Sorbet

Sorbet Spring 2015

A World of Chocolate pg. 8 Desserts Under 5 Minutes pg. 24 Black Forest Cupcakes pg. 39

Table of Contents 8 |

A World of Chocolate

Explore two family owned chocolate businesses based in Austin.

What Dessert Should You Try? |

14 Find a new type of dessert that you will love.

Beating the Summer Heat |

17

Explore the craft of two different frozen treat shops in Austin.

23 |

Unusual Flavors of Ice Cream Nine types of ice cream that you probably didn’t know existed.

Desserts Under 5 Minutes

| 24

Cultivate Your Culinary Passion

| 28

How Much Do You Know About Food?

| 33

Baking Into the Community

| 35

Black Forest Cupcakes

| 39

Make these three quick and easy desserts next time you have a sweet tooth craving!

Follow three teachers who teach the pastry arts in three different ways.

Test your food IQ and learn some interesting facts!

Explore the story behind Austin’s oldest bakeries.

Learn how to make delicious cupcakes stuffed with cherry pie filling that are great for any occasion.

Front Cover Photo: photo by Maryanne Cabrera of The Little Epicurean Table of Contents Photo: courtesy of Shelly West of Vegetarian ‘Ventures www.vegetarianventures.com Back Cover Photo: photo by Tatyana Nesteruk

of www.tatyanaseverydayfood.com

meet the chefs PUNYA

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Srikari Punyamurtula

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Srikari is an amazing person who loves biking and travelling. She can bake delicious cupcakes and likes decorating them too. She is moderately skilled with a piping bag, though the tasty icing is thanks to Pillsbury’s tasty buttercream icing. Srikari’s favorite ice cream is vanilla-flavored, but she likes eating sorbet more.

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Pranathi Bingi

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Helena Pfluger Helena is a very funny person. She is a die-hard Swifty. Helena’s goal in life is to bake cookies with T-Swizzle and be her best friend. She loves anything sweet (as long as there is not banana and cherry in it). Her favorite type of ice cream is not actually ice cream because it is gelato and sorbet, especially mango, raspberry, lemon and chocolate.

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ATSA KUN R IV DA L

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Prerna cherishes dark chocolate as much as she does playing the violin. She can bake excellent chocolate chip cookies, and she loves the smell of them. Prerna wants to be a doctor when she grows up. Prerna’s favorite ice cream flavors are mango and mint chocolate chip.

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Prerna Kundalgurki

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One of Pranathi’s favorites pastimes is photography. In addition to photography, she has a great passion for food.

Pranathi loves to experiment with recipes while cooking and baking. She cherishes the ability to be creative.

Pranathi’s favorite ice cream flavor is cookies and cream, but she prefers frozen yogurt.

Letter from the Editors photo by A.J. MARKS

Dear readers,

Welcome to the Sorbet magazine! When we were first placed into groups, the one topic we all were interested in was food. By combining our passions of desserts and baking, we assembled a magazine complete with delightful recipes and flavorful features. You will notice that our magazine is made up of two sections: a sweet section and a cooking section. Take the time to look through the pages and increase your knowledge and love of food. We aspire that you will appreciate our passion of food and find the joy in expressing yourself through food and sharing that joy with others. We hope you enjoy our magazine as much as we enjoyed making it!

Sincerely, The Sorbet chefs, Helena, Pranathi, Prerna, and Srikari

Sorbet 2015 - 5

photo courtesy of KitchenAid

colorful

KitchenAid

SWEEts

photo courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt

photo courtesy of Magic Madzik from Flickr

A World of Chocolate Explore two family owned chocolate businesses based in Austin.

written by PRERNA KUNDALGURKI

T

iny portions of fillings for chocolate pass through the conveyor belt of the enrober to get coated with just the right amount of chocolate. Just the smell of chocolate alone is enough to make mouths water and crave the flavor that lingers on their tongue. Many long for the sweet luxurious taste and the joy of licking melted chocolate off of their fingertips. Both Pam Teich, the owner of Lammes Candies, and Tessa Halstead, the owner of Chocolaterie Tessa, grew up surrounded by their family’s chocolate making businesses.

They are simply continuing that tradition, dedicating their life to the delicious world of chocolate.

Lammes Candies and Chocolaterie Tessa are both family businesses and have contributed greatly to the Austin culture through their passion for chocolate and by providing great products to their customers. For 130 years, Lammes Candies, garnered rave reviews among Texans. In fact, Teich said that even Texans who have moved elsewhere long to have a taste of home through Lammes Candies products. Chocolaterie Tessa, a much newer business established in 2012, and began after Tessa’s father met a chocolatier on an airplane. Both Teich and

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Halstead said they decided to start shops in Austin because Austinites have a lot of interest in food and they wanted to support the community they grew up in.

Tessa says that these shops have brought the tradition of chocolate making to Austin and have contributed to the community.

“I remember as a child going to work with my father in the [chocolate] factory,” Pam Teich reminisced. “Not really working there, but I would be at his desk coloring or whatever and seeing what went on.”

Growing up in the chocolate factory and getting exposed to the business at a young age influenced both Teich and Halstead’s career decisions.

Teich aspired to be a veterinarian when she was younger because she enjoyed working with animals, but after being in the chocolate factory, she felt that she wanted to be part of the chocolate business. Halstead loved the business when she worked there during the summers and decided that this was the career she wanted to pursue.

‘‘

will agree that the people that they get to work with are one of the best aspects of their job. The same can be said in this case, since Halstead gets to choose her staff and that aspect of work can have a large influence on the overall work experience.

“I think the thing I probably like the most is the people I get to work with.” Halstead said.

Similarly, Teich has shared memorable childhood experiences with many of the people she has worked with and the business has helped the Lammes family connect with each other better.

“So realistically, I’ve grown up with a lot of the people I work with on a daily basis, which is the best part of my job,” Teich said.

I remember as a child going to work with my father in the [chocolate] factory.

