The Sylvia Center » Headline

Thank You! Inaugural Online Auction is a Success

TSC — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 10:52:09 +0000

Thank you to everyone who helped make The Sylvia Center’s first ever Charity Buzz Auction a success! The money you’ve helped us raise will be put towards a matching grant of $50,000 from Robin Quivers’ Fifteen Foundation to expand our culinary education program for at-risk youth living in public housing.

We would like to express our most heartfelt thanks to those who bid on items, helped spread the word about the auction and especially to our sponsors for donating a truly unique collection of items to bid on.

Special thanks to our sponsors for donating a wonderful array of auction lots:

Allen Katz

Eataly

Gabriel Kahane

Great Performances

Haven’s Kitchen

i Trulli Enoteca e Ristorante

Katchkie Farm

Mindy Fox

The New York Distilling Company

Rozanne Gold

Riverpark

Riverpark Farm

Rachael Ray

Tamar Adler

Tim and Jackie Reuling of Reuling Vineyards

6th Annual Farm to Table Dinner

TSC — Mon, 13 May 2013 20:55:24 +0000

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Cocktails at 6pm, Dinner at 7pm

Katchkie Farm | 745 Fischer Road | Kinderhook, NY

GET TICKETS

Please join us on Saturday July 6, 2013 at Katchkie Farm to enjoy a delicious evening on the farm, including a pig roast and hors d’oeuvres prepared by local chefs. The event will begin at 6pm with cocktails and music in The Sylvia Center Children’s Garden, followed by dinner in the fields. All proceeds from this benefit dinner will go to support The Sylvia Center’s garden to table programs.

Online Auction

TSC — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:59:26 +0000

Support the Sylvia Center, Bid Online!

Now through May 16

Auction lots range from a day of distilling with spirits maven Allen Katz; to private cooking lessons and meals with chef Rozanne Gold and food editor Mindy Fox; to your own private supper club staged by chef and food writer Tamar Adler and composer Gabriel Kahane.

Your bidding will help us raise funds towards a matching grant of $50,000 from Robin Quivers’ 15 Foundation to expand our culinary education program for youth, teens and families living in NYCHA public housing.

SEE OUR ONLINE AUCTION

Veggie Bean Chili

TSC — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 09:48:20 +0000

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 large onions (1 pound), coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 fresh jalapeño chile, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with juice
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney or black beans, rinsed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Procedure

1. Sauté onions, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeño in oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add chili powder, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

3. Add tomatoes with juice and eggplant and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.

4. Stir in beans and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

5. Stir in cilantro.

6. Serve over brown rice or with fresh corn bread.

Ellie Krieger’s Harvest Mac n’ Cheese

TSC — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 09:43:42 +0000

Ellie Krieger’s Harvest Mac n’ Cheese

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 pound elbow macaroni

1 1/2 cups butternut squash, cut into small cubes, boiled and pureed

2 cups 1 percent low-fat milk

4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)

2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup)

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon powdered mustard

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs

1 teaspoon olive oil

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Coat 9 by 13 inch baking dish with olive oil.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender but firm, about 5 to 8 minutes.

4. Meanwhile place squash and milk in sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until mixture almost simmering, stirring frequently.

5. Remove from heat, and add Cheddar, Jack cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper.

6. Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish.

7. Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni and cheese.

8. Bake for 20 minutes and enjoy.

Become a farmer for the week!

awalton — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:40:09 +0000

Children ages 8-12 will experience life on the farm and learn about food from seed to plate during thisfive-day program. The week will end with a Family Farmers Market and Celebration Feast.
Each day will include:
••••
Farm & garden activities like planting seeds, collecting eggs, and helping our garden grow.Farm crafts like tie-dying with vegetable-based dyes and making seed paper for planting.Creative food projects like making like ice cream, wood-fired veggie pizza, cheese, and pickles.Games and other activities like frisbee, hiking around the farm forest, and running through the sprinkler. Harvesting veggies from the garden and using locally sourced ingredients to prepare and share a delicious lunch together each day. A few of our favorite lunch recipes are: veg

gie tacos, green salad with homemade dressing, vegetable fried rice, cucumber salad, and focaccia bread. We also like to make fun drinks like rhubarb spritzers or mint lemonade.

