Under her care, greenhouse restored

Keith Edwards, Staff Writer

Copyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

AUGUSTA -- René Albison's "secret garden" at Capital Area Technical Center isn't much of a secret anymore.

Students get excited about working in the greenhouse Albison and her students recently brought back to life, proudly noting when a seed they planted grows into a thriving, food-bearing plant.

Teachers come by, seeing if the greenhouse has any fresh lettuce to spare.

And students in the culinary arts program at the technical center use garden-grown vegetables and herbs such as oregano and sage in their cooking.

Before last year, the greenhouse at Capital Area Technical Center was little more than a neglected, rundown storage space.

Albison -- who teaches life, earth and plant science, among other classes, in the diversified occupations program at the technical center -- decided to take on the task of putting the greenhouse back to its original use as a greenhouse, not a storage building.

"I knew my students really needed some kind of science lab experience," she said of the decision, which resulted in her spending hundreds of hours of her own time fixing up the structure and tending to the plants inside it.

"I just decided I was going to take it upon myself to bring it back. I don't know why it closed down, but it has just been sitting here for years and years. It's a nice resource. The students are really proud of it. Kids who I wouldn't think would be into that sort of thing. They love to plant a seed and watch it grow."

She uses the greenhouse to teach science.

Her students and students in a consumer math class at the technical center grow vegetables and herbs in the greenhouse, selling them to raise money to put back into the program. The project also teaches students math lessons about pricing and budgeting.

Technical center Director Scott Phair noted that the project has been done almost entirely with grant funding and with labor by other technical center students and staff. He calls the greenhouse "René's secret garden."

"She really has squeezed money out of a rock," Phair said. "She did some significant rehabbing to bring it back. She's made an extraordinary difference."

Albison got grant funding from Home Depot to buy soil, got Johnny's Selected Seeds to donate seeds, and applied for and received a $2,600 grant from the Perloff Foundation.

Plumbing and heating students at the technical center, which takes students from several sending schools, got the heat and water running in the greenhouse.

Building construction students built large wooden boxes to hold the plants.

Machine tool students made and installed metal braces for the ceiling.

And diversified occupations students installed an automatic watering system to keep the plants from drying out.

"I've probably been a pain in the neck, asking classes to help," she said. "But they've all been really nice."

In the future, she said, she hopes to see a horticulture program created at the technical center.

In the meantime, she and her students are planting a fresh crop of tomatoes and lettuce.

And maybe some cucumbers and spinach.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com

Pennsylvania Cooking Schools Announce January Classes

CRATE(Kitchenware Store and Cooking School) is the premiere cooking school in Western Pennsylvania. Located in Pittsburgh, they have both demonstration and hands-on kitchens in their cooking school. In twenty-seven years of business, they have had international, national and regional chefs with over 200 cooking classes each year.

# Birthday Bash," for the "forgotten ones" born in January, a sit-down dinner limited to 24, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Jan. 9, $40.

# "Lunch & Learn," featuring Carolina Pulled Pork, noon to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 11, $20.

# "The Immigrant Kitchen" with ethnic recipes from Crate staff members, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 19, $40.

# "Advanced Basics: Focus on Techniques," a four-part hand-on series to refine culinary experience with pasta, sauces, poultry, vegetables, starches and breads, taught by chef Christopher Sotkovsky of Pennsylvania Culinary Institute, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 21 and 28 and Feb. 4 and 11, $250 for series, $70 per individual class.

# "Comfort Food" with Joe Certo, using Dutch ovens, slow cookers and pressure cookers, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Jan. 23, $40.

# "Lunch & Learn: Chinese New Year," featuring steamed pot stickers, stir-fried chicken, noon to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 25, $20.

# "Dinner in the French Countryside" with Carol Tabone, director of Jungle Jim's Cooking School in Fairfield, Ohio, a sit-down four-course meal with wine, noon to 3 p.m. Jan. 28, $55.

# "Lunch & Learn," featuring pecan-crusted salmon with cucumber yogurt sauce, noon to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 1.

# "A Bit of Age is Good with the Right Wine," featuring Dave Desimone, wine columnist for the Tribune-Review, and Penn Mac's Carol Pascuzzi, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 6, $45.

# "Aphrodisiac Dinner" with Jeanne Lewis, chef/owner A Fare to Remember, a sit-down dinner featuring oysters, asparagus, duck, and chocolate souffle, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 9, $55.

