an array of dishes made with Anson Mills' Carolina Gold Rice and corn.

CIC Adjunct Instructor M. Kelly Wilson Featured in Charleston Magazine

One of CIC's Baking and Pastry Adjunct Instructors was featured in the September issue of Charleston Magazine in a story titled "Sweeten the Deal: Pastry Chef M. Kelly Wilson makes haute desserts easy with recipe and tips for the home cook."

"Now head pastry chef at the prestigeous Cypress restaurant, industry committee chair for the Food and Wine Festival's Bubbles and Sweets event, and a second-year adjunct instructor at The Culinary Institute of Charleston, Wilson has a tall toque of professional credits. Over the past three years, she's also become a popular teacher of continuing education baking classes at both USC's Culinary and Wine Institute certificate program and The Culinary Institute. There, she educates nonprofessionals in the art of making restaurant-worthy desserts that are doable in the home kitchen."

Showcased in the story are Chef Wilson's Limoncello Cheesecake with Pinenut and Lavendar Shortbread Crumbles, Apricot Beignets with Rosemary-Infused Honey and Rosemary-and-Sea Salt-Candied Marcona Almonds, Milk Chocolate Mousse Lollipops, and an assortment of mignardises.

Photos by Roo Way

CHEF SEAN BROCK OF McCRADY'S LEADS FARM TO PLATE CLASS

Following a field trip to Wadmalaw Island to Chef Brock's farm, the Farm to Plate class enjoyed a great day with Chefs Brock and Carmel in one of the CIC Palmer Campus kitchens!