Sommelier Secrets

Ayurveda is the world's oldest form of natural healing and health. Its basic premise is that there exists an innate intelligence in our body and mind to be balanced and healthy. Ayurveda offers a knowledge of life with down-to-earth practices to keep this intelligence alive and well during our lifetime. In this two-day weekend workshop with culinary training, we will learn the fundamental principles of Ayurveda. You will learn about the doshas, the mahabhutas, prakriti - body type, the elements, what is health - balance and imbalance. We will learn the simple practices of Ayurveda to maintain health and live in rhythm with natural laws. We will learn about the six tastes of Ayurveda. We will learn how to correct imbalances in our digestion. On both days, we will be in the kitchen preparing food that balances us. We will create two complete meals, including Vegetarian Tom Yum again Soup Tofu Jungle Curry with Asparagus and Thai Basil, Jasmine Rice Cucumber with Sweet Vinegar and Red Chili Sauce Daikon Carrot Pickle Einkorn Buckwheat Scallion Pancakes Orange Ginger Fig Compote, Cardamom Crumble

Braising - searing at a high temperature, then finishing in a liquid at a lower temperature to infuse flavor - can add umami and more to pretty much any meal! And the best part is, it creates tender, juicy dishes with a minimum of effort. We'll master this technique as we make a braised banquet of: Guinness-braised short ribs with creamy polenta; braised chicken thighs with mushrooms and balsamic vinegar and braised fennel.

These dishes capture the flavors and techniques of so many exciting, flavor-forward global cuisines. Spanning the gamut from Mexico to the Middle East, these small but satisfying plates are perfect for parties --- or collect them all to make a masterful (and entirely vegan) meal. We'll create and then feast on: Egyptian baba ghanoush and hummus; Argentinian hearts of palm, tomato and avocado salad; Italian roasted cauliflower with capers; and Balinese chili-grilled tempeh skewers.

Step down from the barstool — and go behind the bar instead! This Mixology 101 class teaches the foundational cocktail-making skills and techniques used by professional bartenders. (Much like “knife skills” is the first course taken by aspiring culinarians, Mixology 101 is the first building block toward more comprehensive cocktail knowledge.) This class covers: highball, old fashioned, martini, daiquiri , sidecar/daisy, and flips