# "Lunch & Learn," beef brisket with portobello mushrooms and dried cranberries, noon to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 15, $20.


Visit the Crate location online or at their facility:

1960 Greentree Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15220
Phone: 412.341.5700
Fax: 412.341.6231

How To Get College Credits With Just One Test

By Andrew O'Shea

If you are an expert or even generally knowledgeable in some field of study should you really have to take an entry level college courses? With the CLEP exams the answer is a resounding no. These exams allow you to finish a whole course with just one test.

Called the College Level Examination Program or CLEP for short, these exams were designed so that you can prove you have the knowledge to carry on into upper level classes.

CLEP exams are offered for just about every type of course. From English composition, to calculus, and then back to American history there is a CLEP for most courses. Each of the exams is intended to cover the material that you would study in a one semester course. Most CLEP tests are 90 multiple choice questions but some, such as English composition, have essay sections.

Unfortunately there is one catch to the CLEP exams. As with all education they cost some money. Currently each CLEP exam costs $55 to register. As you can see compared to a college credit this is quite the bargain. When you also add in the time it would have taken for the course this becomes quite the bargain. One final note on payment is that the American government pays for all military personnel to take CLEP exams, so if you’re just getting out of the service and looking for more education this can be a great start.

One note of warning, before signing up for CLEP, make sure your college accepts these tests. Although they are currently accepted at over 2900 colleges there are still some that do not accept CLEP exams as credits.

One great way to prepare for a CLEP exam is to use study guides. For reviews and information on online resources please visit CLEP Study Guides Reviewed(http://www.clepinfo.com/index.php).

Please feel free to reprint this article. All I ask is that the link is placed at the bottom.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_O'Shea

Chef Training: Your Ticket To Endless Possibilities

By John Morris

Let’s face it: cooking is not an easy thing. But then, it is not that complicated either. With the right stuff and the right training, you can head off boasting like a chef that knows its craft.

Hence, whenever somebody has taken good cooking knowledge and skills, we would normally call them chefs. They are, in reality, what the king is to his throne. This means that the chefs are considered to be the highest class of cook with utmost ability and proficiency.

All of these things are not easily achieved. Before they can be acclaimed as chefs, they have to undergo first a rigid and thorough chef training. There are lots of skills to be learned and lots of things to be known in a chef training. Probably, this is the reason why people have high regard on them because of all the trouble they went through.

The Qualifications

In most instances, you don’t need to be a high school graduate just to get hold of the opportunity in attending chef training programs. Though, you might want to be a high school graduate, at the least, because what you know as a high school graduate can be very handy when attending the chef training already, especially if it involves something about mathematics and the skill on managing a business.

Basically, chef training are sponsored by hotels and restaurants. This is because in most case, restaurants and hotels would rather obtain chefs that had personally undergone with their chef training.

The Concept

When you start out as a short order cook or a fast food cook, do not think that you will never have the chance of advancing to the next level. All you have to do is to take vigorous and rigid chef training so as to acquire the needed skills on the advance level.

With chef training, students are trained in “apprenticeship program” being offered by most professional schools, hotels, and other food and beverage businesses. One of which is the 3-year apprenticeship program managed by the local divisions of the American Culinary Federation.

Likewise, there are hotels and restaurants that offer chef training also. The best thing about it is that you are most likely hired by the same company after you have finished your chef training. Most restaurants and hotel management find these arrangements very feasible since they will no longer have to go to a tedious manner of posting for job applications, screenings, and hiring applicants.

Besides, you would also require your hired chefs to still undergo additional chef training so that they will fit to your standards. That would be a double cost of expenses for you.

The Skills

Generally, chef training are not just any ordinary cooking lessons that one may learn. This refers to the most advanced level of what every cook may achieve.

In chef training, you not only learn more techniques in cooking but you are already trained in the supervisory and managerial level. This is because you are expected to handle a group of cooks once you get hold of the edge in chef training. In fact, you are not only expected to acquire new skills after finishing chef training but you are also expected to manage your own restaurant or hotel as well.

The Endless Possibilities

Indeed, after finishing chef training, the endless possibility of earning a good living is at hand.

In reality, chefs are very in demand these days. With a growing trend in fast food businesses and restaurants, it is no doubt that you can have a proliferating career once you have finished attending chef training. You have the chance and the opportunity to get hired locally or internationally.