•Date and Time: Monday August 13 through Friday August 17 from 9am-3:30pm daily.
Location: 745 Fischer Rd. Kinderhook, NY 12106
Program Fees: Sliding scale $285-$360.
For more information please contact Julie Cerny, Education Director and Garden Manager, at518.758.2170 or sylviacenter@katchkiefarm.com. We hope to see you on the farm!

Farm to Table Dining benefit July 16th

TSC — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 04:39:27 +0000

Join us for our annual outdoor Farm to Table dinner to benefit The Sylvia Center at Katchkie Farm this July 16th. Farm to Table is a unique experience that showcases the best local produce and products that our region has to offer. Sourced from within a 100-mile radius of New York City, the featured 100-mile menu represents a celebration of local flavors and a commitment to supporting sustainable agriculture. Tickets purchased will benefit The Sylvia Center and The Columbia Land Conservancy.

July 16

Farm to Table Dinner at Katchkie Farm

Proceeds benefit The Sylvia Center and Columbia Land Conservancy
Click here for tickets or call 212.337.4857 to purchase tickets
Click here for directions to the farm and here for accomodation suggestions

Teen Program Update: NYCHA Drew Hamilton

admin — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:18:00 +0000

Six weeks into our Teen Chef Cooking program and the NYCHA Drew Hamilton kitchen has turned into a culinary transporter of sorts—we are no longer in Harlem. Each week, the students get a chance to travel and experience far away lands, produce, and spices. Recently, our magical culinary carpet took us to France, Italy and Morocco.

Week four introduced our budding chefs to sauce making. Not only in our pan sauce, but also with our spicy Dijon honey mustard sauce for homemade chicken tenders and in Rachael Ray’s Balsamic Butter sauce for the asparagus, we put that knowledge to practice. Every student had a turn to be at the stove, pan searing their chicken cutlet and making their own sauce—sautéing shallots, scooping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and reducing chicken stock, adding lemon juice, tarragon and small dab of cold butter at the end—which could not have been better if we had actually been in Dijon, France. Doug, one of our Monday night students, was in charge of “fixing” our pan sauces we’d combined at the end. It was a bit salty when Doug took the helm, but by adding some more acid, a little dab of cold butter, and some more fresh minced tarragon, he was able to round out those flavors to make a great pan sauce—practicing the one motto in the kitchen we aim to teach any student, “we are smarter than the food, so let’s make the food work for us!” It is the pride in their sense of accomplishment which makes the food taste all the better. “Is this some good food we are cooking in here or what?” exclaimed Will, one of our students who wants to go to culinary school, as he brought the center director, Renee, a plate of the food he’d prepared.

“My pizza is shaped like Africa, “ said Hanai, as she proudly began decorating her newly shaped pizza dough.

In week five, the teen chefs were immersed in all things Italian, including our cheese tasting, and the San Marzano tomatoes for our homemade sauce. Our teens are not only creative in the way they mold and decorate their pizzas but also adventurous. During our cheese tasting, the students, while hesitant, were up for the earthy and stinky challenge! “Why does that cheese have the green coloring?, “ one student asked about our Gorgonzola. “Wow, that is strong!” exclaimed many of the students as they tried real Parmesan for the first time. The best part was that if we had tried to introduce these cheeses earlier in the program, most of the teens would have politely declined to participate, but as we work more and more as a team, they have built trust in stepping out onto this new food terrain together—even with laughs and funny faces to disguise their pleasure in discovering new favorite foods like Fontina cheese.

As we opened our week six classes, we asked, “Can you smell the rich spices, see the vibrant colors, hear a new language? That’s how we know we’re in a different land—welcome to Morocco!” As part of the curriculum, we searched for a seasoned chef to come in to teach two of the classes and mentor students, answering their questions about the industry and what it’s really like to work the line or go to culinary school. We hit the jackpot with Chef Michelle Spiegel, who generously donated her time to introduce our students to the cuisine of Morocco—new spices and herbs, couscous as a new grain, a flavorful Moroccan stew, and beautiful poached pears for dessert. Michelle is a former senior instructor with the French Culinary Institute, my former school, and a thirteen year veteran with experience in some of the best restaurants and catering companies in NYC. Michelle spoke to the students from the front-line—sharing her knowledge from what kitchens look for when they hire to why chefs wear whites. Attention was high when Chef Michelle shared her collection of knives and explained why chefs need different tools for the jobs in the kitchen—and she always stressed the importance of teamwork and being organized. It was great to hear her repeat and reinforce the many lessons we’ve been teaching the teens—but now coming from yet another respected source! What capped off week six for me was seeing the pride the teens had as they signed and then gave to Chef Michelle their gift to her, a book on Moroccan cuisine—a small detail added into their normal classroom flow but an important lesson in the importance of a simple thank you.

