Not a regular blog post today but I’m wondering what you are hoping will be in your Christmas stocking or under the tree this year? There are so many new and interesting cooking gadgets on the market plus dozens of new cookbooks so I’m wondering what other home cooks have on their wish list.

Tomorrow I will present a couple of items I would like to receive (one I already gave myself) and some I’m hoping Santa doesn’t have in his bag of treats, but today I want to give you the opportunity to share your ideas.

It may be late in the game, but you can still receive a lot of cool stuff by Christmas eve at Amazon especially if you are signed up for their Prime account with 2-day air. I’ve done most of my shopping online this year and avoided the huge throngs at the malls.

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So What’s On Your Cook’s

Christmas List?

Culinary Schools Texas

Every day I receive emails from parents, students and people looking to change careers who want to get into the food industry and why not, it is still a thriving, growing segment of the economy. I have lots of good culinary school resources on the web site but each month I would like to focus on one individual state.

If you have a passion for food and a love for Texas, then you’re in luck. Texas has a thriving culinary community and combined with its culturally diverse cities, there is a lot to learn in Texas. Last month you may have noticed I highlighted Arizona Culinary Schools; today I would like to focus on the lone star state.

If you’re currently living in Texas, planning on relocating there in the future or are considering your options, I hope this post will give you some wanted insight into the state’s culinary industry and what’s available for you.

Why You Might Want to go to School in Texas

The largest state on the mainland, Texas contains some of the largest cities in the country. The fourth largest city in the U.S. is Houston; the seventh largest is San Antonio, while Dallas- Fort Worth and Greater Houston are the fourth and sixth largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. Texas is home to a variety of geological terrains. While many people associate Texas with the arid deserts and tumbleweeds of the Southwest, most of the states populated areas are covered with grasslands, forests, mountains, swamps, prairies and coasts.

Known for its rugged cowboy image, Texas is actually an economic hub of the United States. Texas and California are tied for having the most Fortune 500 companies, leading in many industries such as agriculture, electronics and aerospace. The culture in Texas comes from a variety of influences including Mexico, the Southern United States and the Western United States.

Not to mention, Texas’ high immigration rate adds to this diversity. This melting pot of culture means that there is a lot going on in Texas. Between Houston’s thriving performing arts scene, Dallas-Fort Worth’s art museums and Austin’s live music scene, there is so much to appreciate in Texas. Austin, named “The Live Music Capitol of the World,” is home to the world famous South by Southwest music festival and the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

The mean annual salary for all occupations in the state of Texas in 2009 was $41,100, with the mean annual salary for food preparation and serving occupations being $18,930.*

The state of Texas is home to many colleges and universities, most notably The University of Texas, Texas A&M, University of Houston, University of North Texas, Texas State, Texas Tech, Baylor University, Southwestern University, Rice University, Trinity University, Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University. In addition to these fine institutions, Texas has many top culinary, restaurant management and hospitality management schools.

Restaurant Industry in Texas

As of 2008, there were approximately 35,805 eating and drinking places, employing 996,300 people in Texas. Restaurant and foodservice jobs represent 10 percent of the state’s employment. The largest areas of employment in this field are located in the Dallas, San Antonio, Houston and Austin areas. There is a projected 16.4% job growth expected by 2020 for the restaurant and foodservice industry.**

Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management Schools in Texas

Culinary Academy of Austin - This popular culinary school offers a Professional Culinary Arts Diploma program and a Pastry Arts Diploma program.

The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Austin - Established in 2008, this branch campus of the Art Institute of Houston offers an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Management.

Texas Culinary Academy Le Cordon Bleu Programs in Austin- Le Cordon Bleu’s partnership with the Texas Culinary Academy offers an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts, Certificate in Culinary Arts and Certificate in Patisserie & Baking.

The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Dallas- This well known culinary school offers a Certificate in The Art of Cooking, an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts, an Associate Degree in Baking & Pastry, a Bachelor’s Degree in Culinary Management, Certificate in Culinary Arts and an Associate Degree in Restaurant & Catering Management.

Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts in Dallas - This fine culinary institution offers an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts in a 60 week or 84 week program.

Remington College in Dallas - The only Remington College of the 17 campuses to offer a Culinary Arts program, the Dallas campus offers an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts.

The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Houston - Accredited by the American Culinary Federation, this school offers an Associate of Applied Science in Restaurant & Catering Management, an Associate in Baking & Pastry, an Associate in Culinary Arts, a Bachelor’s in Food & Beverage Management, a Bachelor’s in Culinary Management and a Diploma in Culinary Arts.

Culinary Institute Alain & Marie LeNotre in Houston - This culinary institution founded by the LeNotre family with decades of culinary experience offers a variety of programs. These include: An Associate in Culinary Arts, an Associate in Baking & Pastry, a Diploma in Sous Chef de Cuisine, a Diploma in Sous Chef de Patisserie, a Diploma in Culinary Arts Specialty in Cuisine, and a Diploma in Culinary Arts Specialty in Baking & Pastry.

DeVry University of Houston, Houston/Galleria, Austin, Forth Worth and Irving - The Keller Graduate School of Management offers a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in Hospitality Management, intended for those who have completed their Bachelor’s degree.

The International Culinary School at the Art Institutes Online - The Art Institutes offer online culinary degrees including: Bachelor’s in Culinary Management and a Bachelor’s in Hotel and Restaurant Management.

Sullivan University Online - Sullivan University Online offers two Bachelor’s programs in Hospitality Management.

*According to the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) May 2009
** According to the National Restaurant Association

This is one of my wife’s favorite recipes during the holidays starting on Thanksgiving when fresh cranberries are easy to find.  You can make it with frozen cranberries but I suggest you find whole fresh ones if available.

It’s a very simple recipe and you can play around with the ingredients based on what you have in your refrigerator. Because grapefruits are so expensive this time of year, my wife uses the slices in a jar. If we are fortunate to have someone send us a basket of ruby red grapefruit from Florida, we use them.

This recipe came from my sister-in-law but I did a little research on the Internet and think it originally came from the SunCatcher Inn’s cookbook Inn for Breakfast by Barb Wishon.

Winter Fruit Bowl

Ingredients

• 4 medium grapefruit
• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• 1-cup sugar
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 3 medium bananas

I’m going to assume you are using fresh grapefruit. Not as easy as the slices you find in a jar but much more flavorful. If using fresh grapefruit, peel them, remove the pith, and section and be sure to work over a bowl so you can reserve any juices. If you do use the jarred slices, use the liquid they come in.

You need a cup of liquid so in a medium sized saucepan, add enough water to the natural juices to end up with a cup. To this add the marmalade and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Be sure to stir until the sugar dissolves.

Add the fresh cranberries and cook until the skins pop. This should take about 5 minutes but can take more. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and let it cool.

Add your grapefruit slices, cover and chill in the refrigerator. Before serving, slice the bananas and add to the fruit bowl and serve.

Additional ingredients:

These were not in the recipe, but I wouldn’t mind one or two of these ingredients to any Winter Fruit Bowl but don’t overwhelm it by adding too many of them.

• How about some peeled Fall apples or pears?
• Seedless grapes, red or white might be nice.
• Not in season, but some blackberries or raspberries would be tasty.
• A little vanilla yogurt on top would be another treat and if you were looking for a nutritious meal you might think about a little granola.