Winter Is Coming: Making the Most of What’s Available

ICE’s Fine Cooking series are the classes on which our recreational program’s reputation was built. This intensive course expands on our Fine Cooking 1 series and takes a deeper dive into essential culinary techniques. These full-participation classes teach fundamental skills, not recipes. This course covers everything from fileting a fish, to properly sautéing, to cover poaching techniques and fundamental sauce making. As you advance through the series, you’ll gradually come to understand each cooking concept. You’ll have a firm grasp of ingredients and equipment; you’ll know why things happen; you'll learn how to avoid and correct mistakes. Most importantly, 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. Prerequisite: Fine Cooking 1.

Good wines and simple but elegant fare are hallmarks of the French brasserie tradition, and steak is a favorite order. You’ll learn to prepare: oysters mignonette; frisée aux lardons; steak au poivre; pommes Anna and haricots verts aux champignons et noisettes.

The lush, green Pacific Northwest is famous for its wild salmon, oysters and beers, but that's just the tip of the gastronomic iceberg. Its forests are home to mushrooms and berries that turn up in countless recipes. Cedar planks become grilling beds for fish, meat and vegetables, imparting them with the unmistakable flavor of the Northwest. You will learn how to use these techniques and ingredients to make: Pacific oysters with mignonette; pan seared salmon with crispy skin and blackberry sauce; sautéed mushrooms and herbs; salt-and-vinegar potatoes; and kale, hazelnut and goat cheese salad. You will enjoy those with a selection of wines from the region.

Georgian cuisine is finally being recognized for its variety, and the depth of flavors and techniques that characterize its unique culinary traditions. Given the country's location at the exact intersection of Europe and Asia, influences from both cultures have informed the dishes that the region is known for. From the banks of the Black Sea to the Caucasus Mountains, the land provides herbs, nuts and vegetables used in all aspects of its culinary traditions. You’ll become acquainted with the new "it" cuisine as you prepare: adjaruli khachapuri (cheese bread); nigvziani badrijani (stuffed eggplant rolls); tabaka (chicken cooked "under a brick") with blackberry sauce; and chakapuli (braised lamb with tarragon sauce).