Culinology - May/June 2013 - (Page 40)

NUTS ou may find them adding distinction to a French pastry, or providing a salty snack with a beer at a baseball game. As an ingredient, they contribute protein and fiber as well as a multitude of flavors and textures to salads, seafood, ice cream or cookies. Nuts are both a common everyday staple and rare treat. They are also nutrient dense. For the product developer, nuts offer broad applications by adding distinctive flavors and textures that may echo traditional ethnic culinary traditions or strike boldly into the realm of the imaginative. Nuts of all kinds also may play a role in vegan, gluten-free or raw food cuisine. “I try to think not only about the sweet and salty flavors you get from nuts, but also about the texture,” said Chef Allessandro Stratta, a James Beardrecognized chef. “I always like to add a bit of crunch to risotto, for instance, so that it’s not just creamy, creamy, creamy, but it also has a little crunch. For meat or for fish, using nuts can add an earthy, nutty flavor and that additional texture.” In the United States, the most readily available nuts include almonds, peanuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts. Each has its own portfolio of culinary and nutritional characteristics, and most have a well-organized growers association that helps get the word out to the food industry and to consumers about why each nut is special. At this year’s Research Chefs Association Conference and Culinology Expo in Charlotte, Chef John Csukor of KOR Food Innovation, Ashland, Va., worked with the Almond Board of California. Mr. Csukor created an almond and chicken Banh Mi-Style sausage to showcase the flavors and textures of almonds. The item used chopped almonds in the sausage, and almond oil and butter in the spicy mustard dressing. 40 | Culinology | MAY/JUNE 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Culinology - May/June 2013

Culinology - May/June 2013
Table of Contents
President's Letter - Keeping it real
Emerging Trends - Old World bread on the rise
Trends - Predicting what's cool in culinary
Spicy Flavors - What's hot?
Beverage prototypes with a kick
Fats/Oils - Embracing fats (and) oils
Member Profile - Time is on her side
Nuts - Ingredients in a nutshell
2013 RCA Annual Conference
Petits Fours - Morning meal occasion getting a makeover
Whole grains, protein highlight first-quarter menu trends
Upcoming Events
Ad Index

Culinology - May/June 2013