How to Be a Food Writer

The simple yet refined flavors of Tuscan cooking are world famous, and with good reason. Whether the product of one of Florence's great restaurants or the simple dishes from a country kitchen, the integrity of Tuscan cooking has won applause for centuries. Learn some of the secrets of this venerable cuisine as you make and enjoy: crostini with roasted eggplant; bistecca alla fiorentina; pollo alla toscana and cipolline agrodolce.

You want to make great food in a minimum amount of time, but don't have a clue how to go about it. Or you're on your own for the first time and have discovered that eating out is expensive and takeout is tiresome! You need a small repertoire of dishes for daily dining, but you can barely manage instant coffee. Does this sound like you? Then this is the course to take. We assume you know nothing --- absolutely nothing --- about cooking and take it from there. In three relaxed, fun-filled classes, we'll get you on your cooking feet, teaching you how to prepare simple, healthful, delicious food. You'll learn about basic cooking equipment and menu planning; knife skills, including vegetable chopping and paring; how to make salad, vinaigrette, and other easy no-cook dishes; how to roast garlic and root vegetables; how to prepare delicious pasta; how to sauté and roast meats and more; and how to make desserts in minutes. You will learn to make three complete meals in three easy lessons, including: guacamole and chips, make-your-own taco bar, tres leches cake; classic Caesar salad, roast Cornish hens with root vegetables, and blueberry crisp; shrimp cocktail and garlic bread, classic fettuccini alfredo, arugula and radicchio salad with apples and glazed walnuts, and ice cream tiramisu

Hearty hardly begins to describe the extravagant steak feast you'll be making in this class. Not only will you learn how to make the perfect filet mignon, skirt steak and more, but you'll also become versed in the art of rich sauces, like cognac cream, béarnaise and chimichurri. Your saucy menu includes: filet mignon au poivre with cognac cream sauce; onglet béarnaise (hanger steak with tarragon sauce) and skirt steak with Rojo chimichurri.

Do you have a spice blend in your cabinet that you picked up on vacation, but you're not sure how to use it? If you're one of those people, or a cook who would like to incorporate spice blends into your culinary repertoire, then come to ICE for this educational class. We'll travel around the globe as you learn to create spice blends like: Indian masala; Jamaican jerk seasoning; French herbes de provence; and Moroccan ras el hanout. You will then use these aromatic spice blends to prepare: Provençal vegetable gratin; jerk chicken wings; and cauliflower tikka masala.