Cocktails and Apps: Holiday Edition!

Steak is always a satisfying dinner, but it gets more of a boost when paired with bourbon. Come to ICE with your significant other for a night of steakhouse cuisine, where you will savor classic flavors updated with bourbon notes. You will prepare and enjoy: clams casino; wedge salad with crispy bacon, blue cheese and bourbon vinaigrette; New York strip steak au poivre with bourbon cream sauce; haricots verts (French green beans) and truffled mashed potatoes.

This class is for the serious food enthusiast! ICE Boot Camps give you the opportunity to learn how to cook like the pros. This four-day Boot Camp focuses on classic cooking techniques, to give you the foundations that will make you a better cook. On day one, you will learn how to properly sauté meats, vegetables and potatoes and look for the signs of "doneness." Pan sauces will also be covered. On day two, we will focus on grilling. You will learn the methods for grilling a variety of meats and why specific cuts and types of meat are best suited for this cooking method. Best practices for grilling various vegetables will also be taught, along with the art of marinades. On day three we will cover roasting techniques for various types of meats and veggies. You will also learn the simple pleasures of preparing reduction sauces. On the final day, we will cover moist-heat cooking methods. The topics will be braising as well as poaching and steaming to create delicious results. These gentle cooking methods result in moist and delicious meats as well as fish, shellfish and vegetables.

From coasts to prairies, the diverse geography of America results in an abundance of meat and fish varieties that eventually end up on our plates, deliciously prepared. In this class, you will prepare dishes that celebrate this bounty and highlight famed regional preparations. On your menu: Chesapeake Bay crab cakes with sauce rémoulade; New York strip steak with onion rings; and broccoli-cauliflower gratin.

Provence is a land of sun-drenched beaches, olive groves, lavender fields and, of course, great wines and food. Known primarily for its beautiful multihued rosés, the appellation additionally presents a varied landscape of delicious wine styles of every type --- traditional sparkling, floral-scented whites and berry-rich reds --- making this region a perfect wine stop! Having once served as maître d'hôtel of a Provençal restaurant, Richard Vayda, ICE's resident sommelier, will be your ideal guide through an evening exploring some of the unique gems of this area. Regional cheeses and other nibbles will accompany the tasting, which will include at least eight wine selections.