LET THEM EAT Ake in THIS ISSUE FEATURES SUMMER•2 O12 4-9 Let Them Eat Cake You Don’T Get Answers If You Don’T Ask Questions 10-12 Dames Are One in a Hundred Q&As
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SUMMER 2012 CLET THEM EAT ake IN THIS ISSUE FEATURES SUMMER•2 O12 4-9 Let Them Eat Cake You Don’t Get Answers If You Don’t Ask Questions 10-12 Dames are One in a Hundred Q&As. FAQs. Dear Abby, Ask Carolyn. Advice is everywhere, and some of it isn’t 13 Meet Me in St. Louis appreciated. To wit: • Never ask a question if you don’t know the answer. (“Did you steal this Prada 14 Green Tables handbag,” asks the lawyer of a thrice- convicted shoplifter appearing in court.) 16 We BeLOnG • Don’t ask the question if you don’t want to hear the answer. (“Honey, do I look fat in this dress?”) • If you already know the answer but don’t want to hear it, then 17 The Science and you shouldn’t ask the question. (“Would you rather play a Business of Taste round of golf with Phil Mickelson at Augusta National or help me shop for a new sofa today?”) You don’t get answers if you don’t ask questions. And getting 18-19 Wente Celebrates answers was my goal when I concocted the idea of counting to 100 Years of 100 through the LDEI directory and asking each hundredth Chardonnay Dame some LDEI-related questions. So out of the Dame blue, I sent emails, thinking I would have to 26 Global Culinary Postcard arm-twist via cyberspace, cajole, or plead to get a response. Boy, was I mistaken! I received the lovliest replies. Here’s a sampling. • Th ank you, CiCi. I feel very lucky to have been chosen for this! Sincerely, Chef Ann Kirsebom (British Columbia) DEPARTMENTS • Th anks so much for including me! What an honor! Cheers, Ellie Krieger (New York) 20-23 Chapter News • Th ank you so much for including me in the Dames who are “One in a Hundred.” It’s a real honor to be part of this issue and share my perspective. Regards, Lisa Wong (San Antonio) 24-25 Member Milestones I hope you will enjoy hearing from these Dames and others on pages 10-12. 30 Submission Guidelines Here Comes the Cake ON THE COVER Weddings are in season. We’re now in three of the top four Laurie Alleman Weber months for weddings: 1.) June, 2.) August, 3.) May and 4.) (Washington, DC), Pastry Chef and Owner of The July. Th e business of many Dames is wedding cakes, and you’ll Swiss Bakery, decorates see some of their delectable work in this issue.Cakes can also be her prize-winner in the philanthropic as you’ll see from the Washington, DC Chapter’s "Let Them Eat Cake" wed- “Let Th em Eat Cake” fundraiser. ding cake competition. All the decorations are made It’s an editor’s job to ask questions, but don’t worry about me. of icing (see pages 4-5). I’m not going to ask my husband “Sweetie, do I look fat in this Photo by Naiffer Romero. dress?” I already know the answer. CiCi Williamson, Editor, Summer Quarterly The mission of the LDEI board is to foster the growth and success of the organization by supporting the development of new and existing chapters. It provides guidance, education, 2012 LDEI BOARD OF DIRECTORS connectivity and effective communication among LDEI members. President Second Vice President Secretary Chapter Board Liaisons Immediate Past President MARY S. MOORE LORI WILLIS MARY ELLEN GRIFFIN BETH ALLEN SANDY HU Founder/CEO Director of Communications, Schnuck Partner, Continental Consulting Group Founder/President, Beth Allen Co-Founder/Special Fork The Cook’s Warehouse Markets Inc. 320 Strawberry Hill!Ave., #58 Associates Inc. 380 Roosevelt Way 1075 Zonolite Road, NE, Suite 1-C 11420 Lackland Rd.Ballwin, MO Stamford, CT 06902 347 W 22nd St., Suite 9 San Francisco, CA 94114 Atlanta, GA 30306 63146 (203) 975 7610 (w) New York, NY 10011 (415) 626-1765 (w) (404) 492-9018 (w) (636) 227-3536 (h) (203) 273 8824 (c) (212) 206-1138 (w) (415) 533-5653 (c) (404) 374-6740 (c) (314) 456-5457 (c) maryellengriffi [email protected] (212) 206-1139 (h) [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Treasurer MARIA GOMEZ Executive Director First Vice President KATHLEEN PERRY Manager,Global Accounts GREG JEWELL Third Vice President the everyday gourmet® Helms Briscoe SHARON VAN METER CRICKETT KARSON President, AEC Management 2950 Mt. Wilkinson Parkway,SE, #503 (858) 633-7515 (o) President, SVM Productions Owner, Lief Karson Communicatons Resources Atlanta, GA 30339 (619) 795-0772 (f) Milestone Culinary Arts Center 23533 Mercantile Rd.,Suite 118 P.O. Box 4961 (770) 801-9436 (w) Mexico City 52-55-59850711 4531 McKinney Avenue Beechwood, OH 44122 Louisville, KY 40204 (770) 845-8438 (c) [email protected] Dallas, TX 75202 (216) 831-3767 (w) (502) 456-1851 x1 [email