Not really working there, but I would be at his desk coloring or “I really, really loved the whatever and seeing business and it definitely inspired the entrepreneurial what went on.” spirit.” Halstead said.

- Pam Teich Most people who run businesses

‘‘

At 9 a.m., Halstead starts the day’s production with either molded chocolates, filled chocolates, or continuing the process of making something that they had started previously.

On Mondays, she does all the cooking and creates the filling for the chocolates. The next day, they will either roll truffles or cut ganache pieces based on the season. On Wednesday, she will do the enrobing, where the chocolate gets pumped in a circular motion over the chocolate and then it goes through the conveyor belt and the cooling tunnel. Thursday and Friday are set aside for packaging and wrapping.

works at the corporate office and works on preparing for the seasons, deciding on the next season’s items, or thinking about changes they can make in packaging.

“It’s just like that scene that you’ve seen from “I Love Lucy” when they’re in the chocolate factory,” Halstead said.

“Tomorrow [my favorites] may change. My favorite will be something else. And that’s one reason I’m never tired of it, because my favorites change very often.” Teich said.

Both Teich and Halstead say they are chocoholics and enjoy eating the treats that they make.

Lammes Candies and Chocolaterie Tessa have unique items that cannot be found in most other chocolate shops.

Chocolaterie Tessa uses single origin chocolate from a bean to bar maker in Utah, who sources the cocoa beans from all around the world. The bean to bar chocolate has a very distinct flavor. Lammes offers the Texas Chewy Pecan Praline and the Habanero Praline.

“Candy makes you happy,” Teich commented. “The rule of thumb here is that you get to eat as much as you want while you’re at work and we

“Our praline, that’s our most unique piece and it’s the wheel to our wagon,” Teich said.

Every chocolatier has their special ingredients. Choosing

Teich said she enjoys the varying schedules and how her days are rarely mundane.

Also, there are often new items, so for those tasting the candies, their favorites tend to change a lot and they are never tired of the treats.

take full advantage of that.”

photo by CLAIRE MCCORMICK

Teich’s typical workday generally consists of looking at promotional events or tradeshows and deciding which ones Lammes Candies should be part of.

Sometimes, she even ends up selling candy and running the register. It depends on whether it is a peak time such as Christmas or Valentine’s Day, or just a regular day. Usually, Teich

“My days vary like the weather here in Texas. I’m not ever doing the same thing twice,” Teich said.

Candy makes you happy.

The rule of thumb here is that you get to eat as much as you want while you’re at work and we take full advantage of that.”

Tessa is preparing fillings for one of her chocolate confections. At Chocolaterie Tessa, visitors have the unique oppotunity to watch Tessa and her employees make the chocolate.

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photo by DUANE OSBORNE

These are Lammes Candies’ special pralines. The pralines are caramel based candies baked with Texas pecans. Although they contain no added preservatives, the pralines have a shelf life of a year. the chocolate is one of the most important aspects of making the treats. Without high-quality chocolate, the confections would not be the same. The caramel is the key to Lammes’ signature pieces.

“Using the highest quality chocolate that we can get is the keystone to making the products that we make,” Teich said. “And then, as far as uniqueness to us, our caramel is the best caramel out there, and our signature pieces contain caramel, nuts, and chocolate. So there you have it, a

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world within itself.”

Some people prefer wild combinations of flavors, while simple and familiar flavors will appeal to others. At Chocolaterie Tessa, Halstead sells simple and elegant chocolates with flavors that bring back memories.

“I really enjoy chocolates that are unique and distinct, but also [have] a familiar flavor. I like to simplify things with great flavors and then compliment that with excellent chocolate,” Halstead said.

Lammes Candies and Chocolaterie Tessa emphasize customer service and are willing to go the extra mile to satisfy their customers. Since both of them are family businesses, it displays how the current generation of the family is continuing on the legacy of chocolate making. At Lammes, Teich has the opportunity to work with her family on a daily basis. “[It] is a blessing that we can not only enjoy our personal lives but our work lives that we do to enjoy together,” Teich said.

photo courtesy of chocolaterietessa.com

Lammes Candies caters mainly to Texans, since the business is based here in Austin.

“Our consumer for the most part is Texans or displaced Texans, people who used to live here, but now live away, and they need a taste of Texas. So, that’s why we lean everything towards Texas,” Teich said.

Starting a business requires a lot of work and passion for the field.

Halstead was always passionate about chocolate making and wanted to take that passion to the next level and start her own business. After she lived in Argentina working in the food and wine industry, she decided to come to Austin and launch a chocolate business to continue the family tradition.

“I really started to feel like at that point that it was something I wanted to do and bring back the chocolate business and high quality chocolates in Texas,” Halstead said.

This picture shows a display of neatly packaged Austin-themed chocolate cowboy boots which make great gifts for Texans. photo courtesy of chocolaterietessa.com

Halstead wanted to start her own chocolate shop because she could have the freedom to make the decisions regarding staff, vendors, packaging, and the dairy companies. She feels that being able to choose who to support is a very rewarding aspect of the job.

“We really wanted to own our own business and we wanted to be in charge of our own destiny,” Halstead said.

Although it is rewarding later on, Halstead says the process of launching a business is time consuming and involves the input of a lot of effort.

“In time, it took over two years.

In effort, I mean, everything I had to give.” Halstead said.

For regular customers visiting

These chocolate Easter Bunnies are cute seasonal delectables that are handmade with some of the best quality chocolate available.

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photo by ROBIN CARROLL

shops such as Lammes Candies that have been around for generations, the staff usually knows what products the customers buy and have good communication with them.

“Everybody feels like family,” Teich said. “Truly, you know, a lot of our customers feel like family. There’s that familiarity in the regular customers and the people we work with,” Overall, most of the customers who go to Lammes Candies love the atmosphere inside the shop and are huge fans of the candies sold there.

“The atmosphere inside the shop is great, it makes me feel at home,” a Lammes Candies customer said.

