cal category

Some of the most important tools in a kitchen are the knives you own. This class offers a unique hands-on experience teaching you to easily use a chef’s knife and paring knife. Each participant will receive a variety of vegetables and fruits which the instructor will use to lead the class through learning to slice, dice and julienne. We’ll also learn how to maintain knives at home. ...

Whether or not baking is your thing, this class will teach the how and whys of the baking process! We will begin with a lecture will on how to temper Chocolate; provide understanding of how eggs, baking powder and soda work in baking; steps to cake making; filling, coating and icing a cake. We will discuss the tools and equipment needed for successful baking. Our lesson will be Crème Brûlée Cake with homemade French Pastry Cream and Caramelized Sugar Topping; English Trifle; Fruit Tart with Apricot Glaze; Jan’s Triple Berry Pie with Strawberries, Kiwis and Blackberries; Zeppole (Italian Doughnuts) with Powdered Sugar; Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Filling and Ganache Icing; Port Chocolate Truffles with tempered Chocolate and Chocolate Mousse and Chantilly Cream; Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Curls. ...

In this fun lesson we’ll discover the joy of cooking with fresh herbs by taking a field trip to our Sweet Basil herb garden. After this you can pick from your own garden or the market to enhance the flavors of your foods using herbs! Come expand your knowledge and understanding of each culinary herb. Our lesson will be Radish Orange Herb (Parsley & Mint) Salad with Lime & Curry infused Vinaigrette; Pan Seared Salmon with Lemon-Basil Salsa Verde; Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese-Cilantro Pesto; Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry-Sage Sauce; Steamed Carrots & Snap Peas with Thyme-Mustard Sauce; Fettuccini with Oregano-Lemon Pesto, and Nectarines poached in Lavender-Honey Syrup with Vanilla Ice Cream. ...

Discover how to create the exotic flavors and traditional specialties Indian cuisine is known for. Rich in diversity, its’ spicy, flavorful variety is made up of regional ingredients. We’ll capture the cultural traditions with recipes of popular specialties in this fun interesting class. Join us for Spicy Potato Samosa (Punjabi); Fried Onion Pakoras with Tamarind Chutney; Chicken Tikka Masala; Pork Vindaloo with Turmeric, Cinnamon, & Ginger; Chana Masala; Homemade Garlic Naan, and Semolina-Coconut Cake with Orange & Rose Water. Sign up for the entire series and get the best price! You pay on a sliding scale – with 2-3 classes get 10% off $79.00 or $71.00 each; take 4-5 classes, get 15% off or $67.00 each; and all 6 classes, 20% off or $63.00 each. Sound fun and adventurous? With us you can travel the world without the airfare, or accommodation expense! Join this fun series and tour the culinary world with us!  To sign up for multiple classes, please call us at the store. ...

Take yourself (perhaps invite a friend to join you) out to enjoy this enchanting lunch and DEMONSTRATION lesson. Our menu is Mixed Baby Greens with Aniseed Vinaigrette and Goat Cheese Crostini served with Lemon Fettuccini with Chicken and Pine Nuts. Dessert will be Warm Chocolate-Orange Cakes. ...

Come with your partner to enjoy an amazing meal and three course lesson you’ll prepare with a group of couples. By the end of class, you may feel like you’ve spent the evening with a group of friends, enjoying an adventurous culinary experience! Join us for Cast Iron Shrimp Scampi Amuse with Fresh Herbs & Garlic Butter and Cool Celery Root & Fresh Apple Salad with Hazelnut Vinaigrette, served with Sauvignon Blanc. The entrée is Char-cooked fresh Herb Seasoned Chicken with Parsley-Mint Sauce; Cast Iron Browned Garlic Brussels Sprouts; Agave Glazed Carrots with fresh Rosemary and Homemade Fettuccine with Toasted Walnuts, Parsley, & fresh Grated Parmesan, served with Merlot. Dessert will be Mocha Chip Gelato with Whipped Cream & Toasted Almonds. ...

Learning to create fall specialties from this beautiful country will bring you an experience you can recreate with amazing results at home. Come for a fun morning of cooking to learn this French menu which includes: French Onion Soup with Gruyere Cheese Croutons; Mushroom, Grape, & Blue Cheese Tartines (toasted French Bread “boats” filled with Mushrooms, Red Grapes, Blue Cheese, & thinly sliced Endive); Steak au Poivre with Brandied Cream Sauce (pan-seared Peppercorn crusted NY Strip Steak with a Brandy Cream Sauce); Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic (pan-roasted Chicken pieces with a roasted Garlic Sauce); Alsatian Potatoes with Bacon & Gruyere Cheese (sliced Potatoes, crispy Bacon, browned Onions baked in Chicken Broth and topped with Gruyere Cheese), and Brussels Sprouts Gratin (roasted Brussels Sprouts with a Gruyere & Parmesan Cheese Cream Sauce, topped with crispy Buttered Breadcrumbs). Dessert will be Pear Clafouti (a Cake-like baked Custard filled with in-season sliced Pears). ...

