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Medford pair share one culinary dream Crystal Cory is here to tell you there's a lot more to summer grilling than simply slapping a hunk of meat over an open flame. In the nine months she's been a student in the culinary program at the Art Institute of Seattle, the young Medford woman has learned there's a proper technique for everything, including barbecuing. "Grilling is hard for me," admits Cory, 20. "I can get the marks on there, but it's still underdone or overdone." Cory's fiancee, Bill Shine, also a food student, has had to re-learn everything he knew about food, even how to use a knife. "You take a fine julienne," he says, "You have to just practice and practice." But the practice is paying off for the pair, who are fulfilling together a shared dream of careers in the culinary world. "I've always loved to cook," explains Shine, 19. "So I decided to become the first chef in the family." Both cooks since childhood, Cory and Shine cultivated their skills back at South Medford High School, where teacher Leslie Ashcraft runs an award-winning foods program. Ashcraft invited a representative from the Seattle vocational school to speak at South High; Cory was hooked. Both she and Shine signed up for the 2-year, $34,000 program. They moved to Seattle last fall, donned white pants, jackets, kerchiefs and hats, and started cooking. So far, the education has been both broad and deep, says Cory. "We do a little bit of baking and then soups, stocks and sauces," she says. "Last quarter was American regional cuisine. Next quarter will be advanced butchery." From 6:30 to 11:30 a.m. weekdays, the student chefs whip, stir, saute and bake every conceivable kind of food. They proudly proffer a stack of snapshots: a beautiful basket of yeast rolls, a perfect pear tart, two lovely creme brulees flavored with coconut and mango. "It fell over," Shine says, critically eyeing the custard. "It was too high, but with the sauce it was supposed to look like the yin-yang." For Cory, the best part of attending classes has been learning about baking, long her favorite culinary technique. Her photos show an espresso coffee cake, a platter of crumble-topped muffins, a wedge of cheesecake nestled atop raspberry sauce. Shine says he's not patient enough to enjoy baking, but he's more than willing to learn to cook squid or Jerusalem artichokes. Mentors are important for both cooks. Cory is a fan of mega-chef Emeril Lagasse of New Orleans. Shine admires chefs Michael McBride and Laura Anderson. In fact, when he's not in school, Shine works as a prep cook for Anderson at the Chicken Soup Brigade, a Seattle agency that supplies 2,500 meals a week for people with AIDS. Both Shine and Cory are confident they'll find jobs right out of school. At first, they'll make about $10 an hour, but their education could boost them to $15 soon after. Someday, they hope to own their own restaurant. Cory and Shine know they're pursuing a career path known for long hours and hard work. They know they'll likely be in the kitchen on every major holiday. "You're there to make other people's fun days fun," says Cory. Still, the young couple say, they want to cook. "I just really like people's reactions when they taste my food or see it," Cory says. And that makes even all those hours over a hot grill worth it. Below, Shine shares a recipe for Herb Baked Chicken, savory poultry with a crispy exterior. Herbed Baked Chicken 1 4-pound chicken, whole or cut into pieces 1 1/2 cups butter, softened 1 tablespoon EACH fresh chopped herbs: rosemary, thyme, basil 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic Preheat oven to 450 F. Combine butter, herbs and garlic. Mix until smooth. Spread mixture lavishly over chicken parts. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until chicken is crisp and juices run clear. Send cooking questions to JoNel Aleccia, The Mail Tribune, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501. Call 776-4465, or send e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA