Essentials of Sicilian Cooking

As a natural extension of its expansive pastures, renowned ranches and roaming cattle, Texas has a longstanding steakhouse tradition. There, juicy steaks are often served with a hot and rich chile sauce, which mashed potatoes or cornbread greedily sop up. Enjoy these dishes and more as you celebrate the Lone Star State by making and dining on: homemade chips and guacamole; skirt steak with tomatillo-serrano chile sauce; jalapeño creamed corn; and buttermilk mashed potatoes

Braising - searing at a high temperature, then finishing in a liquid at a lower temperature to infuse flavor - can add umami and more to pretty much any meal! And the best part is, it creates tender, juicy dishes with a minimum of effort. We'll master this technique as we make a braised banquet of: Guinness-braised short ribs with creamy polenta; braised chicken thighs with mushrooms and balsamic vinegar and braised fennel.

Step down from the barstool — and go behind the bar instead! This Mixology 101 class teaches the foundational cocktail-making skills and techniques used by professional bartenders. (Much like “knife skills” is the first course taken by aspiring culinarians, Mixology 101 is the first building block toward more comprehensive cocktail knowledge.) This class covers: highball, old fashioned, martini, daiquiri , sidecar/daisy, and flips

This class is for the serious food enthusiast! ICE Boot Camps give you the opportunity to learn how to cook like the pros. This four-day Boot Camp focuses on classic cooking techniques, to give you the foundations that will make you a better cook. On day one, you will learn how to properly sauté meats, vegetables and potatoes and look for the signs of "doneness." Pan sauces will also be covered. On day two, we will focus on grilling. You will learn the methods for grilling a variety of meats and why specific cuts and types of meat are best suited for this cooking method. Best practices for grilling various vegetables will also be taught, along with the art of marinades. On day three we will cover roasting techniques for various types of meats and veggies. You will also learn the simple pleasures of preparing reduction sauces. On the final day, we will cover moist-heat cooking methods. The topics will be braising as well as poaching and steaming to create delicious results. These gentle cooking methods result in moist and delicious meats as well as fish, shellfish and vegetables.