Classic French Desserts

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.

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.

For a flash course on all the basics you need to make a varied and impressive meal, look no further. With a professional chef, you'll gain the skills vital for moving through any simple menu with ease. You'll practice knife skills, roasting vegetables, cooking proteins with a pan sauce and a vinaigrette. Then you'll use what you learned as you make a menu of: popovers; sautéed chicken with classic pan sauce; roasted root vegetable salad with fresh herb dressing and garlic mashed potatoes.

Enjoy a food journey across the great USA. Day 1, first stop, the Northeast. Then down South on Day 2 followed by a stop in America's Heartland on Day 3. Rounding out our adventure, on Day 4, we stop on the Pacific Coast. Each day focuses on a sampling of specialties from the region including Maryland Crab Cakes, Jersey Fresh Blueberry Pie, Carolina Pulled Pork, New Orleans Jumbalaya, Chicago Deep Dish Pizza, Kansas Style Ribs, California Grilled Tri-tip, Alaskan halibut Ceviche and so much more!