Lammes Candies is always thinking up new and extraordinary confections that are not found anywhere else. The seasonal items are generally off the shelves within days during the peak seasons.

“I like trying all the new items, and the flavors of the candies here are so good,” the customer said.

Halstead said she loves her job and enjoys managing the business. The best thing about selling chocolate according to her is spreading the joy of chocolate with Austin.

“It’s also rewarding that we make a product that makes people happy, so I get to interact on a daily basis with my customers who love our chocolate and who are excited about our chocolate and that’s really fulfilling,” Halstead said.

One of the special things about Chocolaterie Tessa is that customers can witness the chocolate’s journey from

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Pam Teich is the owner of Lammes Candies and works at the corporate office. She is in charge of deciding which tradeshows to attend and makes changes in the items and packaging. bar to flavored confection. No other Austin chocolate shop has this. Some of the criteria Halstead mentioned that people look for in chocolate shops are the chocolate making process, freshness, and the elegance of the product. Halstead handcrafts her chocolate and uses the European chocolate making techniques she learned from her father.

“Everything you get as a customer is extremely fresh, handmade by people in Texas, not somewhere else that you don’t know where they are,”

‘‘

We really wanted to own our own business and we wanted to be in charge of our own destiny”.

-Tessa Halstead

photo by CLAIRE MCCORMICK

Tessa is holding Chocolaterie Tessa’s best selling assortment, the small boxed assortment. It contains a variety of chocolates and is packaged in their signature blue linen box.

Halstead said.

The culinary choices in Austin range from restaurants owned by renowned chefs to local business such as food trucks.

Many businesses move to Austin because they want to be a part of the culinary scene and popularize the items they sell.

“There’s really an expanding interest amongst Austinites in fine foods and where their food comes from and how their food is being made and we wanted to be a part of that,” Halstead said.

photo by CLAIRE MCCORMICK

‘‘

Everything you get as a customer is extremely fresh, handmade by people in Texas” -Tessa Halstead

Chocolaterie Tessa ‘s blue linen box is an elegant packaging for the popular chocolate assortments offered at the shop.

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What Dessert Should You Try?

by HELENA PFLUGER

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Do you like cold desserts the best?

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Tired of your plain old desserts? This quiz will find a new dessert you will love.

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Maple Taffy

NO!

Maple taffy is very sugary dessert. It is made from melted maple syrup, which is hardened on snow. It is a very popular dessert in Canada, where they have lots of maple syrup and lots of snow.

COLD

Sugar or spice?

SPICE

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Brunkager Cookies Brunkager cookies are a popular Danish Christmas cookie.

They are similar to gingerbread cookies. They have cinnamon, cloves, ginger, allspice and nuts in them.

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It is a very popular ice cream flavor in Japan. It is made with green tea power (matcha). It is not as creamy as traditional ice cream and although it is sweet, it has a slight bitter taste.

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Green Tea Ice Cream

Do you prefer baked goods?

Do you like your desserts fried?

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Gulab Jamun

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facts from Wikipedia

Gulab Jamun is a fried, milksolid based dessert. It is covered with a sugary syrup flavored with a mixture rosewater, saffron and cardamom. It is a very popular dessert in India and South Asia.

NO THANKS

THERE’S BETTER

Are chocolate desserts the best?

Sachertorte Sachertorte is a rich chocolate cake with an apricot jam in between each layer. It is topped with a famous chocolate frosting. It is one of the most famous desserts in Austria.

YES!

Sorbet 2015 - 15

FERRERO ROCHER

MAKE YOUR MOMENTS GOLDEN

photo courtesy of Bowen Chin via FLICKR

photo by DIANA VASSAR

This is a photo of Lick’s Sweet Cream and Strawberry Ice Cream scooped and served in their special waffle cone bowls.

BEATING THE SUMMER HEAT Explore the craft of two different frozen treat shops in Austin.

T

he sun beats down giving everyone a melting sensation throughout the day. The wave of heat is exhausting and stressful. Even the plants are pressured by the overbearing heat. The people living in Austin, Texas always need remedies from the heat in the summer. Sweet, cold and creamy treats fix this, so there are many places to find frozen treats around town. Austinites find these locations important to keep cool and provide to making Austin a unique place.

written by PRANATHI BINGI Many of these refreshing treats are available at ice cream and frozen yogurt shops. Two examples include Lick Honest Ice Creams, founded by Chad Palmatier and Anthony Sobotik, and the Circle C branch of The Country’s Best Yogurt, owned and managed by Brandon Hopkins. Both shops provide unique frozen treats to the Austin community. Lick features special flavors such as Texas Sheet Cake. TCBY has different choices of flavors every few days for variety. These shops celebrate

the culture of Austin and reflect the people here. These treats mean something special to these residents and their creators.

“The great thing about ice cream is that I get to take everything I love from the culinary world and put it into a product that I love even more,” Sobotik said.

Sobotik and Palmatier started their first location of Lick on South Lamar, near the heart of the city.

Sorbet 2015 - 17

“[Austin] is a community that really fosters what we do, supports what we do,” Sobotik said.

Sobotik grew up in Hallettsville, a small rural city in South Central Texas, close to where he studied to be a journalist.

“

Sobotik originally moved to New York to pursue journalism about food. He tried to gain exposure with food in any way possible from developing menus to recipe testing. While in New York, his love for food deepened and Sobotik realized he enjoyed working with food more than writing about it.

The great thing about ice cream is that I get to take kind of everything I love from the culinary world and put it into a product that I love even more.”

- Anthony Sobotik

“I’ve always baked and cooked my entire life,” Sobotik said.

For Sobotik, New York was a great learning experience. He had the ability to work with food while planning parties and catering.

Sobotik never took classes for cooking, it was all self-taught and taught by his family. He believes food is a great way to connect in his family. During the winter of 2005, when Sobotik met Palmatier, who grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, they found many things in common, including food. As years passed by, Sobotik began to appreciate the local ice cream shops Palmatier grew up with. He even began thinking about creating an ice cream shop based off of Palmatier’s ice cream experience.

