Love and Lessons from the Hudson Valley
My experience with The Valley Café over the last year has only made me fall more in love with the Hudson Valley. This region is full of history, hiking, crisp apples and waterfront views that would go unnoticed unless you were able to explore it for four years. I am grateful for my time to do this while at Marist College.
The Valley Café celebrates new cultures and cuisines with the fresh tastes of the local area. The farmers in the Hudson Valley and tri-state region are the cornerstone of this event and are worthy of praise for their dedication to traditional farming, green space and the community. These amazing local farmers teach us that the food we eat is tied to real hands and histories.
Therefore, The Valley Café is also a celebration of the region many of us have called home. It will always hold a place in my heart.
I have enjoyed every bite of The Valley Café and exploring each story of the people and places where our food comes from. I am also incredibly thankful for my experience with Marist Dining Services over the past year. Chef Anthony, Ted Alban and the staff do a tremendous job at making personal health and environmental sustainability a priority in each and every meal. It is their dedication that will continue to connect students and faculty with the meals they eat once I graduate in a couple of weeks.
The Valley Café will return in the fall semester without me, but I will take my love for fresh and local ingredients wherever I go.
Happy dining, locavores!
The Beauty of Tahiti
Half way between Los Angeles and Sydney lies one of the world’s most stunning destinations: Tahiti.
The French Polynesian island was formed from volcanic activity that left the land mountainous and surrounded by coral reefs. The crystal clear Pacific ocean nests quaint floating bungalows, hundreds of species of fish and peaceful canoes. The ocean-based culture has a large influence on the food that the Europeans and Chinese residents eat (as well as the many tourists each year). Seafood can be found in practically any meal and pork and fruits are very popular as well. The tropical flavors will be plentiful at tomorrow’s Valley Café with tons of pineapple, mandarin oranges and papaya.
And as you eat your meal in the cabaret tomorrow (bathing suits optional) I hope that the view magically turns into this….See you then.
(Photos courtesy of The Care Free Traveler & HQ Wide)
Bacon + Donuts ?
Today I ate a bacon donut…and it was pretty awesome.
It initially sounds like an unappetizing pairing, but the salty/sweet combination of the dessert is delightful. And this is coming from the girl who just yesterday admitted to not liking bacon all that much.
Today’s Valley Café was full of the best selection of comfort food from macaroni and cheese to sweet potatoes and crispy bacon. It was the perfect combination of recipes for a rainy afternoon. And that donut was a spectacularly unique ending.
What did you think of the bacon donut??
Bacon Lovers
My favorite sandwich at the nearby deli is a delicious combination of breaded chicken cutlet, bacon, melted yellow american cheese, romaine lettuce, tomato and chipotle mayo on a hard roll. I could eat it every day for lunch. Except, whenever I go to order my sandwich, I always have to say, “I’d like a Big Bird please, no bacon”. That’s when I see the judgment in the server’s eyes…What?! No bacon?!? Are you un-American?!? To which I telepathically communicate back, I just don’t like it.
There’s not really much of a reason for my bacon indifference, but I have always been a bit self-conscious of the fact that I don’t share the same bacon enthusiasm as the majority of the American population. Lucky for you bacon lovers, this week’s Valley Café showcases the many ways of cooking with pork which does include plenty of bacon.
I am determined to give bacon a try during tomorrow’s lunch from 11:30 to 1:30. Chef Anthony never lets me down…
See you then!
Exploring Korea
Korea’s most recent claim to fame has been the viral “Gangam Style” video by Psy. Regardless of your opinion on the song, you have to admit that it’s catchy.
But Korea is full of more than fun beats and silly dances. The country in southeast Asia is also known as the land of romance, the host of the next winter Olympics and the theme for this week’s Valley Café! Korean cuisine is a delicious blend of Asian flavors full of spices, vegetables and noodles. Come give the food a try tomorrow from 11:30-1:30!
The Valley Café is returning the Korean theme after a popular response last semester. You can view my blog post from the past event here.
Southwestern Spice & Everything Nice (or Breaking Bad)
The Valley Café explores a lot of international cuisine from around the world; however, here within the United States there are just as many varieties of meals. Chef Anthony decided to design today’s lunch around one of our great states: New Mexico. Although an American territory, the state’s food is heavily influenced by its Mexican neighbors to the south. The southwest region of the country, in general, is a great place to taste authentic Mexican flavors without having to whip out your passport.
The quintessential Mexico flavors were in abundance this afternoon from avocados to beans and rice…but the tastes of New Mexico wouldn’t be complete without some spicy ingredients. Jalapeno poppers were also found at the buffet as well as some papas con chile (chile potatoes). I’m usually very sensitive to hot ingredients, but this afternoon’s Valley Café was delicious with just enough spicy kick. It was a great way to experience a part of my country that I have never been to before.
Also, let’s not pretend like we aren’t all thinking about Breaking Bad at the New Mexico themed event
…had to throw that in there.
See you next week for another piping hot, local meal!
Cooking Lesson: Fresh Mozzarella
This week’s Italian Valley Café was a sell-out! The atmosphere was bustling and exciting as everyone enjoyed the tastes of southern Italy.
In addition, Chef Anthony was in the cabaret all afternoon turning fresh curd into a ball of stuffed mozzarella from which he was slicing pieces for customers drizzled in olive oil and garnished with a basil leaf. It was a great opportunity to see the fresh, local ingredients and kitchen’s culinary skills at work!
But you don’t need to be a Chef to make your own mozzarella…just follow the Valley Café recipe!
1. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid to 1 cup cool water. Stir into 1 gallon of cold milk. Heat slowly to 90 degrees.
2. Remove pot from burner. Dilute a 1/4 tablet or 1/4 teaspoon of rennet in 1/4 cup cool water. Stir diluted rennet into pot for 30 seconds. Cover and leave for 5 minutes.
3. Check the curd. It should look like custard and the whey will be clear. If too soft, let set a few more minutes.
4. Now cut the curd into 1 inch squares with a knife that reaches to the bottom of the pot.
5. Place pot on stove and heat to 105 degrees while stirring slowly. If you will be stretching in water, heat to 110 degrees.
6. Take off the burner and continue stirring slowly for 2-5 minutes. Transfer curd to a colander or bowl using a slotted spoon.
7. Notice how the curd is beginning to get firmer at the whey drains. Continue separating the curd from the whey by gently pressing the curd to encourage the whey runoff.
8. Transfer curd to a microwavable bowl. Microwave for 1 minute on medium heat, then pour off the whey.
9. Knead and reheat for 30 seconds. Repeat if necessary until the curd reaches 135 degrees–almost too hot to handle.
10. Knead the curd as you would bread. If it is hot enough the curd will stretch. If it will not stretch, return it to the microwave as needed. Continue to pull and stretch. This will turn the curd into mozzarella.
11. Once the mozzarella appears smooth, form it into a ball and get ready to add it to your recipe or eat it as is.
Enjoy!
Mezzogiorno and Plenty of Mozzarella
Welcome back! Chef Anthony has designed a popular, mouth-watering menu to welcome everyone back to campus.
On Tuesday, March 25th The Valley Café will explore southern Italy. Although as a whole the country is filled with an abundance of delicious meals, Italian cuisine differs from region to region. Southern Italy (or Mezzogiorno) is the end of the peninsula encompassing the regions of Abruzzo, Basilicata, Campania, Calabria, Puglia, Molise, Sicily and Sardinia, with Lazio also considered a member by some. Tomatoes, peppers, olives and olive oil, garlic, artichokes, oranges, ricotta cheese, eggplants, zucchini, capers and fish are common ingredients in the south. These flavors will be found at The Valley Café in a variety of dishes including a Caprese salad from the island of Capri and one of the most popular Sicilian recipes, Pasta alla Norma.
