A quickie

Happy New Year all!  I have only a minute but wanted to send you a quick note to say thanks for being a reader of this blog.  Know that John and I wish each of you a healthy, prosperous, and happy 2022.

Below is this week’s menu.  I’ve decided to add a Menu page to my website’s um….menu.  🙂  Look at top of the page between the Class Listing and About Us pages.  I will post it there first, before posting it anywhere else.  I did that because I know a blog post may not always happen weekly, but the menu will.

Today I have made fresh the Rotini, Sauerkraut, Tomato Soup.  I won’t be making anything else until Saturday at the earliest as there are a LOT of charcuterie orders to get filled tomorrow.  Email or text if you want to get some of those three foods.  All are super delicious.  I’ve posted some pics below the menu.

Also….this is exciting but also a challenge….I’m getting a giant new stove delivered today.  MORE BURNERS!!!

Upcoming Class

Get a new stove yourself?  Maybe an air fryer/convection toaster oven or microwave for Christmas?  Didn’t know that air fryers are the same thing as convection cooking?  

I have an upcoming class for you.

January 4 at 12 noon.  How to use convection cooking.  Only $20.  Click here to go right to booking a ticket.

Opening Fully!!

Art of Cookery is Reopening Fully for In-Person Classes

Like so many other small businesses, Art of Cookery shut down in March 2020.  Many attempts were made to provide live online classes via Zoom.   However, those classes just were not engaging public interest.

Recently, we’ve done a few small group live classes for people who are in the same “bubble” while we wore masks.  

Now, we are fully vaccinated and the CDC recommendations are that it would be safe enough to increase class sizes and allow unrelated class participants who are vaccinated to attend and no masks are required!!  That’s pretty exciting.  Unvaccinated persons cannot attend unmasked in a mixed group of unrelated persons.

There are many classes on the schedule including some youth classes.

Upcoming Classes

There are too many classes on our schedule to list them all here, and some are booked out with no more tickets available, but here is a highlight of some you may be interested in.

Pickled Asparagus on June 7th at 5:30 pm.  Learn how to make this delectable and unique local delicacy.  Learn some home canning techniques too!

Quiche on June 12 at 2 pm.  Learn tips and techniques for this quintessential brunch/breakfast dish.

Kids Young Chef Series June 14, 21, 28, July 12 & 19 at 11 am.  It is for young people ages 10-16 who are interested in truly learning how to cook.

Condiment Series: Ketchup o!n June 17 at 5:30.  Learn how to make ketchup from scratch and to control what goes into this condiment favorite.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner on June 23 at 12 noon.  Together make this delicious and vibrant full meal…and then sit down and enjoy it at Art of Cookery

Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing on July 2 at 1 pm.  These are great to celebrate any holiday

Cookery Creations Meal Kits are A Hit

The meal kits were rolled out for orders in early May and are well received.  These aren’t boxes with whole, raw produce and proteins.  The veggies have been prepped to the recipe and much of the dinner is so close to finished that you have only a few steps. 

They tend to take between 20 to 30 minutes for a hearty, complete meal. 

The second menu set was just posted today.  Check it out!  There’s something for everyone…even a vegan option.

Make Your Own Chili Powder

Did you know chili powder is not simply powdered dry chilies? It is a blend of various spices.  Chef Valerie makes most spice blends she uses instead of purchasing them.  

Here is a great chili powder recipe.  Ideally you blend it in a small food processor or, better yet, a coffee grinder, but you don’t need to.

Print Recipe

Chili Powder

This quick mix is a very tasty chili powder and was developed by Chef Valerie at Art of Cookery
Prep Time5 minutes
Author: vkhanson

Equipment

  • Coffee Grinder

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 2.5 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1.5 tsp paprika
  • 1.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1.5 tsp dried oregano
  • 1.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 1.5 tsp onion powder
  • 3/4 tsp chipotle powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Mix everything together and pulse in coffee grinder. Store the resulting chili powder in a sealed container.

Yaki Udon

Yaki Udon (Happens to also be Vegan)

Have a wok?  Want to learn to use it properly?  Join us for this tasty session making a Japanese heritage dish.   Yaki Udon are smooth noodles eaten with sauce, & vegetables, (Occasionally meat) normally in a dish using a wok for cooking.    As a group the class will be making the noodles from scratch, creating the sauce, and putting the whole dish together using a wok.  Great way to “wok” into Asian cooking.  The resulting dish will be divided up and sent home with participants.  Incidentally, this is a fully Vegan session.

