Knife Skills 101: A Virtual Class

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.

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).

The Festival of Lights celebrates the oil that burned for eight long nights. This enabled the Maccabees to find more oil after the battle when the amount that they had should have burned for one day. Fried foods are traditionally the focus of the feast. Latkes and Sufganiyot (deep-fried jelly doughnuts) are always on the menu. In this class, you will learn to make classic potato latkes; hard cider apple sauce; herbed sour cream and sufganiyot.

Bordeaux means history, elegance, grandeur...and superb classic wines. This class explores the riches of the varied wines from this fabled region. That's why Richard Vayda, ICE's resident sommelier, has scoured the ICE cellar to put together a special tasting, covering multiple subregions and including Cru Classé wines. We'll discuss the area's history, geography, wine regulations and production, all while sipping these special samples --- accompanied by some fitting nibbles. We'll taste at least nine wines, plus matching cheeses.