Student Intern, NYC

TSC — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:53:55 +0000

The Sylvia Center values interns as an integral part of our organization. We offer our interns the opportunity to learn about the specific issues involved in our work and the chance to participate in the implementation of our programs. The Sylvia Center is seeking undergraduate and/or graduate students who are interested in internships in our innovative school nutrition programs. Qualified interns will work with The Sylvia Center staff to deliver services to NYC area schools and participating community based organizations. They will be responsible for developing and maintaining TSC’s presence on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, LinkedIn etc. and updating them with new and relevant content.
This internship will include writing for the various blogs and social media outreach tools that The Sylvia Center uses as well as various other tasks, as needed. Hours are flexible, but the selected candidate should be able to commit around 15-20 hours per week.
Responsibilities Include:Managing and updating TSC’s social networking accountsTranslating Web content into relevant tweets, targeted Facebook messages etc.Assisting Chef Instructors with Nutrition Education classes, when neededUpdating TSC blogs, newsletters, e-blasts, etc.Assisting with fundraising eventsParticipating in planning meetingsDoing research and light clerical work when needed
Qualifications:The most qualified candidates will have a minimum of 2 years of college coursework, with a concentration in Environmental Studies, Food Justice, Nutrition Education or a related field. Must be proficient with programs such as Microsoft Office, and must be familiar with most Social Networking Forums. Must be comfortable working with children, and be able to pass a background check.
Additional Qualifications:• Excellent writing skills and attention to detail• Organizational skills and excellent verbal communication skills• Excellent computer and research skills• Self-motivated with ability to work independently and collaboratively when needed, while maintaining high professional standards.
• Ability to establish and meet production schedules and deadlines.• Ability to manage multiple projects at once.• Excellent problem-solving, and teamwork skills.• Ability to develop new, relevant technology skills if required.• Project management experience a plus.
Hours:2 days per week (as intern’s school schedule permits.) Must be available between the hours of 10am-6pm
Start Date:IMMEDIATENote: this is an unpaid internship but college credit is available
To Apply:Please submit cover letter and resume along with a 500 word essay on why an internship with TSC would be beneficial to the organization and to your future. Send all materials to the Assistant to The Executive Director, Miranda Lievsay at miranda.lievsay@sylviacenter.org .

Culinary Intern Position

TSC — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:50:29 +0000

Objective: Interns provide key support for on- and off-farm educational programs that benefit children and teenagers. It also offers opportunities for the development of the interns’ skills thus preparing them for further work in the farm to school field or local, seasonal culinary arts.

Tasks performed under the supervision of the Education Director:• Plan for, prepare and lead children in cooking and nutrition activities• Help during program set-up and clean-up• Harvest and post-harvest care are of fruits, vegetables and flowers as needed• Assist in development of seasonal, vegetable based dishes for groups of 30-60 people• Assist in maintaining kitchen inventory; assist in monitoring cleanliness of prep kitchen• Assist garden intern and Education Director as needed.

Desired Qualifications:• Degree or work experience in culinary arts (preferred)• Interest in organic gardening• Strong interest in working with children and food• Hard-working, motivated, focused, conscientious• A cooperative work ethic• Ability to work long hours and to perform physical, outdoor jobs in all weather (hot, cold, humid, rainy)• TSC has a new wood burning pizza oven. Applicants with an interest in or experience with wood burning ovens a plus.Five-day work week April–May; six-day work week June–November.

Compensation: $1,600/month, along with produce and eggs from the farm.Interns must have their own transportation to and from the farm each day. Housing is not provided.

To Apply: Send cover letter, resume, and names and phone numbers of 3 references to Nina Simmons at nina.simmons@sylviacenter.org