Adult $40

Couple $70

Aged 10-15 $44

Book Now

Gourmet Pasta Meal

Make a Gourmet Pasta Meal from Scratch

Date Night or Friends Evening Out

Fresh pasta, sauces, and wine… you can’t argue with that combination as it has stood the test of time and will always be a fantastic way to spend an evening.  No boxes of dried pasta, no frozen anything.  You’ll learn how easy and more delicious it can be to make your meal from whole foods and elevate them to gourmet status!

This class is an adult only cooking class where you’ll enjoy a couple complimentary glasses of wine, or you can bring your own favorite wine to enjoy as you learn how to create pasta; such as, ravioli, gnocchi, tortellini, linguine and more.

The class will be different based on season, so you can keep coming back!

  • One time make Spaghetti, Meatballs, Marinara, oven-roasted garlic Crostini, and an Orange-Fennel salad.
  • Another, Fettuccine Alfredo over Acorn Squash with Seared Sausage.
  • And still another, create Spinach & Cheese Ravioli with Franciase sauce, Portabella “steak” and Garlic Bread.
  • In the spring enjoy Asparagus & Snow Peas with Almonds and Poached eggs over Spaghetti.
  • Perhaps the session you come next will be Gnocchi with Pesto served over Bacon Bolognese…the possibilities are endless.

Spread the word and let’s have a pasta party! This session can be attended by vegetarian and carnivorous folks side by side. Chef does need to know in advance what each diet preference is.
Each session includes instructions, complimentary wine, plus the meal. You’ll be able to sit together and dine on your creations and make memories as well! A cooking class AND

dinner….perfect fun.

If you are the first to book a session, you have the option to choose the pasta type, or keep it as listed.

$60.00 per single ticket purchase.
$56 per ticket if purchasing 3 or more tickets. Read More

Lasagna Magnificence

Pasta: Lasagna

Make a STELLAR traditional lasagna all from scratch, even the sauce AND the noodles. 

Discover tips & tricks to cut down time and adjust for your tastes. 

Take a baked 8×8″ lasagna home.

Adult taking baked lasagna home: $45

Adult ticket where 2 people are making 1 lasagna to take home: $37 pp

Book Now

Young Chef Cooking Series – Session V

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.  This  is a five session series with the first four lasting 1 1/2 hours and the last one lasting 2 hours:

Session V: 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 at the end and dinner is served!

Student aged 11-15:  $60

Adult attending for the meal at the end: $18

Book Now

Kids’ Foodie Bootcamp

Kids’ Foodie Bootcamp Day long event

Designed for young people, aged 12 to 17.
This daylong is designed for young people who are interested in engaging in a deeper understanding of food mastery.  Skills learned are Food Safety, Basic and Intermediate Culinary Skills, Basic Knife Skills, Kitchen Etiquette, and Self-Esteem.  Don’t pack a lunch, they are making all three meals of the day to enjoy.

Topics covered as the day (and their skills) progress:

  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.  They will be making a light breakfast for themselves.
  2. Introduction to Baking and Pan Frying: 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 learn to avoid contamination of foodborne illness. Additionally, they learn more delicate baking methods.  They will be making their lunch.
  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: Students will be planning and making a full meal that demonstrates their progressive learning throughout the day. One adult per student has the option to join the class ($18 for this ticket) at the end and dinner is served!

Use the Book Now button below to book this daylong bootcamp that is from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, with any participating adults arriving for the end of the day meal prepared by their young chefs at 4:00 pm. 

Students aged 12-17: $220

Adult attending day’s end meal: $18

Book Now

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

Book Now

Rock Your Pot! Electric Pressure Cooking

How To Series – Show Me How To….

Rock Your POT!  Electric Pressure Cooker Cooking

Learn to ROCK your POT!  Interested in getting an electric pressure cooker but curious if it is for you?  Have one but are a bit afraid of it?  Just want to enjoy cooking a meal your family will love easily? 

Come for this session and cook an entire meal using the pressure cooker.  Bring friends/family…make friends and good food! 

Together, participants will make a family friendly meal with a Moroccan flair.  Make: Sweet and Sour Cabbage, Moroccan Mac and Cheese, Meatballs with Cilantro Pesto, and Chai Rice Pudding.   Sign up as a couple and you have a fun and interesting date, complete with dinner!

This meal also can be entirely gluten free (swapping out the regular macaroni for GF) and nutritious. 

You will learn how to make all of these dishes in about an hour AND learn different functions of your pot.  After making the dishes, sit down and enjoy the meal!  Feel free to bring a beverage of choice to enjoy.

$42 per person or $76 for a couple

Book Now