The Bakery Café by illy at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone

Photography by Matthew Brandalise

The sweet smell of success wafts through the air at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Greystone. It is the smell of fresh baked breads, cookies, pastries and gourmet coffees being made by baking and pastry arts degree students and faculty in the college’s new Bakery Café by illy. The new cafe offers morning pastries and a lunch menu of soups, salads, sandwiches, and a variety of beverages including illy specialty coffee drinks. The Bakery Café by illy is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and their full menu is available for takeout for a wine country picnic or a working lunch. Guests may also enjoy their meal in the café’s casual dining area with complimentary Wi-Fi.

The Bakery Café by illy is an integral part of the CIA at Greystone’s baking and pastry degree program, and has been made possible thanks to the generous support of illycaffè, a global leader in premium specialty coffee. As the world’s premier not-for-profit culinary college, CIA is grateful for the support of leading companies like illy who embrace their mission to provide the best culinary education to the students. The new Bakery Café by illy enables these young talents to apply their professional skills in a fully operational setting while they continue to learn about subjects like service, management, and—of course—coffee – and everyone is welcome experience and taste it.

While working in the Bakery Café by illy, students will also learn about coffee, from the history and cultivation, to current economics and preparation techniques. In addition, illy and the CIA will develop educational programs for professionals and consumers based on the education illy has provided for the last 25 years to its coffee-growing partners and to hotels, restaurants and cafes around the world. Future coffee education classes tailored to the consummate professional include a two-day “Coffee Expert” course and a series of Barista Certification courses. CIA’s weekend food enthusiasts courses will offer “Coffee Aficionado” and “Master Barista Series” classes led by illy’s Master Barista, Giorgio Milos. This new partnership with the CIA allows chefs, students, and consumers the chance to get a world-class coffee education from two leaders in food and beverage education.

“Partnering with the CIA allows illy the opportunity to reach the most dedicated and engaged students in the world, and further expand our education platform which is at the core of our brand. Together, illy and CIA will offer a premier training experience for culinary professionals and coffee lovers alike,” stated Andrea Illy, Chairman and CEO of illycaffè.

Incidentally, we had the pleasure of meeting CIA’s Chef John Difilippo at the recently-concluded SF Chefs where he was part of the illy explorigins culinary team – together with Master Barista Giorgio Milos, Chef Difilippo prepared a decadent chocolate dessert which included the MonoArabica roast.

Check out the recipes below:

illy Explorigins Ghiacciato Coffee by Giorgio Milos

4c         Brewed coffee. Illy blend
1 c        Chocolate gelato
1 c        Ice
1 tsp    Organic honey
½ tsp  Monin Jasmine syrup

For the Preparation
In a blender combine all ingredients and blend at high speed for 15 seconds or until smooth.

For the Service
Pour in martini glass or preferred serving glass and enjoy!

MonoArabica Brazil: Praline layered Cake prepared by CIA’s Chef John Difilippo: illy Praline Cake|
Yield: ½  sheet

Ingredients

Crunchy layer

• Cocoa butter                                                                  40    g
• Milk chocolate                                                               40    g
• Praline paste                                                               375    g
• Feuillentine                                                                 185    g

1.      Melt cocoa butter and chocolate to 113°F. Stir in the praline paste, then the feuillentine. Spread into a halfsheet frame and chill to set.

Ganache

• Chocolate                                                                    100    g
• Cream                                                                          100    g
• Glucose                                                                          10    g

2.      Chop chocolate very fine. Combine cream and glucose and bring to a boil. Cool to 170°F and pour over the chopped chocolate. Stir gently to emulsify. Spread over chilled crunchy layer

Marjolaine cake layer

• Hazelnuts, blanched and roasted                           128    g
• Almonds, blanched and roasted                             128    g
• All-purpose flour                                                           20    g
• Sugar                                                                                   50    g
• Egg whites                                                                         128    g
• Sugar                                                                                   100    g

3.       Grind roasted nuts with flour and the 50g sugar to a fine powder.
4.       Whisk egg whites and sift in the remaining sugar. Beat to a firm meringue. Fold in the roasted nut mixture.
5.       Spread the batter onto a half sheetpan lined with a Silpat mat. Bake at 375°F, about 8 minutes. Cool and fit into the ring.

Dried cherry marmalade

• Water                                                                            250    ml
• Sugar                                                                              50    g
• Kirsch                                                                              50    g
• Dried cherries                                                             200    g

6.       Combine water and sugar and bring to a boil. Add the kirsch, then the dried cherries. Poach gently until cherries are tender. Strain liquid and reserve. Cool cherries and pulse in a food processor, adding reserved liquid as necessary to achieve proper texture. Spread in an even layer over the cake.

For more information about the Bakery Café by illy, please visit their website.

Matthew Brandalise is a corporate attorney specializing in mergers & acquisitions and commercial transactions for a technology company in Silicon Valley. When he is not working, he is typically photographing things or spending time with his wife and three wonderful boys. He loves to travel and explore unfamiliar things… and ultimately photograph them. A lover of good food, great music, Matthew has a deep admiration for artists & musicians. He’s loved photography since he was nine, when he found an old twin reflex camera in a box of things in his father’s garage. Since then, he’s always seemed to have a camera with him. He’s played and experimented with film and digital photography consistently over the years, but things really went to the next level once he had kids. He spent many years photographing all sorts of sporting events and activities for them. Matthew found it to be a great vehicle for improving his skills as a photographer and ultimately giving him the confidence to branch out into other areas of photography.