Employment growth in chefs are imminent, especially now that the whole populace is constantly growing, therefore, more people will need the chef’s service.

So, for those who want to be a chef or simply those who knows how to cook and wants to know more ways on how to get a good job, it is best that you attend chef training. It doesn’t just gives you the proper knowledge on cooking and advanced cooking but also maximizes your potential in handling your very own cooking business.

Certainly, chef training is your ticket to endless possibilities of living a good life.

For more great chef training info and advice check out: http://www.culinaryschooladvisor.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Morris

Cooking Indian Food

By Jaynne Nichols and Selina Cormin

Many people love to experiment with different foods from different cultures and ethnicities. Some people love to go out for dinner and experiment with foods they’ve never had before. Other people like to reproduce their favorite dishes at home. Experimenting with cooking from other regions and cultures can be an exciting and fun process. Many cuisines have subtle differences from region to region. Or sometimes the ethnic cuisines are based strictly on different geographic areas.

Some of the most popular cuisines are Mexican, Italian, French, Greek and Middle Eastern, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Thai cuisines. While many people feel comfortable experimenting with Mexican, Italian, or Chinese, few people feel comfortable experimenting with Indian food. Nor do they understand the subtle differences in Indian regional cuisine. Indian cooking is as complex and diverse as India's geography, climate, religion, and culture. The variety of dishes is extensive: from warm tandoori dishes with meat of Northern India, to the, saucy Southern mostly vegetarian dals (legume-based dishes), you’ll find incredible diversity and great taste.

Some of the regional differences to Indian cooking are as follows: Northern India: This region of India offers the some of the more familiar mix Indian dishes, including the popular tandoori-style of cooking. This region offers the dishes that are found in most Indian restaurants of the West, such as koftas (spicy meatballs), kormas (meats braised in creamy sauces with yogurts and fruits), and the delicious chewy, leavened bread, naan. The blend of spices used to flavor these dishes is Garam masala, more warming than fiery. You may also add Basmati rice for a regional flare, but breads are the primary starch in this wheat-growing region.Southern India: Some people think of Indian food as extremely spicy. Southern Indian cuisine is probably the cuisine most people think of, the spicy dishes such as vindaloo, a dish that relies legumes, including lentils and chickpeas. For the most part, the dishes from Southern India are primarily vegetarian, but you can certainly adapt the recipe to include meat for celebrations and special occasions. Rice is an essential ingredient in these dishes, especially the fragrant jasmine variety which is used in almost every dish during a meal, even dessert!

Eastern India: The region is most known for Darjeeling tea. In addition to tea, this hot, humid region near the Bay of Bengal cultivates rice, as many as 50 different varieties. Coconuts and bananas are popular ingredients in the cuisine of this area; in fact, coconut milk is often used as a substitute for cow or goat's milk.Western India: This region of India incorporates a great deal of dairy products in their dishes: including yogurt, buttermilk, cow's milk, and goat's milk. Along the coastline of the Arabian Sea, you’ll find a popular dish referred to as “Bombay Duck," which, despite its name actually refers to a small, transparent fish. Pickles are all an essential part of the meal from this region. India boasts a variety of cuisine that is as complex and unique as the country itself. There’s no reason to be intimidated by Indian food, not all of it need be hot and spicy, and most can be adjusted for personal preferences. Check for recipes on-line at altcooking.om/indiancooking/ and altcooking.com/indiancookingrecipe/ for your favorite Indian region and get cooking.

Selina Cormin has partnered with Jaynne Nicols to research the Indian Cuisine. Read more at her website Alt Cooking.

Jaynne Nicols has done a lot of research into illness and why we get ill. One of the things she came across is that almost all illness starts in your colon. sign up for her free newsletter Health and Wellness in the 21st Century and learn more in and through her series on health issues.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jaynne_Nichols

Finding a Great Culinary and Cooking School

I'm sure you've spent time just surfing away with Google, trying to fine a great culinary and cooking and baking school. Most of the time you run into garbage. I came accross a great website that puts things into prospective.

CollegeandUniversity.net has a complete and comprehensive list of all things you are looking for. Just do a quick search for Culinary and Culinary Management schools and you'll get a great list of places to contact. Go ahead and check CollegeandUniversity.net recruits recent high-school graduates, young adults, and working adults who want to acquire new skills to take advantage of growing opportunities in the professional workplace and in culinary and baking arts.