“I’ve always made ice cream for as long as I can remember, [when I was] growing up with my parents my grandparents, [and] through college,” Sobotik said.

photo by MOLLY WINTERS

“I graduated from UT and moved to New York. I was a caterer in Manhattan for a couple of years and then I was a baker at a small locally owned bakery for another three years after that,” Sobotik said.

“I worked for two other business that were startups. I learned the “do’s” and “don’ts” [of running a business] with those two companies,” Sobotik said.

Upon entering Lick Honest Ice Creams one can see the menu pinned on the wall to their right with all of the ice cream flavors and descriptions. In front of them they will see the freezer storing the ice cream ready to be sold and the check out counter.

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photo by MEREDITH GREENWOOD

Just like any child, Sobotik had big dreams. He says that he’s always wanted to work with food. When he was younger, he wanted to have his own snow cone stand.

“In some capacity I think you just kind of know what you want to do, even as a child,” Sobotik said.

During the fall of 2011, Sobotik and Palmatier proved themselves after moving back by creating their Austin location. Together, they were able to share their tasty ice cream with the community. They created the shop because they found no place that sells the type of ice cream they provide and they wanted this ice cream to be available to the community.

“Chad used to handle all the business and I would do every single thing in the kitchen,” Sobotik said.

Sobotik and Palmatier both say they are passionate about their job and love providing delicious ice cream to the community.

They each love their jobs and feel they is very rewarding.

“

“If I could, I would work in the kitchen all the time,” Sobotik said.

This is Lick’s Roasted Beets and Fresh Mint Ice Cream in a pint tub that can be purchased at various locations in Austin or at a Lick Honest Ice Creams location. don’t buy anything pre made… we make all the sauces, syrups, brownies, anything that goes in the ice cream… we make all our food from scratch,” Sobotik said.

I just know I’ve always wanted to work with food.

In some capacity I think you just kind of know what you want to do, even as a child.”

- Anthony Sobotik

Lick is especially notable by a large number of customers because nothing is artificial. All the items that go into making their ice cream is grown naturally.

“We make every single thing that goes into the ice cream, we

Stores that offer flavors of foods have the opportunity to be creative.

They have to offer a variety of new flavors to attract as many customers as possible. Texas inspired the creation of Lick.

These flavors are a special symbolization of Texas according to Sobotik.

“Cilantro Lime to me is very identifiable with Texas… I grew up using lime and cilantro in a lot [of food]. It’s really refreshing.

It tastes like Texas,” Sobotik said.

Lick gets all of its dairy from Mill-King Market & Creamery, in McGregor, Texas, right outside of Waco. This is relatively close to Lick’s first location in Austin.

The farmers and artisans Lick gets all its other items, such as beet roots, from are also local.

“I wanted [the ice cream flavors] to be a reflection or a representation of the flavors I grew up with,” Sobotik said.

“[We buy] locally grown produce and just [use] local milk, cream, [we do] everything very artisanally… We’re 100 percent locally produced ice cream, one local dairy,” Sobotik said.

Some of their unique flavors include Cilantro Lime, Texas Sheet Cake and Texas Au Lait.

As Sobotik asserts, Lick provides a healthier alternative to most other ice cream shops.

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photo by PRANATHI BINGI

The hand scooped yogurt is the speciality of TCBY. These yogurts are scooped by an employee into the customers bowl and weighed like the other the frozen yogurts after topping.

“The ice creams have a lighter texture. They are not super heavy, fatty ice creams. The fat content is around 10 percent as opposed to 16, 18, 20 percent.

A lot more of the other flavors come out from the ice cream,” Sobotik said.

When Sobotik and Palmatier created Lick Ice Creams, they called their ice creams “honest ice creams.” They feel that this signifies something special about their ice cream.

“We provide something natural.

You can take count for every single thing that goes into our ice cream,” Sobotik said.

Sobotik and Palmatier recently opened their second location in San Antonio . They opened this location in the hopes of being able to spread their gift of “honest ice creams” to the community.

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“We just want to make the best ice cream we can possibly make, with the best locally-sourced ingredients,” Sobotik said.

The Circle C branch of TCBY, owned by Brandon Hopkins, was also created in hope of providing unique treats to the community, but he sells frozen yogurt.

Hopkins created his shop in the fall of 2012.

“

customers wanted to eat ice cream rather than frozen yogurt.

However, during the 2000s, frozen yogurt has been making a big comeback. In the United States, ice cream sales have been dropping as frozen yogurt sales have been increasing.

We just want to make the best ice cream we can possibly make, with the best locally sourced ingredients.”

- Anthony Sobotik

“At TCBY we offer a healthier product than the majority of the other yogurt places,” Hopkins said.

According to franchisehelp. com, in the 1990s, frozen yogurt was on serious decline. Many

“I knew yogurt is a great trend,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins used to go to TCBY with his family a couple of times every week and essentially grew up with it. The place is very memorable and special to him, so he wanted to bring those same experiences to Circle C. “When I was looking to do my own business, that was one

of the first things I looked at, TCBY, because it was something I was familiar with,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins has eaten a lot of frozen yogurt during his life, and wanted to bring something unique in comparison to the frozen yogurt he has eaten during his childhood.

“At our location we have selfserve. But, our self-serve model also has hand dipped yogurts, which has the consistency of ice cream, it’s colder, more dense.,” Hopkins said.

This location of TCBY gives a lot back to the community.

They are involved in activities such sponsoring spirit nights in schools to baseball teams, softball teams, soccer teams and other sports teams. Hopkins also believes their product is

something special that they provide.

“We provide a healthier product.

Everything is under 120 calories per serving size,” Hopkins said.

As Hopkins describes it, owning a frozen yogurt shop is not easy.

Hopkins has to work extremely hard to make sure every day turns out as perfectly as possible.

