On a recent trip to upstate New York, we had an opportunity to visit the CIA, the Culinary Institute of America, that is. One of 3 CIAs, (the others are in St. Helena, California and San Antonio, Texas,) this sprawling campus in the Hudson Valley is perched on a bluff overlooking the Hudson River. The CIAs are the premier educational facilities for preparing the next generation of chefs and restaurateurs, and offer Associate Degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry, as well as Bachelor Degrees in Food and Business Management and Culinary Sciences. I love their mission statement, “Food is Life, Create and Savor Yours.” Students from all over the world study in classrooms named for donors such as Hilton and Marriott. 
Four of the “student learning laboratories” (aka restaurants) are open to the public. We dined at Caterina de Medici, an Italian-themed restaurant where the students design the menu, prepare the food, serve the food, and learn the business of restaurant management. The day we were there, the menu showcased the students’ creativity, and the service was impeccable. There is also a French-themed restaurant, Bocuse, the American Bounty Restaurant, and The Apple Pie Bakery Café. Of course, we went to the Bakery for dessert.
After our visit, I was inspired to read Michael Ruhlman’s 1997 book The Making of a Chef: Mastering Heat at the Culinary Institute of America. The story follows his two-year stint as a student there. I was hoping to learn a bit more about how the CIA taught students to make a pie, and I now better understand the emphasis on the classics, meaning French culinary techniques. Ruhlman paraphrases a comment from the then-president of “the Culinary” (as it is called by students and staff) explaining that a “good pie crust is simply a badly made puff pastry!” The Bakery offers pastry chefs-in-training the opportunity to practice their dough-making skills. On the day of our visit the display case was full of pastries, but the only pie on the menu was an apple crumb.
People to meet:
• The students at the CIA. It is easy to spot the students in various stages of their learning experiences, some with white chef jackets or in blue service uniforms. Another group of students seemed to appear in a casual “chef-manager look.” I spoke with several students, but the student majoring in pastry and working as the manager of the Bakery caught my eye as he explained his career goal of becoming a pastry chef.
Places to visit:
• The Culinary Institute of America. The grounds and some buildings are open to the public and tours are available. Walk or drive around the campus and enjoy the lovely view of the Hudson River. https://www.ciachef.edu/
• The FDR Presidential Library and Museum and the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt Museum is a 10 minute drive from the CIA, and very much worth a visit. Nearby is Top Cottage and Eleanor Roosevelt’s Val-Kill. https://fdrlibrary.org/.
Pie:
Apple Pie. The pie we had from the Bakery was an apple crumb pie.
It was not really our favorite, but then everyone has an opinion of what a great apple pie should taste like. The crumb topping was crunchy with oatmeal, but the apples were soft and bland with barely a dash of cinnamon (I like my apples firm and tart!). We were told the crust is an all-butter crust, but my husband gave me the compliment of telling me mine (made with butter and lard) is better! As seemed appropriate, the recipe below is from the CIA cookbook, Pies and Tarts, but apparently the students do not use this book as a lesson plan for the pies made for purchase at the Bakery!
- 1 recipe all-butter dough for a double-crust pie
- 3 lbs. apples, peeled and cut into ¼ inch slices
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ ground allspice
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- Egg wash
- Granulated or sanding sugar
- Preheat oven to 375; set rack in lowest position
- Prepare bottom crust
- Roll out dough for top crust; cut in strips if making a lattice crust
- In a medium bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, sugar, flour, spices and salt. Toss to combine and press into the bottom crust to eliminate gaps and air pockets.
- Top with lattice (or full) crust; trim edges and press to seal. Crimp edges.
- Place pie on rimmed baking sheet. Brush lattice top with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake for 30 minutes and rotate the pie; reduce oven to 350 degrees and bake 60 to 70 minutes more.
- Cool on a rack for 2 to 3 hours; filling will thicken and set.
