What is the name of the chocolate maker who is known for his whimsical (and very edible) designs? Are you a supertaster? Researchers have discovered genetics play a significant role in determining how our taste receptor genes affect our taste of bitter foods. Read this issue for New Professionals networking opportunities at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo in New Orleans!
April 1, 2011
The Menu
Mr. Persoone and His Chocolate Factory
White chocolate dipped in saffron and curry. Chocolate filled with cherry liqueur, bitter banana cream and marzipan. Chocolate infused with green lemons and passion fruit. A chocolate maker known for his eccentric (and very edible) creations, Dominique Persoone is inspired by natural ingredients, new flavors, and discovering the origins of the first cocoa beans. Persoone's shop, the Chocolate Line, is nestled in medieval Bruges, a Flemish city that is also home to a chocolate museum. Persoone trained as a chef in Paris; his fascination with French chocolate pastries sparked his journey into the world of chocolate.
Persoone is an inventor whose whimsical designs have earned him recognition as one of three chocolate makers featured in the Michelin Guide. Tourists visit Persoone's shop in hopes of meeting the renowned "Shock-o-latier."
"In the beginning, I was making simple chocolates, which I still make and still like very much, like pralines, whipped cream, marzipans, all that stuff. But then I started using a little bit of my chef's influence on the chocolate," says Persoone.
He created chocolate shooters filled with ginger, mint and pure cocoa powder from the Dominican Republic which were specially prepared for members of the Rolling Stones band. Personne's book Cacao reflects his travels to Mexico where he learned about the history of the wild criollo bean which was an ingredient used in sacred Mayan beverages. Influenced by his Mexican trip, Persoone's "choc-tail" is a small piece of dark chocolate decorated with a salt rim and served with a pipette of tequila.
What is the next concoction in Persoone's tiny shop? Only a true chocolate maker knows the answer. Indulge in Dominique Personne's creations by reading the full article courtesy of The Wall Street Journal here.
What's in Your Bento Box?
This is not a blog about your ordinary brown paper bag. "Eating in a Box" is Jack Yang's account of the lunch items packed in his bento box. A traditional Japanese bento box has different compartments that contain foods such as fish, pickles, rice, and vegetables. Yang started a new food trend at his office. He contacts his colleagues by email every Friday, and brings a bento box the following Monday to the first dozen co-workers who respond to his email.
Yang charges a small fee for each bento box and alternates the weekly menu with food items like beef short ribs and green curry. "Food is this great equalizer," says Yang.
Are you hungry? Take a bite from Yang's blog here.
It's Okay to Swap Leftovers
An article from The Wall Street Journal asserts that manufacturers are designing more bags and satchels for the growing number of individuals who are bringing packed lunch to work. According to Rebecca Portnoy, an assistant professor of management at Washington State University, "Employees may work better in teams after regularly sharing meals." Visit the full article here. It's okay to swap those leftovers!
Taste Perception and Genetics
Do your lips pucker when you drink a glass of grapefruit juice? A research study published in the Chemical Sciences Journal examines how taste-receptor genes affect how we perceive the taste of bitter foods. John Hayes, assistant professor of food science at Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, led a research study that explored the range of taste perception. According to Hayes, "It turns out that different bitter foods act through different receptors, and people can be high or low responders for one but not another. Thus, you may despise grapefruit but have no problem with black coffee." The study provides insight to the term supertasters, individuals who have extreme taste sensations.
Click here for additional information.
Great Lakes Section
March Madness fans cheered on their favorite teams at a New Professionals happy hour.
Interested in having your New Professional event photos featured in Eat Your Words? Submit photos to newprofessional@ift.org.
The Specials
Sesame Seeds
The black sesame seed, a primary ingredient in Asian sweets, is appearing frequently in desserts served at chic restaurants, gourmet markets, and confectionary stores. What makes this particular seed unique? Compared to white sesame seeds, the black seeds are nuttier in flavor and offer a buttery taste. Recipes that require chocolate or nuts can be replaced with the black sesame seed which has a similar taste to cocoa powder and coffee. "[Black sesame seeds have] a smoky, deeper, darker character. It's basically like white [seeds] but more wise," says Shuna Lyndon of Peels Restaurant and Bakery in New York. Grab a handful of the smoky seeds and read the article here.
New Food Application
How many calories will you consume during your late night snack? A new iPhone application designed by DailyBurn provides calorie content almost instantly. Meal Snap app users can upload a photo of their meal which connects to a database featuring more than 500,000 food items and corresponding calories. Click here for information.
Pick up the Power of Persuasion with IFT's
Pre-Annual Meeting Short Course
Learn the power of persuasion in IFT's one-day Pre-Annual Meeting Short Course "Developing Effective Influencing Skills." Maximize your time at IFT's Annual Meeting & Food Expo® by signing up for this pre-course, where you will learn to communicate more persuasively with individuals and groups. The course, which includes case studies and group conversation, delivers specific basic influencing principles that you can incorporate into your conversations, meetings, and activities.