Hopkins is determined to make the best day for his customers.

“

Hopkins finds working very rewarding, although it can be difficult. According to Franchise Help, the number of frozen yogurt customers is increasing and therefore the maintenance is too.

“After that, it’s making sure we have enough products; ordering fresh fruit, which we do order everyday; making sure the store is clean; getting all the toppings filled and up for the day,” Hopkins said.

We provide a healthier product.

Everything is under 120 calories per serving size.”

- Brandon Hopkins

“I come in early. I have to take the machine apart every three days. [I have to] completely clean them out,” Hopkins said.

Something distinctive about frozen yogurt shops like TCBY is that there are a variety of toppings that can be used to make the sweet treat incorporate more flavors. Caitlin Tibbetts photo by PRANATHI BINGI

TCBY offers 10 ice cream flavors in their self serve machines. The machines are cleaned out every three days and the flavors are switched out during the time.

Sorbet 2015 - 21

photo by DUSTIN MEYER

is a regular customer of TCBY and loves the creativity that the shop offers.

“I like being able to put together my own sort of concoction and there’s new flavors to try all the time,” Tibbetts said.

Hopkins considers customer interaction as an important part of reaching out to the community. According to Tibbetts, TCBY does an effective job of doing this.

“I enjoy the interaction with people. [I enjoy] providing a great product to them, [and] getting to know different families that come in all the time, [and] interacting with the customers,” Hopkins said.

The Circle C Branch of TCBY and Lick both have the aspiration to provide what they do best, their frozen treats, in the highest quality possible. The owners of both want to give their customers a great experience.

Lick’s famous Cilantro Lime Ice Cream is one of their many unique flavors of ice cream inspired

by Texas.

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“Our store is just reaching out to other people, letting them know about our product,” Hopkins said. “[We are have] young people have the experience I had with TCBY [such as] going [there] all the time with their family, enjoying it, growing up with it and passing it along to their kids.”

Nine types of ice cream that you probably didn’t know existed.

by PRANATHI BINGI

SWEET CORN GELATO

HONEY JALAPENO PICKLE

EGGPLANT TAHINI

This gelato from Fornelleto in Atlantic City combines sweet Jersey corn, cream, sugar, sea salt, and caramel corn.

Sweet Action Ice Cream from Denver uniquely combines the salty, sweet and spicy flavors with help from The Real Dill.

Situated in Queens, New York, Max and Mina’s makes what they call “unforgettable flavors” including this savory flavor.

SICHUAN PEPPER

WASABI II Laboratio del Gelato, located in New York City uses Italian methods to make classic and unique flavors, such as this spicy treat.

This exhilarating spicy ice cream from Sbraga in Philadelphia was made by Keven Sbraga after he was inspired by this peppercorn.

RAW HORSE FLESH Ice Cream City in Tokyo’s indoor amusement park, Narnja Town features this flavor along with others such as Cow Tongue.

WHISKEY PRUNE Simmo’s Ice Creamery in Australia uses local cow milk and whiskeysoaked prunes to make this secret Irish recipe.

facts from epicurious.com, zagat.com, mentalfloss.com

CHARCOAL This charred ice cream is popular in Japan and combines the carbon taste of coal and the cold sensation from the ice cream.

SMURF GELATO This gelato from Crystal Springs Resort in New Jersey was created

by Jessie Podgurski and contains marshmellow and rich chocolate.

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Desserts under

5

minutes

by SRIKARI PUNYAMURTULA

Need to whip up something quick? These three different desserts can be made in less than five minutes.

nutella MAKES: one mug cake INGREDIENTS: 3 tablespoons milk 2 1/2 tablespoon Nutella 2 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 large egg 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 pinch salt

SERVES: four people INGREDIENTS: 8 vanilla wafer cookies 1 cup vanillaflavored Greek yogurt 1 large banana, sliced 1/2 cup whipped topping, thawed caramel sauce for garnish (optional) INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Place vanilla wafer cookies in the bottom of your favorite glassware.

2. Top the cookies with a layer of vanilla yogurt.

3. Add a layer of banana slices on top of the yogurt.

4. Repeat layers, starting with the cookies again.

5. Top with a dollop of whipped topping and drizzle with a small amount of caramel sauce, if desired.

6. Note: the taste will improve if you allow them to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours because the cookies will soften and all of the ingredients will come together! recipe from THE SEASONED MOM via YUMMLY

24 - Sorbet 2015

http://eat-drink-love.com

photo courtesy of JDEERINGDAVIS via FLICKR

banana pudding

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. In a large coffee mug, whisk together milk, Nutella, applesauce, vegetable oil and egg until blended. 2. Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and stir until combined.

3. Heat mixture in microwave on high power until cooked, approximately 1 1/2 - 3 minutes.

4. Serve warm, and top with whipped cream powdered sugar, and raspberries (if desired).

MAKES: 24 squares INGREDIENTS: 1 cup natural peanut butter 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted 2 tablespoons raw honey 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 cup confectioners sugar (optional)

photo by LAURA POWELL

mug cake

peanut butter fudge

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2. Pour mixture into a lightly oiled 5�x 7� pan. Cover and freeze until set, approximately 1 hour.

3. Cut into 24 1-inch squares and store in an airtight container in the freezer.

4. Note: the optional confectioners sugar should be added with the other ingredients in step one if you plan on taking it out of the freezer for an extended period of time--it binds the fudge and prevents it from softening too much. recipe from SKINNYMS via YUMMLY

recipe from COOKING CLASSY via YUMMLY

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ALL NATURAL!

MADE IN THE U.S.!

