Mastering the Basics

Have you ever wondered how to make the buttery, flaky brioche loaves and croissants found at fancy bakeries? This class will show you how. During Day 1 of this two-day workshop, you’ll learn how to see the process through, from creating the dough to letting it rise to shaping your own luscious baked goods. On Day 2, you'll complete a menu of: brioche à tête (brioche in the classic fluted, top knotted shape); pain au raisins; classic croissants; almond croissants; chocolate croissants; and croissant monkey bread.

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.

ICE's resident sommelier, Richard Vayda, pulls out all the stops for this very special Valentine's Day celebration. For this delightful class, you will dine on a variety of hors d'oeuvres along with a select group of wines. Your evening begins with a discussion of the origin and making of sparkling wine, while tasting various examples --- from non-vintage to vintage to rosé. The highlight of the tasting features a prestige cuvée Champagne paired with an American challenger. The class rounds out with students enjoying a buffet of classic luxury food matches while indulging in additional bubbly, making for a sparkling evening you'll always remember.

Bordered by both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, with snow-capped peaks and lush green valleys, the diverse geography of France offers the best ingredients from the land and sea. You'll get a taste of the best of all those regions in this class. For your Francophile meal, you will prepare and enjoy frisée salad with shallot-bacon vinaigrette; steak frites (sautéed steak with hand-cut french fries); bouillabaisse (seafood soup from Marseille); and honey lavender blanc mange.