Whether you're interested in exploring the basics in order to boost your career, or want to influence your staff, clients, supervisor, or cross-functional partners, this course will deliver continuous results for you. Register for "Developing Effective Influencing Skills," or find descriptions of all IFT's Pre-Annual Meeting Short Courses at ift.org/IFT11
IFT Webcast on Current Hiring Trends
This webcast on May 26 will provide a high level understanding of the current food science job market for recent graduates and professionals. Students will receive advice on how to best prepare for seeking employment opportunities after graduation. View webcast registration details here.
Connect with New Professionals in New Orleans
Are you in interested in winning a prize for networking with New Professionals at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo? A New Professional is anyone who has recently graduated or has been working in the food science profession for less than 10 years.
The New Professionals Pass offers the opportunity to network with your fellow New Professionals at six events and/or sessions in New Orleans. The more events you attend, the greater chance of winning a prize! Pick up New Professionals passes at the IFT Registration Booth. Questions? Contact Anna Ylijoki at aylijoki@ift.org.
Join the festivities at the New Professionals Mixer on Sunday, June 12 at the George Biersch Brewery Restaurant from 4:00-7:00 p.m.
Advance Your Career
While you are at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo, visit IFT's Career Fair on Saturday, June 11. The IFT Career Fair provides professionals with important face-time with dozens of companies and organizations. Career fair employers showcase their company, discover future talent, and meet elite young professionals focused on research and development.
Ready to interview? The IFT Employment Bureau will be available Sunday, June 12 through Tuesday, June 14 for face- to- face interviews.
Questions? Contact Nora Schabold at nschabold@ift.org.
New Professional Snapshot: Jamie Valenti-Jordan
Snapshot of Jamie's life
Jamie has been working at Del Monte Foods for the last 2 ½ years in the Corporate Engineering sector at their Walnut Creek Research Center. He and his wife recently bought a condo and he enjoys riding his bike (on a dedicated bike path) to work. In his spare time, Jamie spends time with two dogs, backpacks, skis and plays board games.
How did he become interested in food science?
As an undergraduate student at Georgia Tech, Jamie participated in two summer internships in Research & Development with General Mills and has been hooked ever since. He earned his master's degree in food science at the University of Madison-Wisconsin. He is passionate about applying scientific principles to food. Jamie appreciates that food can be an artistic obsession for some people and simply viewed as a staple of human life by others, but either way, scientists must continually refine their offerings to consumers to improve both cost and nutrition.
How does his job impact the world?
Jamie helps make the food supply safer and more cost effective. He transforms ideas, concepts, and prototypes into mass-producible products through his understanding of food engineering principles. Fruits, vegetables, and certain pet products are similar in composition, so he tries to imagine the big picture and builds technological synergies between the different products.
Three things we don't know about Jamie?
- He likes gadgets and calls himself a techno-nerd. Jamie carries his iPad, IPod Touch, and Blackberry everywhere and usually has his Game boy in his backpack too!
- Jamie cannot detect the taste of olive oil; therefore, he often uses the cooking oil in many of his dishes.
- He received his Eagle Scout award in high school. His final project was based on a five mile interpretive trail for a local Girl Scout camp.
What is his favorite side dish at a barbeque party?
Non-mayo (vinegar based) pasta salad.
The Side
College Bowl Trivia ...
The College Bowl is an annual food science quiz bowl event hosted by the IFT Student Association. Teams from universities around the country compete regionally for the chance to contend in the finals at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo. The 26th Annual Intercollegiate Food Science and Technology College Bowl Competition will occur on Monday, June 13 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel.
Let's see how well you will do ...
Q1: What is the major fatty acid found in milk? Q2: Name the phenomenon by which starch granules take on water and swell to capacity?
Q3: Who discovered the canning process as means of preserving foods in the early 1800's?
A1: Oleic Acid
A2: Gelatinization
A3: Nicholas Appert
Got Bacon?
Diners who are hog wild for the bacon trend can indulge in new menu items at Denny's Restaurant. Sweet and savory best describes the Maple Bacon Sundae served with diced hickory-smoked bacon and maple syrup. Click here for the official "Baconalia" limited time only menu.
It's a Nice Day for Royal Wedding Cake
Do you want a sneak peek inside the royal wedding occurring on April 29? What two wedding cakes will be served on Prince William and Kate Middleton's special day? View the sweet details here.
The Price of Burgundy and Bordeaux
A recent collection of Burgundy and Bordeaux wine sold at Sotheby's auction house for $12.4 million. Several bottles of vintage Chateau Petrus were part of the collection. View the full article here.
Answers to college bowl trivia:
A1: Fructose
A2: Malt
A3: Cranberries