A Vegetarian Valentine's Day Dinner

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.

Sushi-making doesn't have to be limited to the view from a seat at your local Japanese restaurant. Bring the sushi bar home by practicing your skills at preparing nigiri (sashimi fish on top of thumb-size, compact sushi rice), perfecting the texture of rice, and learning the proper techniques to create a stellar hand roll. Once you've gotten the basics down, you will try your hand at: sushi rice; maki and futomaki rolls (both thin and thick), inside-out rolls; nigiri and temaki (hand roll).. You will soon learn that sushi is something you too can master.

Knowing how to use knives skillfully is the foundation of all cooking, and doesn't have to be scary or frustrating. Many home and even professional cooks don't always wield a knife correctly, however, which increases food preparation time and makes the process harder --- and less safe --- than it should be. Simply put, good knives are the foundation of a well-equipped kitchen. This class remedies all these basic issues: You will learn how to slice, dice, chop, and much more in the safest and most efficient manner. This class will even guide you through the practice of keeping your knives sharp and handling them correctly.

The farms, orchards and of course vineyards of California's wine country combine to turn the region into one of the most bountiful in the U.S. The kitchens of Napa, Sonoma and the Russian River Valley highlight the quality of the ingredients at hand. Learn to make some of those dishes in your own kitchen, including: fig salad with sweet-spiced walnuts, Gorgonzola and Champagne vinaigrette; pork tenderloin with pan-roasted grapes; scallops with pan-roasted grapes and sauvignon blanc; and warm Dijon potatoes with fresh herbs and peas. You will enjoy these with a selection of California wines.