The CSCA Hosts the First New England Culinary Tea Competition
The CSCA served as the location for a different kind of Boston Tea Party—the First New England Culinary Tea Competition. Unlike the original 'tea party', no tea was dumped into Boston Harbor. Rather, it was used as infusions in soaking syrups, as rubs for fish and short ribs, to flavor smoke, and to flavor tea-centric cocktails. On May 15, students and alumni from culinary schools across New England gathered in The CSCA kitchens to cook and bake recipes featuring 'true tea', camellia sinesis, for the finals competition.
To recognize that the culinary world has embraced using fine teas in the kitchen, this competition honors recipes focusing on the diverse tastes, textures, and aromas of tea. Sponsored by the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers; the Tea Board of India; Upton Tea Importers; Tea, A Magazine; and The CSCA, 16 finalists gathered to compete in four categories: savory, desserts or baked goods, tea cocktail, and best tea cuisine recipe using Indian tea. The finalists hailed from The CSCA, Johnson & Wales University, Boston University, Newbury College, Bunker Hill Community College, and New England Culinary Institute. Ten of the 16 finalists were current CSCA students or alumni.
Sharon Artsi PCP '06 was the first-place winner of the tea cocktail category. His cocktail, Vanilla Greentini, was also the overall highest-scoring first-place recipe in the entire competition. The recipe scored perfect 10s from many of the judges in the four categories of taste (overall taste, texture, and balance of the dish), use of tea, originality, and visual presentation. Sharon was also the only contender to place as a finalist in more than one category. His savory entry, Seared Salmon in Darjeeling Coconut Sauce, received second place in the best use of Indian tea category by a fraction of a point.
Emma Roberts PCP '93 collaborated with Jon Riley, a graduate of Johnson & Wales, to capture the first-place ranking in the savory category. Their dish, Lapsang Souchon Braised Short Ribs of Beef, edged out Sharon Artsi's entry by a margin. The winner of best overall use of Indian tea was Jakob White of Boston University for his dish, Black Tea Smoked Chicken with Tea-Blanched Shrimp. Yun-Jeong Hwang, of Newbury College, won first place in the dessert category for her Green Tea Tiramisu with Lemon Ginger Tea Gelee.
The first-place winner of each category received a $300 cash prize; his or her recipe featured in Tea, A Magazine; recipe published in the forthcoming book Culinary Tea; a 2-night stay at The Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers; and recipe featured on the menu at The Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers.
CSCA competitors included Deana Novembrino CCP '08, Emma Roberts PCP '93 (competing with Jon Riley), Philip Scopa PCP '09, Sharon Artsi PCP '06, Christie Morrison PCP '09, Lindsay McSweeney PCP '01, Maggie Lamont PP '07, Tracy Sisco PPP '09, Dorothy Jacobson PCP '10 (projected), and Jennifer Knight CCP '09.
The panel of judges were Robert Bean, executive chef at Todd English's Bonfire Steakhouse; Helen Chen, Asian cookbook author; Pearl Dexter, publisher/editor of Tea, A Magazine; Thomas Eck, owner, Upton Tea Imports; Emily Gold, editor of Sante Magazine; Cynthia Gold, tea sommelier at Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers; Banrashi Bose Harrison, minister of commerce for the Embassy of India, Washington, D.C.; and Lise Stern, editor of Fresh Magazine.
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