2024 Conference on General Education, Pedagogy, and Assessment

Featured Drinks and Dessert

We are thrilled to announce an exciting collaboration this year as we welcome students from Johnson & Wales University (JWU) to the 2024 AAC&U Conference on General Education, Pedagogy, and Assessment (GEPA)! Three talented JWU students have meticulously curated recipes that will be featured at the GEPA Reception and Poster Session on the evening of Thursday, April 11, adding a fresh and innovative twist to our menu for the reception. Their expertise and creativity promise to elevate the reception experience. We are honored to have them contribute and look forward to the culinary delights they will bring to our reception.

Drinks

Sparkling Beehive

Ingredients

  • 0.5 oz Lemon Juice
  • 0.5 oz Simple Syrup
  • 0.75 oz Club Soda
  • 2 oz Mead
  • 0.5 oz White Wine
  • 0.25 oz Dry Vermouth

Garnish

  • 1 garnish toothpick
  • Lemon twist
  • Macnamara Stranger

    Macnamara, or Max, Stanger is a Food and Beverage Industry Management major from
    Westport, CT. Max has spent his JWU career focused on beverage production and sales, and
    makes his own mead which he hopes to pursue as a career. Max designed "Sparkling Beehive"
    to be like it's name; sharp and floral.

Something Spice Mocktail

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz Wander + Found Non-alcoholic Sparkling Rose
  • 1 oz Fluere Zero-proof Smoked Agave
  • 0.75 oz Fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 0.75 oz Equal parts jalapeno simple syrup and lime juice

Garnish

  • Himalayan pink salt (for rim of glass)
  • Lime wedge
  • Lime wheel

Instructions

  1. Prepare lime, lime wedge, lime wheel, salt cellar with pink himalayan salt, orange for juicing, lime for juicing, jalapeno infused simple syrup
  2. Fill a coupe glass with ice and fill with water to chill
  3. In a mixing glass, add: 1 oz Fluere Blue Agave, ¾ oz Fresh Squeezed orange juice, ¾ oz of equal parts lime juice/Jalapeno Simple syrup
  4. Pour ice into mixing glass and shake for 12-15 seconds
  5. Remove ice from coupe and apply himalayan salt on one half of rim; use a lime wedge to assist salt in sticking
  6. Remove ice from coupe glass, double strain contents of mixing glass into coupe
  7. Top with 1.5 oz of Wander + Found Rose
  8. Garnish with a lime wheel and serve

Jalapeno Simple Syrup

Recipe

  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup jalapenos (approximately two large jalapenos)

Instructions

  1. Bring water to a boil
  2. While the water is heating, slice jalapenos thin
  3. Add sugar to boiling water and turn heat down to low
  4. when the sugar has dissolved, add jalapenos and turn heat off; rest for 10 minutes
  5. Strain syrup into jar

Simple syrup can keep for up to one month with refrigeration

  • Emma Love Smith

    Emma Love Smith is a senior at Johnson & Wales University studying Sports, Entertainment,
    Event - Management. During her time at Johnson & Wales, she participated in the Honors
    Program and was the president of two student professional organizations. While working as a
    banquet server, Emma was asked to cover the bar in a pinch, and discovered that that she had
    much to learn about the world of mixology. Since then, Emma has taken a Spirits Management
    class and has expanded her interests into wine and non-alcoholic beverages. When she’s not
    crafting a new mocktail creation, Emma interns as a Wedding Planner

Featured Dessert

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Ingredients

Whoopie Pies

  • 1 2/3 cups All-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

Marshmallow Filling

  • 297 grams marshmallow crème fluff
  • 212 grams unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
  • 140 grams powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • 1 quart butter pecan ice cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
  3. In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the butter and brown sugar on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium high and beat for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
  4. Add the egg and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed for another 3 minutes, or until very well combined. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
  5. Alternating, add the buttermilk and the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add half of the flour mixture then half of the buttermilk to the batter and beat on low until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add remaining buttermilk and flour, beating until combined.
  6. Portion out. Use a medium 1 ½-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop to drop mounds of batter onto prepared baking sheets (cookie sheets lined with parchment paper), spacing 2 inches apart.
  7. Bake Whoopie Pies in a 375°F oven for 11 minutes, or until they spring back slightly when pressed gently and appear dry on top. Allow to cool on pans for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Make the filling. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the marshmallow creme and butter on low speed until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt on low speed until combined then increase to medium high and beat until very smooth, about 3 minutes.
  9. Assemble. Use a medium 1 ½-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop to dollop marshmallow filling on the flat side of half the whoopie pies. Alternatively, use a piping bag to pipe approximately 1 ½-tablespoons of filling on the flat side of half the whoopie pies. Scoop ½ cup of ice cream onto the dollop of marshmallow. Sandwich gently with the remaining whoopie pies.
  10. Roll the edges all around in the pecans. Repeat for all of the sandwiches.
  11. Serve immediately or freeze until ready to serve.
  • Amberlyn Stevens

    Amberlyn Stevens is a senior at Johnson & Wales University majoring in Food and Beverage Industry Management on the Culinary pathway with a minor in Beverage Service Management.