The shining star of the Mezzogiorno, however, is fresh mozzarella cheese. This semi-soft cheese traditionally made from buffalo milk is known for originating in Southern Italy. Eaten best on pizza and in a caprese sandwich with tomatoes and basil (my personal favorite), the cheese is a wonderful treat. Home made mozzarella will be found in the dishes at The Valley Café on Tuesday…and also in an added feature.
For the first time ever, The Valley Café will be offering a live cooking lesson during your meal. Chef Anthony will bring his culinary and Italian background together to do a demo on making fresh mozzarella from fresh curd. DON’T MISS IT!
Looking forward to seeing everyone again on Tuesday from 11:30-1:30!
(Photos courtesy of The Lonely Planet and walksofitaly.com)
Hudson River Fruit Distributors
Apples were in abundance at this week’s Valley Café inspired by the Victorian household knowledge of Mrs. Isabella Mary Beaton. The apple soup, apples and rice, and butter apples were not only delicious, but also fresh from the local area.
Hudson River Fruit Distributors grows its apples less than 10 miles from campus across the Hudson River in Milton, New York and also just east of Poughkeepsie in Pleasant Valley. They are a vertically integrated company, meaning they do everything–grow, package, sell, ship and store the apples in order to ensure their produce is the highest quality possible. The Valley Café only sources from the best.
The business was started in July of 1963 by Isadore “Izzy” Albinder who immigrated from Russia in the 1930s. When he arrived in New York City he bought a pushcart to sell apples in the neighborhoods around Brooklyn. After some time Izzy became frustrated by the low quality of apples, so he traveled north to the Hudson Valley and formed relations with the apple growers. Eventually, Izzy and his son Harold purchased land and a packing house that has since developed into Hudson River Fruit Distributors. Izzy’s grandson, Dan, and Dan’s daughter, Alisha, have since helped run the business which has expanded to over 400 acres of apple farms in New York and southern Vermont.
The hard work and crisp local taste of Hudson River Fruit Distributors were apparent in Tuesday’s Valley Café meal. My friend and I were chatting with one of the workers at the event on Tuesday about how delicious the dessert was and she was very proud about how fresh the apples were, having been peeled and chopped and baked in the kitchen rather than defrosted. It is farmers like Hudson River Fruit Distributors that allow The Valley Café to keep the passion for fresh, healthy ingredients alive. And we are proud to support the local community in return.
See everyone after spring break for more locally sourced lunches at The Valley Café!
(Photos courtesy of Hudson River Fruit Distributors and from the Valley Cafe Luncheon)
Dining with the Brits
Confession: I’m obsessed with Downton Abbey.
The fictional British series follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants as major historical events like the sinking of the Titantic and the outbreak of the World War I shift British social hierarchy away from large estates like Downton, reflecting the timeless battle between tradition and progression. The series has been popular in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States and has received critical acclaim from the film industry and Golden Globe and Emmy awards.
Some may question how thrilling a drama about a British estate can be…but it’s full of twists and turns and characters you fall in love with, hence my obsession. My semester abroad in England also probably makes me somewhat biased.
Theoretically, the members of the Downton staff would have relied heavily on a book called Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management for all types of tasks on the estate. The book was written by an Isabella Mary Mason who began by writing articles on cooking and household management for her husband, Mr. Beeton’s, popular British magazine. In 1861, the supplements were published as a single volume book adding charming insight into Victorian domestic management and instantly becoming a bestseller. The 21-year-old provided incredible knowledge on running a household, but died young at 28 before she could barely run a home of her own. However, her book would live on to help people like the staff at Downton Abbey and it also became increasingly important as traditionally aristocratic women evolved to manage a home on their own. The Crawley girls, particularly Edith, develop independence through the series that could eventually lead them to Mrs. Beeton.
This week The Valley Café is focused on the classic Victorian British dishes inspired by the cooking tips of Mrs. Beeton. Taste the English dishes served at Downton tomorrow from 11:30-1:30 in the Cabaret!
(Photos courtesy of PBS and Vintagecobweb.com)
The Valley Café 