FRESHLY MADE! NON GMO!

photo courtesy of fanpop.com

cooking and baking

https://thewheelbarrows.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/baking-1.jpg

cultivate your Culinary passion Follow three teachers who teach the pastry arts in three different ways. written by SRIKARI PUNYAMURTULA

Y

These students are just a small number of culinary students in Austin. Their college, Le Cordon Bleu, is one way to receive a professional cooking education. Other amateur chefs in Austin can find their education by attending classes at their local culinary enters, such as Whole Foods and Central Market. Future cooks with busy schedules might watch online classes that would allow them to in speed on

28 - Sorbet 2015

where, anytime. Whichever path of culinary education a potential chef might choose, the learning is often achieved with the passion and experience of their instructor.

giant wedding cake. Just to watch their skills [grow] from the first day till the last, it’s just so fun,” Jennie Shields, a pastry chef at Le Cordon Bleu, said.

“I like watching my students grow. [They] come in and they can barely ice a cake [or] bake chocolate chip cookies, and then the next thing you know, a year and a half later, they[‘re] making a

Central Market Chef, Vance Ely, is another passionate teacher. He proved his dedication and became an experienced chef, teaching students how to make an assortment of menu items. photo by SRIKARI PUNYAMURTULA

oung adults dressed in crisp white uniforms and tall chef hats gather around shiny steel tables. Their aprons bear the insignia of Le Cordon Bleu, one of Austin’s many culinary colleges. At the head of the table, their instructor is demonstrating how to cover a cake with fondant. She kneads the edible clay-like substance, showing her students how to color and cut it. Once she is through with the demonstration, she answers their questions. The next day, the students will work on recreating the fondant-covered cake and gumpaste flowers.

This is the front of the Central Market cooking school in North Lamar.

Since 1898, culinary colleges have aimed to train chefs to be able to cook professionally.

Present day colleges such as Le Cordon Bleu still teach the same skill sets, but the degree of specialization can vary from college to college.

“Every... instructor who’s in the building at the [Le Cordon Bleu] school is there for the same reason, and has the interest of every single student at heart,” Shields said.

Many food lovers attend culinary school in hopes of starting a profession in the industry. Enduring through their school’s challenges isn’t the hard part though.

At the end of their studies the students go out on an externship, where they work in the cooking field of their choice.

most future chefs. Chef Shields says that most students aren’t quite prepared for the tedium of work in the culinary industry and the perseverance it requires. “[The students] don’t understand what hard work [being a chef] is,” Shields said.

You know, food has been really glamorized by television, A sign in the Central Market cooking school lists the and even in books, and so timings and vacancies of classes for each day of the week. everyone wants pastry chef. to be a chef,” Shields said.

Shields believes that as long as students try hard, they will have many spots to fill, “We often say that we want as many people continue our students to embrace [The] students to find an opportunities externship... can go as far as to eat the that first job appetizing food in their career they want to go. prepared by the path,” Shields [They] just have to professionals said. with devotion have motivation and skill. Even Oftentimes in the harsh and a lot of in their economic times externships, tenacity. of the country the students such as 2011, - Jennie Shields are tasked people still with menial found time to chores such as cutting eat out. Thus the culinary vegetables, or filling raviolis industry will be thriving with assembly line speed and with a variety of jobs, from accuracy. This discourages a nutritional consultant to a

“

”

photo by SRIKARI PUNYAMURTULA

“I’ve covered [the] cuisines of six continents,” Chef Ely said.

“I’ve had students of all walks of life and ages.”

“Students can go as far as they want to go. There are so many opportunities in the culinary industry. You just have to have motivation and a lot of tenacity,” Shields said.

For those who don’t want to invest a lot of money and time in going to cooking colleges, they can attend cooking classes at their local culinary center instead. These classes are preferred by some because of the sense of community the students can feel. “[Since] the products in our store [were] new and unique, we had to share with our guests how to use them,” Ely said.

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The content of the culinary centers varies from the cooking colleges in that the culinary center’s students are only learning how to prepare certain dishes. In culinary colleges such as Le Cordon Bleu, the important takeaway is more of the technique than the actual recipe. The techniques can then be translated into any recipe with the student’s creativity.

Shields says that teaching at a culinary college is like teaching liberal arts cooking.

“Instead of learning the specifics where everyone just learns their grammar rules, instead we’re learning to think outside the box, to use the tool[s]… the techniques that we’re teaching to do something completely different,” Shields said.

photo courtesy of BETH SOMERS

Yet another way to learn how to cook is through online classes. Online classes are an increasing influence in education, thanks to the availability of the Internet. In

the United States in 2012, the number of people taking at least one online course was more than 6.7 million.

“I’m interested in what food and culinary [Technology] education is going to be hasn’t so much like in five to changed the way 10 years with all the online I teach, so much media and all of the new as it has changed things that are who and when I coming down the pipeline,” can teach Shields said.

“

The number of websites offering online teaching is increasing.

One such website is Craftsy, a website that has hundreds of videos, - Beth Somers ranging from While the topics such different as knitting kinds of cooking classes are to cake decorating for any becoming increasingly popular creative person desiring to for different reasons, both learn. Somers teaches the cooking classes at culinary Wilton Method on Craftsy, centers and at culinary allowing students from all colleges have something over the world to learn. Often in common: learning from times, her online students a teacher face to face. As won’t have access to an inlearning with the assistance person Wilton Method Class, of technology becomes more or are too busy to assimilate prevalent, Beth Somers, who attending in-person classes in has taught Wilton Method their schedules at the times classes both in their local centers will offer. person and on the “[Technology] hasn’t so much Internet, believes changed the way I teach, that the value of so much as it has changed in-person classes who and when I can teach,” shouldn’t be Somers said. forgotten.

Many educators, however, are “In person against the incorporation of classes offer a technology in education. They more handsbelieve that the technology on experience, distracts from the true where I can show purpose of education, that it someone how to is too costly and unreliable. hold [an icing] There are quite a number decorating bag by of people who believe that

Beth Somers poses while filming a Wilton Baking Basics Class for Craftsy.

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physically moving their hands.

That’s a kind of interaction that you simply cannot get through an online class,” Somers said.