Associates - CollegeandUniversity.net has over 100 schools that offer Associates Degrees.

Bachelors Degree - CollegeandUniversity.net has over 100 schools that offer Bachelors Degrees.

CollegeandUniversity.net is one of the fastest growing online marketplaces for degree programs.

Go ahead and get started on your Baking and Culinary Arts Career!

Choosing A Culinary School

By Leon Chaddock

You have made the decision to go to a culinary school. Now what? Culinary school options are many, around the world, even. To choose one, you need to consider several aspects. Think that it doesn’t matter? Around the world there are hundreds of thousands of people looking to be the next big chef. One of the first deciding factors on who you are as a chef is the culinary school that you attend. On that note, let us help you to find some answers to your questions about finding the best culinary school for you.

• Your first step is to decide in what area you will specialize. Bakery, gourmet, and everything in between are your options. Not sure yet? Then, look for a culinary school that can provide you with a basic learning of many aspects of cooking. This will lead to a foundation of love in one or more eventually.

• Use the web as a tool. You have heard it before, but most culinary schools now have the ability to provide details about their school, including why you should choose them, on their websites. This is an excellent way for you to learn more about the schools on a preliminary plane.

• Venture into the arena of scholarships. Look at culinary schools that are abroad. Understand the various schools of thought that are presented in each culinary school. Ask questions and get answers.

• Visit the culinary schools that are known for the excellent students. Find out where students that have graduated from the school have gone and done with their lives. Observe a class. Tour the campus.

• Of course, one of the largest concerns that people have when it comes to culinary school choice is cost. These schools are not cheap by any means, but the education you get will last you a lifetime. It is wise to consider quality well over price as much as you can. And, make sure to look into financial planning and financial aid.

Choosing a culinary school that feels right is important. Get all aspects of the decision just right and you can find yourself on your way to earning a culinary school degree in no time.

for more information please see http://www.culinary-schools.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leon_Chaddock

The photo is of culinary students at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Academy of Culinary Arts.

How To Choose The Perfect Bread Maker

By Sharon Chennault Platinum

Bread makers are extremely popular. The average person can make delicious, homemade bread quite easily with a bread maker. Even with the ease of a bread machine, you must still use caution when adding the ingredients, even if you use a mix. You can make a variety of shapes and sizes of loaf with a bread machine. Many people use a bread machine to simply mix the ingredients then bake the loaf in a traditional oven. Sizes range from one pound to two pounds or more, and you will most likely choose between a square or round loaf pan.

Some bread makers will have a preheat cycle to heat the ingredients before baking. If you want your bread to rise properly, choose a bread maker that does not heat before time to bake the bread. Bread makers will generally have separate settings for different types of bread. There may be settings for wheat or French bread, and you will be able to choose the doneness of the bread such as a light, medium, or dark setting. There will also normally be a regular or rapid bake cycle. It is desirable to have a window in the top or side of the bread machine to allow you to see the progress of your bread while it is baking.

There are a variety of options from which to choose in bread makers, so you may first want to consider how much space you have to store your new machine. Bread makers come in a variety of sizes, so choose one that you can store easily. You should choose the capacity of the bread maker based upon how big your family is and how much bread they eat. You can choose a bread maker with a delay timer which will allow you to place the mix in the bread maker before you leave home each day and the bread will be ready when you return. If you want your bread maker to prepare the dough but not cook it, you will need to find a bread maker with this feature. Choose a bread maker that will alert you when it is time to add additional ingredients such as fruit or nuts. You will also want a "keep warm" feature in case you are gone when the bread is finished. Look for crust control features and special setting for fruits, nuts, cheese, and vegetables.

Study the warranty very carefully to make sure you will be able to get service and replacement parts if necessary. Keep in mind that if your family consumes a small amount of bread now, once you purchase your new bread maker that consumption is likely to increase dramatically. Choose a slightly larger size that you anticipate needing. Remember that the keep warm feature is great, but if you leave the loaf in the bread maker for an extended period of time it may become soggy and flat. A bread maker is a wonderful addition to your home. Nothing compares to the smell of freshly baked bread from your very own kitchen.

This article has been provided courtesy of Kitchen Junkie. Kitchen Junkie offers great kitchen articles available for reprint and other tools to help you get the best bargain on kitchen gadgets and more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharon_Chennault