Sunday, March 13, 2011

Culinary Underground: School for Home Cooks

     I am currently taking classes at the Culinary Underground: School for Home Cooks.  My Chef Instructors Lori and Suzanne are amazing!  Although I have been cooking since childhood with my mom and grandmom, I thought it would be smart to start from the beginning.  So I enrolled in the Very Basis Series to hone my basic cooking skills.  And let me tell you.....I learned a lot!  We studied knife skills & kitchen equipment, moist heat cooking, soups & stocks, dry heat cooking, pastas & grains, vegetables, and baking! 

     After the series ended, I was still craving more!  So, I signed up for the Advanced Knife Skills class, Pasta Making class, and Winter Soups class.  I feel that each class I take is broadening my culinary horizons!  I am currently enrolled in the Beyond Basics Series.  Our first class last week focused on herbs and spices.  Chef Lori gave us 4 basic recipes and then 2 variations of each basic recipe featuring different herbs and spices.  It is incredible how much herbs and spices can completely change the feel of a dish!  My favorite recipe of the class was a Lavender Limoncello Cookie.  She gave us a recipe for a basic shortbread cookie and then we added 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped lavender, a few tablespoons of Limoncello liqueur, and grated lemon zest.  They were the most exquisite cookies I have ever tasted!

Tomorrow's class focuses on Appetizers and First Courses.  I can't wait!

La Bonne Vie!

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