”

photo courtesy of WILTON www.decorada.co.nz

photo courtesy of GANDYDANCER

(above): Students in Wilton’s Master class practice piping buttercream. (left): A three-tier cake decorated with fondant, gold beads and large cabbage roses. (bottom left):Promotional cupcakes for Le Cordon Bleu sit at the Wellington Chocolate Festival.

obtaining degrees like in law, medicine or culinary via the Internet is not an effective and credible way for those students to obtain a professional education.

“Would you want to have open heart surgery from a doctor that learned everything from [the Internet]? I feel the same about food,” Ely said.

Regardless of how cooking enthusiasts learn how to cook, there will be plenty to do for them. Each learning path offers various opportunities and has differing advantages and disadvantages than the others. Cooking classes will exist in multiple forms for those who want to express their passion for food in different ways and for those who have the dedication to work for it.

“I am so fortunate to work with food everyday,” Somers said. “It’s truly my passion, and I’m excited to go to work everyday.”

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HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT FOOD? Test your food IQ and learn interesting facts!

by PRERNA KUNDALGURKI

1) Eating which of the following fruits helps fight depression?

A. Oranges B. Strawberries C. Bananas D. Apples

4) What is one of the most popular pizza toppings in Brazil?

A. B. C. D.

Potatoes Snails Okra Green Peas

photo courtesy of Anthony Albright via Flickr

2) Which of the following lawsuits did Pringles once have against it?

A. Illegal company B. The chips weren’t actually chips C. Chips were toxic D. Not mentioning all the ingredients

5) The main ingredient in bread is made from which of the following?

A. B. C. D.

Beetles Human hair Glass None of the above

photo courtesy of Lars K Jensen via Flickr

3) Ripe cranberries exhibit which of the following qualities?

A. B. C. D.

Bouncing Changing color Spinning in a circle None of the above

6) The most expensive food in the world is made of _________.

A. B. C. D.

Sweat Plastic Bird saliva Paper

photo courtesy of Raimond Marcinkevics via Flickr

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8) Which fruit contains more sugar?

A. Lemons

6) C 7) B 8) A 9) D 10) B

Rubber Ketchup Earwax Mustard

1) C 2) B 3) A 4) D 5) C

A. B. C. D.

photo courtesy of Cheryl via Flickr

7) Baskin Robbins once made __________ flavored ice cream.

ANSWER SECTION

If you got zero to four correct....

It’s time to hit the books! Maybe you should know some of these facts if you’re actually interested in food...

B. Strawberries

If you got five to seven correct....

9) Which of the following colors stimulate hunger?

A. B. C. D.

Purple, pink, white Brown, gray, coral Blue, green, black Yellow, orange, red

10) There are _______ shaped watermelons in Japan.

A. Oval B. Square C. Triangle D. Diamond

Nice! You answered most of the questions correctly! You either know quite a lot about food or are just a really lucky guesser.

If you got eight to 10 correct....

Are you sure you got this many right? I hope you didn’t cheat.

Anyway, congratulations! Go celebrate your success with some food ;).

Facts from: http://www.naturalnews.com/specialreports/25-amazing-factsabout-food.pdf and http://www.eatandbemerryblog.com/2013/03/interesting-food-facts.html

34- Sorbet 2015

baking into the community The story behind Austin’s oldest bakeries writen by HELENA PFLUGER

N

estled in the old Swedish Hill neighborhood in east Austin, Texas, Sweetish Hill Bakery started in an old Victorian-era house. The big front porch is filled with tables and chairs, with people lining up to wait for their buttery croissants, fresh baguettes and bread. In the kitchen, bakers hurried to bake all of their pastries. Soon after

Sweetish Hill opened, the people of Austin made it their favorite, getting their lunches on the weekdays and going to Saturday brunch.

Sweetish Hill has been an iconic Austin bakery ever since, along with others such as Russell’s Bakery. Most of Sweetish Hill’s customers love their current location on W. 6th Street. Austin

has grown by 600,000 people since the 70’s, when Sweetish Hill first opened. These two bakeries have both been around for at least 25 years; Russell’s Bakery opened in 1989 and Sweetish Hill in 1975. When Sweetish Hill was first opened in the Swedish Hill area, which is now part of the residential area of downtown. “[Sweetish Hill] was still in a photo by HELENA PFLUGER

The bakery case at Sweetish Hill Bakery. From left to right on the top row, Sand Tart, Black & White Shortbread and Mini Tollhouse Cookies. On the bottom row (left to right) Peanut Butter Cookies, Oatmeal Cookies and Heart in the Deep of Texas.

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semi-Swedish neighborhood, most people don’t realize, all of the streets in East Austin were still gravel,” James Murphy said. “[Austin] was a really small town.”

In 1975, Austin only had a population of 303,000 around a third of the population today.

Besides being the capital of Texas, it was also a small college town. James Murphy, a baker and owner of Sweetish Hill, started working there in 1976, the year after it opened. Since then, Austin has become one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.

“

where they want more grains.”

Over the years some bakeries have struggled to keep up with different health food crazes.

They have lots of different health concerns to keep up with, such as organic, fatfree, vegan, sugar-free and gluten-free.

Bakeries want to satisfy all of their customers’ needs but this can be hard to do when most foods in a bakery contain gluten or dairy products.

Spending time on my grandparents’ farm, I had a lot of exposure to food preparation, often baking.”

-Russell Millner

photo by HELENA PFLUGER

“Austin in the 70’s was not an easy place to get a job,” Murphy said. “I needed a job and I had some friends that had a job at a little bakery that had just opened at the old Sweetish Hill.”

“Well [people’s tastes] have become more sophisticated…

40 years ago people didn’t know what a croissant was,” Murphy said. “They didn’t even know what a baguette is, [but] they may have seen them in a movie.

[The] United States, during World War II, moved away from scratch made bread and small bakeries… and now people have changed

Russell Millner always had a passion to bake for his friends and family. He opened Russell’s Bakery in 1989. He has a passion for making people happy with the baked goods from his bakery.

