Advanced Hydrocolloids

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.

This four-session continuation of the Wine Essentials series offers in-depth exploration and tastings of some of the world’s more interesting and unusual wines. Studies will include an expanded array of lesser-known varietals and wines, as each class concentrates on one wine category and delves into the wines’ production, characteristics and uses, including discussions of food and wine pairing. Session 1: Advanced White Wines: Side-by-Side Tasting of Interesting Aromatic and Fruity Wines. Session 2: Advanced Red Wines: In-Depth Comparison of Selected Wines From Old and New World Regions. Session 3: Off-Dry to Sweet: Exploration of Elegant Rieslings to Cru Classé Sauternes. Session 4: Fortified and Aromatized Wines With Wine Service: Fascinating Wines, From Vermouths and Sherries to Madeiras and Portos.

By the latter half of the 19th century, bistros were centers of social life in Paris, catering to great painters, writers, musicians and other artists. The simple, down-to-earth food served at such bistros quickly became as celebrated as the eateries' most famous patrons - and it's still celebrated in Paris and around the world today. You will make traditional dishes of that bygone era, such as: steak tartare; frisée salad with apples, lardons and goat cheese in a warm shallot-bacon vinaigrette; moules frites and haricot verts amandine.

Emilia-Romagna, which stretches between the Adriatic coast, northern Tuscany, and the Po Valley, is one of the most prolific agricultural regions of Italy. It is known for its pasta, balsamic vinegar, Parma ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano, among a wealth of other products. While enjoying wines such as Sangiovese and Barbera, you will learn to make traditional dishes that include: brodetto fish stew; cotechino con lenticchie; chicken cacciatore with creamy polenta; and warm zabaglione with Marsala wine for dessert.