| The British invasion of Normandy
It used to be unthinkable that Britons would ever be able to take on the French in the kitchen, but many chefs in Normandy are now raising the white tea towel in defeat. Back in 1066 William the Conqueror invaded England and bought culinary expertise with him, but nearly a millennium later it is the Brits who are returning the flavour. For decades British holidaymakers have crossed the channel for a taste of real France. Often they were prepared to rough it in second rate accommodation because the quality of the food was so much better than back home. But these days a more discerning and demanding visitor is booking into expatriate placest as they offer top quality food and accommodation. There is a huge choice - battalions of Brits have moved to the Manche in Normandy to open guest houses, chateau hotels, restaurants and catering schools.
Recipe stacks up well in contest
Robert Anderson, a culinary arts student at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC), and his recipe for a stacked avocado salad with red wine vinaigrette earned the $1,000 second prize in the 2007 Avocados From Mexico "Fiesta Time" Student Recipe Contest.
The contest, sponsored by the Avocado Producer and Exporting Packers Association of Michoacán, included entries from several top culinary schools.
Chef Leslie Sieferle, Anderson's advisor, received $300, for a fund to encourage other students to enter recipe competitions, Sieferle said.
- Kathy Stephenson
Stacked avocado salad with red wine vinaigrette
Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh shallot, finely minced
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Salt, to taste
Semi-coarse black pepper, to taste
Salad:
2 slices (about 3 inches in diameter) fresh mozzarella cheese
4 slices Roma tomato, about 1/8 -inch thick
1 avocado, cut into 10 slices, about 1/8 -inch .
Higher lunch prices on menu at many districts
Better pack extra lunch money with your student this year. Higher milk prices are spilling over into area school cafeterias. More than a half-dozen school districts, pinched by rising prices and delivery costs, are raising food and/or milk prices for students this school year. "The cost of everything has gone up ... through the years," said Sandra Combs, food service director for the Imlay City School District, which is instituting its first price increase in about a dozen years. "It was time before we start going into the red." The increases may not seem like much. But they could add up for youngsters. School lunches and breakfasts for students are increasing as much as 30 cents in some area districts. In Imlay City, for instance, lunches ranging from $1.75 to $2.25 are up a quarter.
|