“Spending time on my grandparents’ farm, I had a lot of exposure to food preparation, often baking,” Russell Millner said. “I have enjoyed baking all of my adult life.”

In the United States, people’s tastes have changed in many ways over the years. People have started buying more local, non-processed food. They care more about organic food, without pesticides. According to a survey done by Parade, 25 percent of American regularly eat organic foods, compared with only 13 percent in 2004. With globalization, different types of food became available for everyone, and bakery products such as French pastries have become common in America.

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Sweetish Hill’s Heart in the Deep of Texas, a buttery sugar cookie, are some of their most famous and best selling cookies.

photo by HELENA PFLUGER

photo by HELENA PFLUGER

“The most measurable change [in people’s tastes] I see is becoming health conscious,” Millner said. “[People are] seeking out sugar free, or fat free, now gluten free.”

Through the years there have been different food trends. In the 80’s there was the fat-free or lowfat trend, and recently gluten-free food has become very popular.

The gluten-free trend has affected many bakeries, since most things in bakeries contain gluten it is difficult to make this change.

These different food trends can greatly affect a bakery, and when bakeries start losing customers, they must try to accommodate people’s’ specific needs.

“

to come to a bakery they are not coming to buy something that is low fat.”

About 1.6 million people in the U.S. are on a gluten-free diet even if they don’t have Celiac disease. Celiac disease is when the digestion system reacts to gluten by triggering an immune attack, which can lead to the body not absorbing the needed nutrients. Celicas only affects around one percent of the adult U.S. population.

I guess my favorite part [of working in a bakery] is the holidays because we make a lot of really fun holiday baked items that people really appreciate.”

-James Murphy

“Several years ago there was a big craze to make low fat or fat free bakery goods,” Murphy said. “A lot of us tried selling that… We discovered is that people maybe buy low fat stuff when they are in a grocery store but when they have already made the decision

“There are people who are susceptible to gluten,” Murphy said.

“There is no question about that…

But [people being glutenfree] hurt our sales a little bit. People are always asking for gluten-free stuff and we don’t make any. We bake a coconut macaroon, just without any gluten but we can’t say it’s gluten-free because it is made in a regular bakery.”

Pastries play a big part in many families’ traditions, especially during the holidays. Established,

(left) The cinnamon rolls, made with buttery croissant dough, are one of Russell’s Bakery best sellers.

(right) Russell’s Bakrey locatiated on 3339 Hancock Dr. has been there ever since 1989 and has since become a local place where people from around the neighborhood come to regularly. local, bakeries have regular customers who get pastries on special occasions. Since bakeries such as Sweetish Hill and Russell’s have both been in Austin for decades, customers come year after year to get a special cake because of their traditions.

“I guess my favorite part [of working in a bakery] is the holidays because we make a lot of really fun holiday baked items that people really appreciate,” Murphy said. “People that we know come here every year, to get a special cake that they’ve always been getting every year for 20 or 30 years. It’s an important part of their celebration.”

A bakery is a community place where people come to talk and hang out. During the holidays and special occasions, people buy baked goods, so bakers feel as if they are part of the customers’ traditions. Some bakeries that have been around for many years become a significant part of the community. Diane Stoneciper, an Austinite for 20 years, has been loyal to Sweetish Hill for the last 15 years. She started going to Sweetish Hill with her kids every Wednesday when they were young and now continues to go there with her friends. “[Sweetish Hill’s] cookies,

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photo by HELENA PFLUGER

Sweetish Hill’s location on 1120 W. 6th St. is very convenient for many people to stop by on weekdays and grab a quick breakfast before going to work and for a quick pastry breakfast on the weekends. pastries, cakes and breads are consistently delicious,” Stonecipher said. “I like [the environment] because you can sit and linger.”

of the customers’ traditions.

Some bakeries which have been around for many years become a significant part of the community.

Most bakers chose their career not only because they like to bake but also because they like to make people happy.

A bakery is a community place where people come to talk and hang out. During the holidays and special occasions, people buy baked goods, so bakers feel as if they are part

“We are a totally scratch bakery,” Murphy said.

“We make everything we sell for the most part.”

“

We are a totally scratch bakery.

We make everything we sell for the most part.”

-James Murphy

38 - Sorbet 2015

Although running a bakery can often be challenging due to food trends and an unstable economies, bakeries such as Sweetish Hill and Russell’s have been successful since they were

opened. Murphy recognizes the success of Sweetish Hill, but his love of baking is what he chooses to emphasize. Ever since quitting his banking job a year and a half after he got out of college, Murphy pursued his love of baking and hasn’t looked back ever since. “[Sweetish Hill has] gained numerous locations, delis, and food-to-go businesses...in the 26 years I’ve been here,” Murphy said. “But...I just really like to bake. First and foremost I’m a baker more than anything.”

BLACK FOREST CUPCAKES RECIPE

by PRANATHI BINGI

Learn how to make delicious cupcakes stuffed with cherry pie filling that are great for any occasion.

Prep Time: 10 min

Total Time: 35 min Makes 24 Cupcakes

WHAT YOU NEED:

250 g. cream cheese, softened 1 can (19 fl oz /540 mL) cherry pie filling, divided 1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix 1 cup thawed whipped cream topping 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 egg

PROCEDURE: HEAT oven to 350째F. PREPARE cake batter as directed on package for the light or low fat version; set aside. Mix cream cheese, egg and sugar until well blended.

RESERVE 3/4 cup of the cherry pie filling

for garnish. Spoon 2 Tbsp. cake batter into each of 24 paper-lined muffin cups.

TOP each with 1 Tbsp. each of the cream cheese mixture and remaining cherry pie filling. Cover with remaining cake batter.

BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in centres comes out clean.

COOL 5 min.; remove from pan to wire racks.

Cool completely.

TOP with whipped cream and reserved cherry pie filling just before serving. recipe from Kraft photo courtesy of cookiescakespiesohmy.com

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