Essentials of Israeli Cooking

ICE’s Fine Cooking series are the classes on which our recreational program’s reputation was built. This intensive course expands on our Fine Cooking 1 series and takes a deeper dive into essential culinary techniques. These full-participation classes teach fundamental skills, not recipes. This course covers everything from fileting a fish, to properly sautéing, to cover poaching techniques and fundamental sauce making. As you advance through the series, you’ll gradually come to understand each cooking concept. You’ll have a firm grasp of ingredients and equipment; you’ll know why things happen; you'll learn how to avoid and correct mistakes. Most importantly, 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. Prerequisite: Fine Cooking 1.

Whether you're making a casual dinner or a gourmet multicourse meal. We'll cover techniques including poaching, sautéing, grilling and cooking risotto. Using your newly acquired skills, we'll make and dine on a complete meal of: grilled vegetable gratin; mushroom risotto; pan-seared steak with compound butter and mesclun salad with Dijon vinaigrette.

Georgian cuisine is finally being recognized for its variety, and the depth of flavors and techniques that characterize its unique culinary traditions. Given the country's location at the exact intersection of Europe and Asia, influences from both cultures have informed the dishes that the region is known for. From the banks of the Black Sea to the Caucasus Mountains, the land provides herbs, nuts and vegetables used in all aspects of its culinary traditions. You’ll become acquainted with the new "it" cuisine as you prepare: adjaruli khachapuri (cheese bread); nigvziani badrijani (stuffed eggplant rolls); tabaka (chicken cooked "under a brick") with blackberry sauce; and chakapuli (braised lamb with tarragon sauce).

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.