Essential Skills

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

One of the oldest winemaking areas of the world, the Iberian Peninsula is currently considered one of the most exciting as well. Steeped in tradition, but not afraid to update and experiment, Spain offers an incredible array of elegant, delicious and varied wines. This class, led by ICE’s resident sommelier, Richard Vayda, offers a sampling of some top regions’ Reservas, as well as fascinating lesser-known examples. Specially chosen regional cheeses and bites will accompany our delightful tasting. We'll taste at least nine wines, plus matching cheeses.

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.

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.