Cake Baking Workshop

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.

Ayurveda is the world's oldest form of natural healing and health. Its basic premise is that there exists an innate intelligence in our body and mind to be balanced and healthy. Ayurveda offers a knowledge of life with down-to-earth practices to keep this intelligence alive and well during our lifetime. In this two-day weekend workshop with culinary training, we will learn the fundamental principles of Ayurveda. You will learn about the doshas, the mahabhutas, prakriti - body type, the elements, what is health - balance and imbalance. We will learn the simple practices of Ayurveda to maintain health and live in rhythm with natural laws. We will learn about the six tastes of Ayurveda. We will learn how to correct imbalances in our digestion. On both days, we will be in the kitchen preparing food that balances us. We will create two complete meals, including Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup with Cranberries, Cilantro-Stuffed Paratha, Savory Autumn Vegetable-Paneer Tart, Braised Red Cabbage, Poha (steamed dry rice) with Curry Leaves, Rice Pudding, Orange-Fig Compote in Cardamom Syrup

Immerse yourself in the food traditions of French cuisine with "French Classics: Coq Au Vin and Boeuf Bourguignon." You’ll make two dishes that define rustic French cooking: rich, wine-infused Coq Au Vin (learning to braise chicken to tender perfection) and hearty, slow-cooked Boeuf Bourguignon (learning to layer and amplify deep umami flavors). You’ll also make Haricots Verts Amandine and velvety Cauliflower Puree. Take a “tour-de-food” in this course that teaches essential techniques and cornerstone dishes of the French countryside

These desserts are perfect for winter, not just because of their wintry flavors of ginger, peppermint and more, but because of their clever use of fruits that are easily available in winter. And, naturally, you can't forget the chocolate. We'll make: peppermint chocolate truffles; gingerbread cake with chai-spiced frosting; and cranberry and pear crisp.