Cuban Surf and Turf

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.

Emilia-Romagna, which stretches between the Adriatic coast, northern Tuscany, and the Po Valley, is one of the most prolific agricultural regions of Italy. It is known for its pasta, balsamic vinegar, Parma ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano, among a wealth of other products. While enjoying wines such as Sangiovese and Barbera, you will learn to make traditional dishes that include: brodetto fish stew; cotechino con lenticchie; chicken cacciatore with creamy polenta; and warm zabaglione with Marsala wine for dessert.

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.

This series covers all you need to know to create spectacular piped and hand-molded cake decorations. After completing the class, students will be able to design and create gorgeous cakes for friends and family. Courses in this series must be taken in sequence. Cake Decorating 1: Pastry bag and other decorating tool techniques; development of visual awareness and creativity in design; border design; decorative writing; pressure and control piping; chocolate molding; and making marzipan fruit.