Sacramento & Beyond: Cooking Classes Grow in Popularity
Good news, foodies! You don’t need to be in a culinary program to partake in some excellent culinary classes offered in and around Sacramento. Come on – take your spatula by the handle and get ready to learn, create and taste your newest creations in some fun, local culinary hands-on cooking classes. Don’t let the word “culinary” intimidate you. Let your passion for food drive you to some interactive food training.
Crepes, Gnocchi, Truffles……The Learning Exchange
The Learning Exchange is offering up some excellent cooking courses this spring in and around Sacramento. Who wouldn’t like to know how to make perfected crepes or have some fun with a class all about creating Gnocchi or focusing in on French Cooking? These courses have a great variety for any type of cook and are located throughout the city and its suburbs. To learn more about their courses and sign up check out: www.learningexchange.com
Croissant & Empanada Workshops at Co-op Cooking School
Co-op Learning Center and cooking school offers something for everyone: from their extensive cooking class program to health and well-being seminars to a variety of lectures and panel discussions. They love to educate our community about important food, family, health and environmental issues. The Co-op is committed to supporting organic local family farms and small producers of high quality food. They highlight these growers and producers in our specialty food tastings as well as featuring their organically grown ingredients in their cooking classes. How cool is that? www.sacfoodcoop.com
Wake Up Little Sushi & The Chopping Block – Newcastle Produce Spring Cooking Classes
Newcastle Produce classes are taught by Chelsea Federwitz, chef, pastry artist, and graduate from The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Saint Helena, California. All classes include recipes, training, shopping for ingredients, and menu planning. Enjoy edamame and learn how to prepare sticky rice, basic sushi rolls, and sauces. You will make a Spicy tuna, Philadelphia, and a crab roll. You will leave this class knowing everything you need to make your own sushi at home or give your own sushi party! Everyone can use a knife course in their culinary repertoire….knife skills 101 offered once a month. www.newcastleproduce.com
Squash, Beets, Pork and Pie…..Farm to Fork Classes w/ local chef Paulette Bruce
Bring your favorite knife and apron (if you choose) to class. Everything else is provided for you. Each GOOD EATS class includes four hours of hands-on instruction featuring the freshest ingredients from the local farmers markets. The recipes and ingredients will be seasonal, fresh, and tasty! Buying foods harvested from local farms and ranches has always been part of Paulette’s cooking style. Go home with recipe booklet of all the delicious creations from class! www.goodeatscookingclasses.com
Community Tap & Table: Local Pasta and Cheesemaking Classes
Community Tap and Table is a hub for seasonal cooking and beer-food pairing education. Their mission is to elevate beer and food pairing from pub grub and a pint to seasonal, fresh foods paired with American craft and micro brews. They believe in creating personalized, innovate, multi-course and hands on experiences. Learn to turn organic flour and cage free eggs into delicate fresh pasta. Learn how to make sweet potato gnocchi in sage brown butter, a gourmet white lasagna with seasonal veggies and fresh fettuccine. Learn how to make top quality dairy into 4 different varieties of cheeses. Any class with beer or wine has got to be interactive, right? www.communitytapandtable.com
Beyond Sacramento: Hands-on Cooking Classes in Napa Valley
Visitors and locals alike are putting on aprons and rolling up their sleeves in sleek professional kitchens all around the Napa Valley. Most classes are taught by professional chefs who also work as in-house winery or restaurant chefs. They know their stuff, and they’re willing to share a few tricks of the trade in an intimate environment. Cakebread Cellars offers a range of hands-on cooking classes throughout the year. Depending on the subject, classes are held in either the winery kitchen or at the outdoor barbecue area where there’s a wood burning oven. Cedar Gables Inn’s Ultimate Napa Culinary Experience takes place in the inn’s beautiful culinary showcase kitchen. Classes are are taught by top caliber chefs. The tranquil Calistoga Inn, Casa Lana, is a great find for home cooks and food enthusiasts. The Casa Lana curriculum offers a variety of classes ranging in length from five hours to five days. The hands-on classes are taught by Chef Lana Richardson in Casa Lana’s professionally equipped kitchen. Robert Mondavi Winery offers frequent garden-to-table cooking classes that begin in the winery gardens where guests help harvest in-season ingredients and then head to the kitchen to prepare a dish guided by Winery Chef Jeff Mosher.