SWEET BASIL COOK CLUB
THE SWEET BASIL COOK CLUB IN SCOTTSDALE, AZ
The SWEET BASIL COOK CLUB begins July 11th – September 26th, 2022
Every Monday 6:30 – 9:30 PM
We’re introducing the new Sweet Basil Cook Club with a new & fun approach to cooking and how to do it. What better way to spend the long sizzling summer than getting involved with a group of Foodies learning about cooking!
In this series we’ll approach cooking by addressing the HOW and WHY of the cooking process. Imagine understanding the difference between egg and water made Pasta; how to store cheese properly so it lasts; how to work with Chicken, keeping it safe through the cooking process. Each week we take on a new topic. The lesson will take you from knowing a little about how to cook it to having a complete well-rounded understanding of the subject and cooking process.
With each lesson we’ll become immersed in our topic! Starting with a review of the recipes, we’ll move to demonstration of ingredients and tips on how to best use them; demo and discussion of the tools and equipment used in preparation; next, the science of the food & understanding of ingredients (how and why the cooking process happens); hands-on cooking lesson of a full course meal; family meal of the foods prepared and last – maybe best of all a foodie discussion & evaluation of what was created – like a book club but way more delicious!!
Sound fun and lively? You bet it will be! You’ll be amazed how much you will learn in this short 12-week series. These are our subjects: Pasta; Cheese; Chicken; BBQ; Veggies; Eggs; Fish; Breads; Relishes and Condiments; Rice; Fruit; Desserts & Chocolate.
Don’t wait! Secure your spot on Monday nights and get ready for a culinary adventure that will change your life forever!
Calendar
July 2022
COOK CLUB – PASTA
This lesson launches our Cook Club series with a fun, intensive lesson on Pasta! We’ll begin with a discussion on Pasta making, the machines and tools to make it; the science which includes understanding Flours, Gluten development; how it’s created, cut, dried then cooked. Next a demonstration using a Pasta machine, hand rolling and shaping it, and discussion on how Egg and Water Pasta are made correctly. Then we cook! The amazing recipes include the perfect Sauce for each Pasta. They are Spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce; Cavatelli Alfredo; Spaetzle with Gruyere Sauce; Gnocchi Verde with Parmesan and Butter; Ravioli with Vodka Sauce; Greek Manestra (Orzo), and Crepes. We’ll sit down to a meal of our creations and discussion with the group of what we learned and experienced. ...
COOK CLUB – 12 WK SERIES
This lesson launches our Cook Club series with a fun, intensive lesson on Pasta! We’ll begin with a discussion on Pasta making, the machines and tools to make it; the science which includes understanding Flours, Gluten development; how it’s created, cut, dried then cooked. Next a demonstration using a Pasta machine, hand rolling and shaping it, and discussion on how Egg and Water Pasta are made correctly. Then we cook! The amazing recipes include the perfect Sauce for each Pasta. They are Spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce; Cavatelli Alfredo; Spaetzle with Gruyere Sauce; Gnocchi Verde with Parmesan and Butter; Ravioli with Vodka Sauce; Greek Manestra (Orzo), and Crepes. We’ll sit down to a meal of our creations and discussion with the group of what we learned and experienced. ...
COOK CLUB – CHEESE
Cheese is so well loved it could be a food group of its’ own! We use it in most of our favorite foods. We love it hot or cold and used in any form! It comes from cows, sheep and goats and is made all over the world! Our lesson teaches everything you need to know about Cheese - from the tools we use to process it; to the ways you can make it at home. We’ll demonstrate how to make Ricotta, Mozzarella and Cheese Curds then discuss the best ways to purchase, store and use it. Our lesson of recipes include making a Cheese board with perfect pairings of Garlic & Herb Cheese Bread; Brie en Croute with Puff Pastry; Cheese Scones; creamy Cheese Sauce with a medley of Vegetables; grilled Caprese Sandwich with Beer Cheddar Soup, and Sun-dried Tomato, Spinach and Gruyère stuffed & sautéed Chicken. Dessert will be light and luscious Tiramisu. We’ll sit down to enjoy all of our great food and as a group discuss what we learned and accomplished. ...
COOK CLUB – CHICKEN
Chicken is a wonderful choice in meal preparation for several important reasons. It’s a healthy choice as a reliable source of protein, as a lean meat it helps us build muscle and maintain a healthy weight. It’s easy and convenient to cook and you can choose any cooking method to prepare it. It’s a versatile crowd pleaser. Chicken appeals to many tastes and can be prepared for any flavor profile. In class we will discuss tools and equipment for a variety of preparations; choices and reasons for flavoring and cooking, and the best methods to handle and prepare it. As we gather in the kitchen to cook, we’ll work from these amazing recipes: Cornell’s Famous BBQ Chicken; My Momma’s Golden Chicken; Teriyaki Chicken Stir-fry; Chicken Saltimbocca; Jan’s Homemade Chicken Soup; Chicken Lettuce Wraps; and Michael Symon’s favorite and best Roast Chicken. We’ll enjoy a meal of these great foods, then Jan will lead a group discussion to let us evaluate our cooking experience. Like a book club but much yummier! ...
