Spring 2011 Cooking Classes

Kitchen Conservatory's spring schedule is now posted. To register, call Kitchen Conservatory at 314-862-2665 or register online. Here are my upcoming classes:

SUSHI ROCK AND ROLL - Saturday, Feb. 12 @ 12:00-2:30 OR Saturday, March 19 @ 12:00-2:30 (hands-on)

• Wrap and roll your favorite sushi in a hands-on class. Learn to use a variety of ingredients to create incredible hand rolls that will showcase your inner artist. Enjoy salt-and-pepper edamame, then learn to prepare sticky sushi rice and make a variety of hand-formed nigiri, and rolled maki, including spicy tuna rolls, California rolls and Philadelphia rolls. Create lemongrass sorbet for a refreshing dessert.

GIRLS' NIGHT OUT: JUST GRATE! - Saturday, March 5 @ 6:30-9:00 (demonstration)

• Enjoy camembert fondue with crudités, crispy baked cheddar straws, fromage fort canapés, gorgonzola custards with pears and hazelnut vinaigrette, plus baked goat cheese with spicy tomato chutney. Served with white wine sangria.

GIRLS' NIGHT OUT: EDUCATING 'RITA - Saturday, March 26 @ 6:30-9:00 (demonstration)

• Menu includes champagne margaritas, tuna ceviche, grilled shrimp soft tacos with mango guacamole, Mexican grilled corn salad, and strawberry-lime sorbet.

DATE NIGHT FOR COUPLES: GOLDILOCKS & THE THREE BEERS - Sunday, April 3 @ 5:00-7:30 (hands-on)

• Forget the porridge, chair, and sleeping - the three tastings of beer will be just right and plenty cold! Join me (aka "goldie" locks) & my beermeister husband in a fun evening for couples. This hands-on class will prepare beer cheese fondue with soft pretzels, local lager with spicy Sriracha chicken wings, fruity Belgian wheat beer with grilled scallops and corn salad, plus creamy stout with chocolate hazelnut cake and vanilla ice cream.

DATE NIGHT FOR COUPLES: FROM BEER TO SUSHI ETERNITY - Friday, April 15 @ 6:00-8:30 (hands-on)

• Be prepared for a fun evening of sushi designed just for couples. Enjoy salt-and-pepper edamame & spicy cucumber salad, then learn to prepare sticky sushi rice and make a variety of hand-formed nigiri, and rolled maki, including spicy tuna rolls, California rolls and Philadelphia rolls -- all served with cold beer that Jerad has chosen to pair perfectly with sushi. Finally, we'll make lemongrass sorbet for a refreshing dessert. 

HEIR AND A PARENT: WIZARDS IN THE KITCHEN - Saturday, April 16 @ 10:00-12:30 OR Sunday, May 1 @ 1:00-3:30 OR Saturday, June 18 @ 10:00-12:30  (hands-on)

• Attention all Muggles! Experience the world of Harry Potter and make magic in the kitchen as I help you prepare delightful dishes described throughout the J.K. Rowling series, including The Three Broomsticks' butterbeer, ham & cheese pasties from the Hogwarts house-elves, Mrs. Weasley's potatoes with béchamel sauce, and Aunt Petunia's individual berry & pudding trifles. Before you apparate home, you'll make edible wands to help ward off He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. This class is designed for children, at least 7 years of age, plus a parent. 

GIRLS' NIGHT OUT: ROYAL WEDDING - Friday, April 29 @ 6:30-9:00 (demonstration)

• If your invitation to the royal wedding at Westminster Abbey was lost in the mail, join me for an evening of celebration. In proper English tradition, dine on smoked mackerel toasts, chilled pea and mint soup, individual cottage pies - the British version of shepherd's pie with beef (Prince William's favorite dish!), plus lavender cupcakes with royal icing. Finish by raising a toast to the newlyweds with a Pimm's Cup cocktail.

DATE NIGHT FOR COUPLES: LIFE IS A CABERNET - Friday, May 6 @ 6:30-9:00 (hands-on)

• Learn to cook with the wonderful flavors of wine in this delightful hands-on class. The class designed for couples will prepare mushroom-red pepper salad with red wine-herb vinaigrette, oven-roasted beef tenderloin with roasted red grape wine sauce, homemade ravioli stuffed with ricotta and nuts with a creamy asparagus chardonnay sauce, plus fabulous flourless chocolate-red wine cake with rosemary ganache -- all enjoyed with cabernet wine.

DATE NIGHT FOR COUPLES: THE HARD EDGE TO THE BIG EASY - Saturday, May 21 @ 6:00-8:30  (hands-on)

• This hands-on class for couples is all about the Cajun cuisine of New Orleans and hard ciders! Jerad has selected two incredible ciders to pair with fried pickles and bacon-wrapped grilled jalapeños stuffed with chorizo. Learn to create andouille-pork burgers, sweet potato fries, red beans and rice, plus white chocolate bread pudding with bourbon sauce.

RECIPE REDUX: AVEC ERIC - Sunday, June 5 @ 1:00-3:30 (demonstration)

• I have chosen five of my favorite recipes from Eric Ripert's Avec Eric: salmon rillettes, roasted leg of lamb, roasted carrots with baby pea shoots and curry vinaigrette, asparagus with anchovy butter, plus macerated strawberries with aged balsamic ice cream.

FLOUR CHILD - Sunday, June 12 @ 1:00-3:30 (hands-on)

• Love beads are not required for a lighthearted afternoon of savory baking in the kitchen. We'll be baking blue cheese gougères, black olive sablés, rosemary-potato focaccia, pesto palmiers, chorizo-pine nut bread, and spicy pistachio-parmesan cheese straws.

ADULT WIZARDS IN THE KITCHEN - Tuesday, June 21 @ 6:30-9:00 (hands-on)

• Attention all adult Muggles! Experience the world of Harry Potter and make magic in the kitchen as we prepare delightful dishes described throughout the J.K. Rowling series, including an alcoholic version of The Three Broomsticks's butterbeer, ham-and-cheese pasties from the Hogwarts house-elves, Mrs. Weasley's potatoes with béchamel sauce, shredded sprouts slaw, and Aunt Petunia's individual berry pudding trifles.

GIRLS' NIGHT OUT: BEST OF THE BLOG - Friday, June 24 @ 6:30-9:00 (demonstration)

• To celebrate four years as a food blogger, I'm sharing my best recipes from among hundreds. Sip on my Uncle David's infamous margaritas, then enjoy caramelized onion dip with pita chips, stunning tomato tarte Tatin, beet ravioli with poppy seed butter and basil, chorizo-potato-mushroom soft tacos, plus peanut butter and bacon truffles (which I served at my wedding reception).