Steakhouse Classics for Teens ages 13-17

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.

Provence is a land of sun-drenched beaches, olive groves, lavender fields and, of course, great wines and food. Known primarily for its beautiful multihued rosés, the appellation additionally presents a varied landscape of delicious wine styles of every type --- traditional sparkling, floral-scented whites and berry-rich reds --- making this region a perfect wine stop! Having once served as maître d'hôtel of a Provençal restaurant, Richard Vayda, ICE's resident sommelier, will be your ideal guide through an evening exploring some of the unique gems of this area. Regional cheeses and other nibbles will accompany the tasting, which will include at least eight wine selections.

Italy produces wine from hundreds of different grape varieties, making its wine varied and engaging, yet perhaps a bit hard to grasp. This tasting concentrates on the wines from Toscana, Italy's third-largest quality wine-producing region. Although many of the wines are Sangiovese-based, the distinctive terroirs and other cultivated varieties offer a diverse tasting opportunity, ranging from some tasty whites to Old World and even international-style reds, topping off with traditional sweet. ICE's resident sommelier, Richard Vayda, will also discuss Tuscan wine history and Italian wine labeling. Regional cheeses will accompany the eight or more wines featured in the tasting.

While handling poultry can seem daunting, it really can be a clucking good time! In Knife Skills 2 you'll discover the fundamental techniques required to transform a whole chicken into popular cuts. We'll cover such topics as trussing and spatchcocking, ensuring you leave with the confidence to tackle any chicken preparation in your home kitchen. No matter how you feel when you enter the class, the class promises to enhance your knowledge of poultry preparation and take your skills to the next level. While not a requirement, it helps to have practiced the skills of Knife Skills 1 before taking this class.