Pie Perfection

Want to learn how to make a great pie from scratch?

Does pie making challenge you?  Chef Valerie says it shouldn’t, and she should know, she was named one of the top 6 Pie Makers in Michigan!

Join us for a pastry session that will make you famous. Learn to make pie crusts and follow it up with baking a tasty pie using in-season fruit. You’ll take your pie home to enjoy (and brag about)!

Truly with a few good tips it is easy to get rid of store-bought and be the pie maker that is famous in your family. Bring your beverage of choice if you wish.

You will start by assembling a pie and getting it in the oven.  Then, while it is baking, learn all of the steps by making the pie pastry.  Examples would be tips on adapting the recipe to any fruit pie, how to finish a great pie with various top pastry adaptions (lattice crust, cut-outs, rustic), and finishing options (egg wash, cream wash, etc.)  Even learn about some tools that would be helpful.

$42 per person making 1 pie

$69 for 2 people making 1 pie

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Pie

In each box below, click on the name of the class you are interested in to see it’s description and schedule.  Remember you can request a class to be scheduled at a time/date that suits your calendar.  Use the Select by Category box to jump around by various topics.  Don’t see a topic of interest?  Make a request, the Chef loves a challenge.

Two Crust Pies

Pie Perfection – Flavor is seasonal

Pie Perfection – Flavor is Customer’s Choice

Mincemeat – Really, give it a try

Real Pot Pie – No Cans/Boxes

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One Crust Pies

Cheesecake Pie

Cream Pie – Flavor varies

Pecan Pie – (old school, real food ingredients, no corn syrup)

Pumpkin Pie Perfection – (from a pumpkin)

Single Crust Pie – Flavor is Customer’s Choice

Quiche – Real men don’t just eat it, they make it!

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Kid’s Young Chef Series ages 11-15

Kids:  Young Chef Cooking Series

Designed for young people, aged 11 to 15.
This series of classes is designed for young people who are interested in engaging in a deeper understanding of food mastery.  Skills learned are Food Safety, Basic Culinary Skills, Basic Knife Skills, Kitchen Etiquette, and Self-Esteem.  Students do not need to register for all the classes at the same time.  But they must complete them in order of the series.   Each session 1 through 4 is $45, session 5 is $60 – 

Sessions cover:

  1. Knife Skills and Food and Kitchen Safety: To provide a sound foundation for future lessons, students will learn safe use of a stovetop, basic kitchen conduct, terminology, and knife skills.
  2. Introduction to Baking and Pan Frying: This session lightly engages the students in foundation skills for baking (proper way to measure, how to crack eggs, not overworking certain doughs) and for pan frying (how to properly heat the pan, adding oil, when to flip, safety).
  3. Food Safety and Pastry: Students will learn to avoid contamination of foodborne illness. Additionally, they will learn more delicate baking methods.
  4. More advanced Knife Skills and Fruit/Vegetables: Peeling potatoes and cubing them, peeling apples and slicing them are part of this session. As is making a basic vinaigrette.
  5. Young Chef Skills Demonstration: In this fifth and final session. Students will be planning and making a full meal that demonstrates their progressive learning over the previous 4 young chef sessions. One adult per student has the option to join the class ($18 for this ticket) at the end and dinner is served!

 Go back to the Kid’s Cooking Class main page to select specific courses as listed above.

Book Session 1:

Kids aged 11-15: Session 1- $45

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Sourdough Starter

How To Series – Show Me How To….

Sourdough Starter

Sourdough bread is a fantastic artisan skill.
Enjoy a little biology and chemistry while learning how to start your own sourdough “mother”. This starter can be used to make bread with or (if you are a purist) without commercial yeast. At Art of Cookery our sourdough bread contains ZERO commercial yeast. You can do this easily at home also. In this session, assemble the sourdough mother. Learn how to finish it in just a few minutes a day. It takes about a week of daily attention. Enjoy sourdough bread and good times, great artisan learning. Bring a mason jar or other container and a lid.  

