CAPS: The Pastry Shop

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.

Once you master essential cooking techniques, you possess the culinary grounding to cook both classical cuisines and the latest cooking styles. These full-participation classes teach fundamental skills, not just recipes. Most important, you'll gain the experience you need to cook with confidence and pleasure---without relying strictly on recipes. Each class culminates with a student-prepared meal. The course consists of four 6-hour classes. Fine Cooking 1 is a prerequisite to Fine Cooking 2. The course completes in four days.

Celebrate the season with a festive, hands-on evening of creativity and sweet holiday cheer. Join one of ICE's expert pastry chefs, Chelsea Burgess, for a delightful cookie decorating workshop that brings classic techniques-and plenty of sparkle-to your winter celebrations. You'll begin with a guided introduction to royal icing, learning how consistency, color, and simple tools can transform a plain cookie into an edible work of art. Watch a live demo showcasing piping, flooding, and decorative detailing, then roll up your sleeves and practice each technique as you decorate a curated selection of holiday cookies. Whether you're a seasoned baker or picking up a piping bag for the first time, you'll learn professional tips to elevate your cookie decorating at home. To keep the evening extra merry, we'll serve a beautifully arranged charcuterie board and festive drinks while you work. Enjoy great company, seasonal flavors, and the chance to craft a box of stunning cookies to take home, perfect for gifting, sharing, or savoring yourself. Come curious and ready to create. Leave with new pastry skills, confidence with royal icing, and a delicious assortment of your own decorated holiday cookies.

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.