Happy Friday, Loves!
I can't believe how quickly the week flew by. It seems like I just overcame my hangover from last weekend.
Anywayyyssss, I have been taking some super fun cooking classes lately, and I wanted to share some details about them. I am always looking for a new activity, so when my coworker recommended cooking classes at The Pantry, I jumped at the opportunity. It is the cutest community kitchen that hosts classes and other fun events. Plus, it is just around the corner from this adorable bar which makes it the perfect night out.
My first experience at the Pantry was a class titled Cooking by the Seat of your Pants that Zach picked out & it turned out to be a perfect introduction to the community kitchen atmosphere. The teacher had each student send in a random ingredient they had in their pantry, and she came up with an entire menu based around them. The food was incredible, but it also taught me some skills I could apply to cooking everyday. She highlighted the importance of dishes having salt, sweet, umami/protein, acid, fat, & crunch. I also loved her creativity when it came to salads, encouraging us to consider roasted herbs and veggies rather than the traditional lettuce & dressing. Finally, she reminded us that when in doubt, throw an egg on it! After this first class, we were hooked.
Next, Zach and I tried Cooking with Beer. This class was too much fun. We started with a beer tasting where we discussed general pairing tips and got a little tipsy ourselves. Next we made an incredible clam dish with a lager followed by IPA Marinated Pork Shoulder with a Honey Glaze. I am not kidding you, this was one of the tenderest cuts of meat I had ever tasted. We also made a Goat Cheese Salad with a Pale Ale Caramel & Hard Cider Vinaigrette and a Stout Custard Root Beer Float for dessert. The meal was seriously phenomenal... And that wasn't just the beer talking.
The next class Zach and I took was called Duck is the New Chicken. I have recently entered into a love affair with all things duck, so I couldn't pass up this rendezvous. The menu was comprised of Smoked Duck Breast Salad with Duck Fat Vinaigrette, Duck Tartare with Cured Duck Yolks and Truffle Salt, Duck Eggs en Cocotte with Chantrelles and Gruyere, Duck Fat Potatoes, and Duck Rillettes with Pickled Cherry Conserva. Holy shit, you guys... Easily one of the richest meals I've ever had but also one of the best. Needless to say, my shameless affair continues.
Our fourth class was Peruvian Street Food which was such a fun one for Zach and I. Neither of us had ever had Peruvian food, so it was a totally new experience. We made these awesome Marinated Beef Skewers with a Yellow and Green Chili Sauce which were super easy and super delicious. Next we made Shrimp and Octopus Ceviche with Fried Peanuts, Shallots, and Plantains. In the words of Janice from Friends... "Oh. My. God" I think Fried Shallots are my new favorite food group. Seriously, where the hell have they been my whole life! We also made a tasty trout dish which we barbecued in banana leaves, but the real bell of the ball (other then the fried shallots, of course) was the Fried Yuca with Peruvian Cheese Sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
My next class was Steakhouse Classics which I actually took alone. It was taught by Darin, the same guy that taught Cooking with Beer. Obviously I couldn't I couldn't turn it down and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. It ended up being Darin's last class, so he really turned it up. We made Cornmeal Crusted Onion Rings, Butermilk Basil Dressing, Blackened Cauliflower and Green Bean Salad with Parmesan, Pan Seared New York Strip Loin, Seared Mushrooms with Garlic and Tarragon Butter, and Brown Butter Pound Cake. Everything we made was insanely delicious (especially the Corn Meal Crusted Onion Rings), but I really appreciated the time he dedicated to the steak. I mean, it was a Steakhouse class, but still. He went into great detail about the best cuts of meat, how long to cook them, different searing & broiling techniques, and even showed us how to baste. I loved this class so much and am totally bummed Darin won't be around any longer.
My next class was solo as well... How independent am I? In reality, it is totally cool to take these classes alone, but it still makes me feel super BA. Anyways, this was a Poke class taught by Jay, the same teacher that taught our duck class. You guys, it was AWESOME. I have been super into Poke since I got back from Maui, so now I feel super empowered to make it myself. In this class, we made 3 basic pokes... Salmon, Tuna, and Fried Tofu... And spent the remainder of the class making fun garnishes to eat with them. We made sweet Macadamia Nuts, Marinated Cucumber, Surimi Salad, Rice, and my personal favorite, fried shallots. By the end of the meal, the Poke was just an agent to get those golden nuggets into my mouth. SO GOOD!
Last night I took a Filipino Class with my coworker and it was absolutely incredible. I love Filipino food thanks to my roommate Mark, his girlfriend Jen, and their awesome families that keep us swimming in all sorts of different cuisines from the Philippines. I knew I would love the food in this class, plus it was taught by Jay so I had no doubt that this class would be great. Expectations were exceeded! We made Sea Bass Kinilaw (similar to ceviche), Chicken Adobo, Garlic Fried Rice, Ginataang Puso ng Saging, and finally LUMPIA. Honestly, the whole meal could have been Lumpia and I would have been thrilled, but I truly loved everything we made.