Be sure to register to attend the next session Sourdough Bread to learn how to use your starter.  

Onsite:  $19

Online:  $15

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Pate a Choux Cream Puffs

How To Series – Show Me How To….

Make Pate a Choux

Pate a Choux is a unique dough that is the base for cream puffs, eclairs, beignets, churros, and many other pastries. 

Once the technique for making the dough is mastered, the pastries are a breeze and impressive to serve. 

In this session, learn to make this unique cooked dough; and, finish by experiencing how easy cream puffs are to make with it!

Adult:  $29

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Use Convection Cooking

How To Series – Show Me How To….

Master Convection Cooking

Convection cooking doesn’t have to feel mysterious. In this hands‑on workshop, Chef Valerie Hanson will show you exactly how convection ovens and air fryers work — and how they compare to traditional baking and roasting.

You’ll learn:

  • What foods shine in convection and air frying
  • What not to cook with these methods
  • How to convert traditional recipes to convection times and temps
  • How to choose the right method for the best results

Then you’ll put it all into practice. Participants will experience the same foods three ways — traditional, convection, and air frying — and see (and taste!) the real‑world differences. We’ll finish by enjoying warm cookie balls and perfectly roasted veggies.

Adult  $25

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I Have a Dutch Oven…What Can I Do With it?

I Have a Dutch Oven – What do I cook with it?

Do you have a Dutch Oven?  Do you know what one is?  If you only have one pot in your kitchen, the versatile Dutch Oven is the one to have.  Participants will learn how to bake bread, braise meat, bake a skillet cookie, and fry chicken.  WHEW.  Yes.  You can do this and so much more.  Ideally your Dutch Oven will be cast iron, but less durable ones work too.

Adult $60

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Vegan Old Fashioned Doughnuts

Gluten Free Vegan Donuts

Make doughnuts so good and light no one would believe they are vegan and gluten free! You will learn baked and fried methods.  History suggests that donuts (aka doughnuts) are a true American creation. Dating to the 1800s this pastry with a hole has developed over time into many varieties. In this session, learn the basics of making these vegan donuts and of course, make and eat donuts!  We will using a deep fryer so long sleeves would be in order.

Adult $40.00

Children 10-16 $47

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Old Fashioned Donuts

Old Fashioned Donuts

History suggests that donuts (aka doughnuts) are a true American creation. Dating to the 1800s this pastry with a hole has developed over time into many varieties. In this session, learn the basics of making these sour cream donuts and of course, make and eat donuts!  We will using a deep fryer so long sleeves would be in order.

Children 10 -15 $44

Adults $39

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Crazy Cooking Dinner Challenge

Crazy Cooking – Dinner Challenge

Great fun whether you are already a good cook, or just learning!
This crazy fun session is about creating a fantastic meal from random ingredients and no recipes!  You’ll be competing with others and cooking way it was done in days long gone. There was no quick trip to the grocery store for ingredients for that one recipe, meals were prepared based on what was available. Participants will be divided into teams of two and challenged to make a specific dish (Salad/Soup, Main, Side, Dessert) Valerie will work with participants on how to select salty, crunchy, sweet, acidic…etc. to enhance flavors. Each dish has a mystery basket with four ingredients that must be used. Learn how to decide to pair foods. And learn some neat kitchen tricks too!

Everyone sits down to dine together on their unique and flavorful meal and voting anonymously on the best dish. Enjoy food, fun, and new friends. This is great for anyone from singles, to date night, to friends, to Mom & daughters, to co-workers. Participants are welcome to bring a bottle of wine to enjoy if they wish. A minimum of 4 participants needed to run this session and it only costs $49! Think of that…you are getting a full hearty and delicious meal AND a cooking class.

Pre-registration necessary! Call or email to register.
Limited to first 8 Registrants. Must have a minimum of 4 to run the session.

$49.00

Adult On-Site $49

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