In this class we’ll embrace the amazing foods and flavors harvested this time of year throughout the Italian countryside. Our lesson will make you feel like you’ve stepped into the Tuscan landscape for the best it can offer. Come enjoy Gnocchi Fritto (fried pillows) with Prosciutto de Parma; Italian-style Potato and Cucumber Salad; creamy Tuscan Salmon skillet; Vegetable Calzones; Pasta and Sausage Bake with creamy Pumpkin Sauce; Buffalo Mozzarella-topped Tuscan Meatloaf and Torta della Nonna Shortbread Pastry with Crème Pasticceria) ...

Whether or not baking is your thing, this class will teach the how and whys of the baking process! We will begin with a lecture will on how to temper Chocolate; provide understanding of how eggs, baking powder and soda work in baking; steps to cake making; filling, coating and icing a cake. We will discuss the tools and equipment needed for successful baking. Our lesson will be Crème Brûlée Cake with homemade French Pastry Cream and Caramelized Sugar Topping; English Trifle; Fruit Tart with Apricot Glaze; Jan’s Triple Berry Pie with Strawberries, Kiwis and Blackberries; Zeppole (Italian Doughnuts) with Powdered Sugar; Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Filling and Ganache Icing; Port Chocolate Truffles with tempered Chocolate and Chocolate Mousse and Chantilly Cream; Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Curls. ...

We’re introducing the NEXT series of the Sweet Basil Cook Club with a new approach to learning about cooking! From the Cook Club lessons this summer, we’ve cooked and learned so much and had amazing fun! Our in depth study of 12 subjects includes: Fresh Pasta and Sauces;  Cheese making; Chicken Cookery and safety; Bar-B-Q & Grilling Meats;  Fresh Vegetables; Egg Cookery, Bread baking how to cook Fish and so much more! Here’s what one of our participants said of her experience in the Cook Club. “The Cook Club is Amazing! Jan takes one subject each week and provides written materials and shares her own experiences. She teaches the science of each topic and encourages students to try things (in a new way). At the end of class, we discuss what worked and didn’t and why. I have learned so much!” Each lesson begins with a recipe review, then demonstration of ingredients & their uses; discussion of the tools and equipment used; the science (how and why the cooking process happens); hands-on cooking lesson, ending with a buffet of the foods prepared. Last, a discussion & evaluation of what was created - like a Book Club but way more delicious!! Sound fun and lively? You bet it is! You’ll be amazed how much you will learn in 12 weeks. These are our subjects: Beef; Potatoes; Soup Making; Grains, Seeds & Nuts; Corn; Squash; Yeast Breads; Pies; Shellfish; Winter Vegetables; Sausage Making & Desserts. At this time, you can get in on the ground level. and be part of a group of Foodies! Don’t wait! Secure your spot on Monday nights 6:30 – 9:30 PM and get ready for a culinary adventure that will change your life forever! ...

Pasta from scratch is fresh and full of flavors unlike any other, so satisfying and fresh it practically melts in your mouth. Each person in class will have a chance to start from scratch, knead, stretch and cut fresh Pasta. From there we’ll use packaged Pasta to prepare meals for hungry families on the go! Come for a great lesson to make fresh Fettucine with Pesto Sauce; Gemelli Alfredo with Prosciutto & creamy Parmesan Sauce; Italian Turkey Meatball Soup with Orzo and Escarole; Spinach & Rosemary Ricotta Lasagna Rolls; baked Penne with Italian Turkey Sausage and Baby Portobello in Mushroom White Sauce; Chorizo Wonton Ravioli with warm Tomato Salsa, and baked Blueberry Cinnamon Egg Noodle Pudding. ...

If you’ve ever wanted to be a good home cook, this 12-week series is meant for you! We teach A to Z about cooking and each week you are introduced to a new subject explored (cooked) by the group. This fun series includes lectures, demonstrations, hands-on learning and a meal of the foods prepared each week. Be part of a group learning about the basics of cooking. The lessons include by week: Kitchen Basics and Knife Skills, Soups & Sauces; Sauteing and Braising; Eggs; Grilling and Roasting; Fish and Shellfish; Potatoes, Pasta and Rice; Quick Breads and Yeast Breads; Desserts; Hors d’oeuvres; Desserts; International Foods, and Graduation Dinner. Give yourself the freedom to eat the way you want for your diet or health. Enjoy foods made with no preservatives, prepared from scratch. You’ll come away enriched with new knowledge, abilities and 12 weeks of fun experiences. ...