protected] CATE SIMPSON (214) 217-2819 (w) (216) 702-8767 (c) [email protected] President, Simpson Public Relations (469) 235-7506 (c) [email protected] [email protected] 8 – 877 W 7th Ave. Vancouver, BC V5Z 1C2 Canada (601) 719-8953 (w) (604) 220-6566 (c) [email protected] 2 Les Dames d’Escoffier International Of Dames and Dragons Meet me in St. Louis! Th ere is no better way to connect with sister Dames from across the country and internationally than at the annual conference. Co-chairs Kathy Gottsacker and Beth Huch, and their team have been working tirelessly to put together an amazing conference for all of us this year. I hope you have already marked your calendars for October 11– 14; it’s an event not to miss. Whether you stroll on Th e Hill, tour Anheuser Busch, enjoy delicious food and wine from our incredible LDEI Partners, or network with Dames, the conference is a time for enrichment, education, and op- portunities. In my Atlanta Chapter, we put a very high value on the annual confer- ence and make sure as many members as possible can attend. We have a conference scholarship fund to help off set some of the expense for our members as we have learned that the best way to become really involved and immersed in Les Dames is to attend the LDEI conference. I hope to see you there. Speaking of our Partners … … not only are they an integral part of our conference and its success, they are also standing ready to assist in your local endeavors. Our Partner program is a year- long commitment, and they are interested Mary (far right) on factory tour in China. Drunken Chicken. Raw silicone being worked in Chinese factory. in not only supporting conference but also supporting local chapters and individual Dames, please pass them along to Brent manufacturing, there many fascinating Dames for events and promotions. Picture Frei, our Business Development Director, details. a Wente Vineyards wine tasting, a DFV via email [email protected] or phone 847- On a Global Culinary Initiative note, Wines-with-food pairing, a Cakebread 882-5499, or Sharon van Meter, LDEI I had the best Cantonese food I’ve ever Cellars and Cabot Cheese seminar, or a First Vice President, Chefsvm@sbcglobal. tasted. Th e drunken chicken and steamed 360 Vodka event. You could hold a class net or 469-235-7506. fi sh were amazing; the Sichuan beef on the uses of soy sauce with Kikkoman, “Fairing” Well in China tongue, numbing; and the vegetables, deli- California Figs, Hawaiian Heart of Palm, cious. I’m certainly inspired to cook more On a personal note, I’ve just returned chocolate (Peter’s, of course), California Chinese at home! from my fi rst trip to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Endive, Mahatma Rice, or imported May the Year of the Dragon bring you and China. I went with one of my vendors specialty foods from Roland. Do a small success, happiness and delicious food and to attend business meetings, factory tours, equipment demo with Breville or Nes- wine. See you in St. Louis! the Hong Kong Fair and the Canton Fair. presso machines. Or work with your local It was a great trip and I learned much Whole Foods store. Whether a chapter Mary S. Moore about negotiating skills when dealing event or ingredients in your business, our with China; how the factory and agent Partners are standing ready to be a partner relationships work; how products are de- with you. signed, sourced, consolidated and shipped; At Th e Cook’s Warehouse four locations, and how to make silicone. Th e picture we use Roland Foods, Kikkoman prod- is from our tour of a silicone factory. It ucts, Wente wines, DFV wines, Cabot was fascinating to watch them work the Cheese, Kerrygold butter and many more raw silicone, to soften it, and then to of our Partner products in our cooking add color. Did you know that silicone is schools. When you’re thinking of sourc- processed with either peroxide or plati- ing products for yourself or your business, num as a catalyst? While peroxide is a less think of our Les Dames Partners fi rst, the expensive material, it also requires longer mutual benefi t of these programs is great. curing (baking) time so more time in If you have ideas for a new Partner for Les SUMMER QUARTERLY 2012 3 Photo by Tony Brown, imjphoto.com Brown, Tony by Photo imjphoto.com Brown, Tony by Photo LET THEM EAT Modeled after the Dallas Chapter’s suc- CVA, the two-day event coincided with Popular voting continued all day Sunday, cessful “Let Th em Eat Cake” fundraiser, the Fashion Week. As such, each of the three with the pastry chef winner and raffl e win- Washington, DC Chapter’s inaugural wed- chef contestants was given a spring fashion ners announced at 5 p.m.