August 2022
COOK CLUB – BARBECUE
We’re packing this class with valuable information about all aspects of grilling and barbecuing. We do it year-round for the ease, wonderful flavors created. There is a lot to know to do it successfully. We’ll start with the grilling process & how it happens; how to use marinades, rubs and sauces; best cuts of meat for grilling; preparing the grill for cooking, temperatures and timing! There’s more but here is the menu: Bon Appetit Best BBQ Ribs; Grilled Steak Skewers with Chimichurri Sauce; BBQ Hangar Steak with Red Wine Sauce; Grilled Mixed Veggies with Herb Bread; Bacon, Rum and Orange Chicken Kabobs; Grilled Apples with Apple Wine and Rich Vanilla Ice Cream. . We’ll sit down to enjoy all our great food and as a group discuss what we learned and accomplished. ...
COOK CLUB – VEGETABLES
There is a lot to know about Vegetables and how to cook them! Whether you use them a lot or not often, we’ll start with understanding how select the best quality, how to store for maximum use & how to cook using a process that gives you maximum flavor. We’ll include how to get best results when cooking; tools and equipment that work best in preparation. Our recipes are Vegetable and Cheese Tart; Eggplant Parmigiana; Veggie “Tower”; Stuffed Mushrooms” Brussels Sprouts Salad; Potatoes Anna; and Sweet Potato Pie. We’ll enjoy a meal of these great foods, then Jan will lead a group discussion to let us evaluate our cooking experience. May feel like an experiential book club but the results will be well delicious! ...
COOK CLUB – EGGS
We use Eggs in all the cooking we do. They are an important ingredient to so many recipes. This class will clarify what we need to know about cooking them to eat by themselves or to use as an ingredient! We’ll include the little-known facts about Eggs; the best ways to store and cook them and equipment that is used in the cooking process. Our lesson will be Cheese and Leek Souffle; Eggs Benedict; Quiche of Bacon, Swiss Cheese and Spinach; Poached Egg on Caesar Salad; Potato, Onion & Egg Torta; and Egg Custard Pie. We’ll sit down to enjoy all our Eggs made every way and as a group discuss what we learned and accomplished. ...
COOK CLUB – FISH
Fish is really very easy to cook when you know how to do it. As a source of healthy protein it’s a quick and easy choice for dinnertime meals! Come learn about how to purchase, store it and cook it along with gaining an understanding of the cooking process and what method works for each Fish you like to cook. We’ll include discussion on the tools and equipment that work for Fish. Our recipes will be Clam Chowder; Cajun Shrimp; Grilled Salmon with Maple Mustard Glaze; Tuna Niçoise Salad; Sole Almondine and Mahi Mahi with Lemon Dill Sauce. We’ll enjoy a meal of these great foods, then Jan will lead a group discussion to let us evaluate our cooking experience. ...
COOK CLUB – BREAD
Bread baking is a magical tactile experience, scientific yet soulful with the living component - yeast as the element giving life to each loaf. We’re going to learn how to make Bread with the use of yeast, right flours; accurate measuring, mixing and kneading. We’ll study the development of structure in the Bread making process with yeast, fermentation, gluten development and baking. We’ll include discussion of the tools and equipment used in Bread baking. From this understanding we’ll make Basic No Knead Sour Dough; Lasagne Bread; Antipasto Flatbreads; Irish Soda Bread; Calzones; Cinnamon Roll Bread; Sticky Buns, and Bread Pudding. When finished, we’ll sample our Breads and discuss the experience to learn from each other. ...
September 2022
COOK CLUB – RELISHES AND CONDIMENTS
There are so many choices for complimenting your cooking with Sauces, Relishes and Dips. The homemade varieties give you freedom to make your own flavors and match accompaniments with your favorite recipes. Come to learn these specialties with great recipes you’ll use again and again! Our menu is Homemade Seasoned Pretzels with Homemade Mustard; Onion slices with Ranch Dressing; Red and Green Salsa with Homemade Tortillas; Peach Chutney with Pork Chops; BBQ Sauce and Baby Back Ribs; Potato Wedges with Fry Sauce, and Homemade Ketchup with Sliders and Fries. ...
COOK CLUB – RICE
Cooking Rice is as much an art as a method. Learning to cook rice perfectly will be our goal, then learning the four best methods of cooking it will follow include on the stove in the microwave and in a rice cooker. We’ll learn and work with all the varieties of long and short rice; Arborio, Basmati, Wild Rice, Jasmine, Brown Rice, Bomba and Sushi Rice. Come for a fun enlightening evening to learn these specialties: Seasoned White Rice with Teriyaki Chicken; Risotto with Mascarpone; Wild Rice Salad with Blood Oranges and Cranberries; Sausage and Chicken Paella; Gumbo Fried Rice; Cuban Black Beans and Rice and Rice Pudding. ...
COOK CLUB – FRUIT
Fruit is an ingredient in cooking that is a natural sweetener for many dishes we prepare. This class will help us to understand how to choose fruit at its’ ripest; cook it from frozen, keep it from getting mushy, and maintain its’ nutritional value while cooking it. We’ll discuss the tools and equipment needed for prepping it. Our lesson will be creating an Artistic and professional looking Fruit Platter; Pan-seared Pork Chop Casserole with sauteed Apples; Lemon Pie in a blender; Bouchee (Puff Pastry Circles) glazed Fruit and French Pastry Cream; sweet Cream Cheese Fruit filled Puff Pastry Braids; sauteed Bananas Foster with rich Vanilla Ice Cream; Fruit Tart with tempered French Pastry Cream and glazed Preserves, and amazing Watermelon Cake! When we’re finished, we’ll sit down to enjoy all our great food and as a group discuss what we learned and accomplished. ...
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Pasta
Cheese
Chicken
Barbeque
Vegetables
Eggs
Fish
Breads
Relishes & Condiments
Rice
Fruit