Cheers to great meals & new experiences.
My first experience at the Pantry was a class titled Cooking by the Seat of your Pants that Zach picked out & it turned out to be a perfect introduction to the community kitchen atmosphere. The teacher had each student send in a random ingredient they had in their pantry, and she came up with an entire menu based around them. The food was incredible, but it also taught me some skills I could apply to cooking everyday. She highlighted the importance of dishes having salt, sweet, umami/protein, acid, fat, & crunch. I also loved her creativity when it came to salads, encouraging us to consider roasted herbs and veggies rather than the traditional lettuce & dressing. Finally, she reminded us that when in doubt, throw an egg on it! After this first class, we were hooked.
Next, Zach and I tried Cooking with Beer. This class was too much fun. We started with a beer tasting where we discussed general pairing tips and got a little tipsy ourselves. Next we made an incredible clam dish with a lager followed by IPA Marinated Pork Shoulder with a Honey Glaze. I am not kidding you, this was one of the tenderest cuts of meat I had ever tasted. We also made a Goat Cheese Salad with a Pale Ale Caramel & Hard Cider Vinaigrette and a Stout Custard Root Beer Float for dessert. The meal was seriously phenomenal... And that wasn't just the beer talking.
The next class Zach and I took was called Duck is the New Chicken. I have recently entered into a love affair with all things duck, so I couldn't pass up this rendezvous. The menu was comprised of Smoked Duck Breast Salad with Duck Fat Vinaigrette, Duck Tartare with Cured Duck Yolks and Truffle Salt, Duck Eggs en Cocotte with Chantrelles and Gruyere, Duck Fat Potatoes, and Duck Rillettes with Pickled Cherry Conserva. Holy shit, you guys... Easily one of the richest meals I've ever had but also one of the best. Needless to say, my shameless affair continues.
Our fourth class was Peruvian Street Food which was such a fun one for Zach and I. Neither of us had ever had Peruvian food, so it was a totally new experience. We made these awesome Marinated Beef Skewers with a Yellow and Green Chili Sauce which were super easy and super delicious. Next we made Shrimp and Octopus Ceviche with Fried Peanuts, Shallots, and Plantains. In the words of Janice from Friends... "Oh. My. God" I think Fried Shallots are my new favorite food group. Seriously, where the hell have they been my whole life! We also made a tasty trout dish which we barbecued in banana leaves, but the real bell of the ball (other then the fried shallots, of course) was the Fried Yuca with Peruvian Cheese Sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
My next class was Steakhouse Classics which I actually took alone. It was taught by Darin, the same guy that taught Cooking with Beer. Obviously I couldn't I couldn't turn it down and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. It ended up being Darin's last class, so he really turned it up. We made Cornmeal Crusted Onion Rings, Butermilk Basil Dressing, Blackened Cauliflower and Green Bean Salad with Parmesan, Pan Seared New York Strip Loin, Seared Mushrooms with Garlic and Tarragon Butter, and Brown Butter Pound Cake. Everything we made was insanely delicious (especially the Corn Meal Crusted Onion Rings), but I really appreciated the time he dedicated to the steak. I mean, it was a Steakhouse class, but still. He went into great detail about the best cuts of meat, how long to cook them, different searing & broiling techniques, and even showed us how to baste. I loved this class so much and am totally bummed Darin won't be around any longer.
My next class was solo as well... How independent am I? In reality, it is totally cool to take these classes alone, but it still makes me feel super BA. Anyways, this was a Poke class taught by Jay, the same teacher that taught our duck class. You guys, it was AWESOME. I have been super into Poke since I got back from Maui, so now I feel super empowered to make it myself. In this class, we made 3 basic pokes... Salmon, Tuna, and Fried Tofu... And spent the remainder of the class making fun garnishes to eat with them. We made sweet Macadamia Nuts, Marinated Cucumber, Surimi Salad, Rice, and my personal favorite, fried shallots. By the end of the meal, the Poke was just an agent to get those golden nuggets into my mouth. SO GOOD!
Last night I took a Filipino Class with my coworker and it was absolutely incredible. I love Filipino food thanks to my roommate Mark, his girlfriend Jen, and their awesome families that keep us swimming in all sorts of different cuisines from the Philippines. I knew I would love the food in this class, plus it was taught by Jay so I had no doubt that this class would be great. Expectations were exceeded! We made Sea Bass Kinilaw (similar to ceviche), Chicken Adobo, Garlic Fried Rice, Ginataang Puso ng Saging, and finally LUMPIA. Honestly, the whole meal could have been Lumpia and I would have been thrilled, but I truly loved everything we made.
If you're looking for a fun new experience, a different idea for date night, or just an awesome gift, I highly recommend a cooking class. The Pantry classes run about $80/person which is a little steep, but you get at least two glasses of wine, and awesome meal, cooking skills, recipes, and an overall awesome night.
Cheers to great meals & new experiences.
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