Both the Marketplace Chat Table meetings and my Summer School Cooking Classes begin on June 10. Click a class link and you will jump down to the full description in the Class Descriptions section below. NOTE: Some scheduled recipes or menus may need to be altered to accommodate unexpected changes in seasonal availability or other circumstances.
- CLASS 52 • Wed, June 10 [10am-1pm]: A PICNIC BASKET CASE
- CLASS 53 • Wed, June 24 [10am-1pm]: SUNNY SUMMER SANDWICHES
- CLASS 54 SERIES of FOUR on Wed & Fri, July 8, 10, 22 & 24 [10am-1pm]: 1-800-MOM
- CLASS 55 • Wed, Aug 5 [10am-1pm]: TOMATO MADNESS
- CLASS 56 • Wed, Aug 19 [10am-1pm]: PEPPERS, CORN & SQUASH
Private Party Group Classes
You initiate the gathering and we'll take care of the rest! Hassle-free and easily Dutch treat, this is a great way to enrich your life by making it simple to get together with your own group of friends, family or co-workers for a shared and joyful experience.
EITHER pick the current schedule class subject that suits you best and arrange to book it for sometime that same class week -OR- inquire about alternative available menu options. Please contact me to discuss all possible dates and times. (refer to Contact Us)
Current Class Descriptions
CLASS 52 • Wed, June 10 [10am-1pm]: A PICNIC BASKET CASE
That’s what I am—a certifiable basket case—at least when it comes to being ready at a moment’s notice for any opportunity to take my life on a picnic. This class is a show-and-tell response to so many students having asked what’s inside all those baskets [under the end table, behind the couch, at the top of the stairs and hanging from the rafters]. The reason there are so many is because I keep on imagining another set of circumstances in which having a basket full of props could so easily transform things into a memorable occasion. I mean, is it really worth drinking champagne out of a Styrofoam cup? No romance there. So why not learn how to do it in style—to set the stage for even everyday flights of fancy—whatever your own sense of style might be. Whether it’s lunch at your desk, time out for tea, a streamlined backpack hike, the classic family 4th of July beach barbecue, or a 3-elephant sterling silver déjeuner sur l’herbe, you’ll find out how to be prepared to create the movie version of your life. So dust off that hamper, start rummaging through your old dishes and come for the inspiration and detailed practical advice that can re-write your script for a season of picnics. We’ll also treat you to a picnic lunch, complete with that proverbial bowl full of cherries. [Students attending this class are invited to come as my guest to the first meeting of the Come Home to Cooking Marketplace Chat Table & Cooks’ Club to be held that evening at the Petaluma Farmers’ Market.]
CLASS 53 • Wed, June 24 [10am-1pm]: SUNNY SUMMER SANDWICHES
Sandwiches are one of the most versatile and potentially nourishing convenience foods around. Just because we’ve been making them for centuries, doesn’t mean that even the classics have to fall into that disappointing same-old-thing category. Somewhere in between the bread ‘n’ butter and stack of deli meat extremes there’s a whole world of filling possibilities to discover and create—and that’s just what we’re going to do. I’m a big fan of open-faced sandwiches, which offer a great excuse to load on the filling, a.k.a. topping, with lots of extra greens or vegetables for an all-in-one balanced meal that’s light yet satisfying, easier to eat, and visually beautiful. The bread at the bottom acts as a raft to support the rest while mopping up the juices, and never under estimate the power of eye appeal to get your mouth watering. Of course, sometimes it’s just fun to stand leaning over the sink with ripe tomato juices running down your arm. Other times a Provencal pan bagna [literally “bathed bread”] is the make-ahead answer, with crusty baguette soaking up and encasing all the goodness [of vibrant vegetables, seafood, egg and olive oil] to marinate and meld your take-anywhere sandwich. Now that your picnic basket is all equipped with gear, it’s time to wrap up and fill it with these simply elegant or rustic solutions. Any way you slice it, this is fresh and juicy stuff, so come play with us around my kitchen table and liberate both your at home and alfresco summer meal preparations.
CLASS 54 SERIES of FOUR • Wed & Fri, July 8, 10, 22 & 24 [10am-1pm]: 1-800-MOM
Although designed to meet the needs of younger people moving out or on to shopping and cooking for themselves, this special four-class series is open to and appropriate for anyone wanting to get grounded in the basics. We’ll start with a preliminary questionnaire to gauge the individual experience levels and specific interests of the enrolled students so that I can best customize the content for this assembled group. Then you’ll find out how to shop and stock your pantry to best support your particular time, budget and life-style constraints. We’ll cover the essential pots, pans, equipment and utensils base kit requirements and then work our way through the fundamental food groups with adaptable recipe and proportion guidelines. Once you discover how to feel at home in both the market and your kitchen—even if it’s only a 1-foot counter with a single burner and an electric kettle—you’ll actually look forward to packing your own lunch, inviting friends over for something simple, and experiencing the joyful confidence of being able to provide well for yourself and others. NOTE: $350 per person for the four-class series
CLASS 55 • Wed, Aug 5 [10am-1pm]: TOMATO MADNESS
It may not happen until at least a month after the solstice, but there’s no mistaking the arrival of summer when you first bite into a truly ripe tomato. That means a tomato brought to life with long hours of sunlight; nourished well in rich, organic soil; and allowed to fully mature while still attached to the vine. Nothing can compare with the slippery, sweet, juicy, tart ambrosia this natural combination creates. Here in Sonoma County, we are lucky enough to live in a growing region where reveling in the season of tomato madness can carry on all the way to Halloween. When my son was asked in grade school to define what summer meant, he exclaimed with outstretched arms, “That’s when you have tomatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner!” No matter how old you are, once the bliss of a ripe summer tomato has crossed your lips, you’ll find excuses to have them with everything. And that’s what we’re going to do. This class will start with a tomato variety, selection, use and preservation tutorial. You’ll get to see how the same basket of ripe tomatoes, country bread, sea salt and golden olive oil can easily combine with a few other best friends to create either the classic Italian bruschetta, Catalan scrubbed toast, American BLT, Tuscan bread salad OR tomato soup. And then we’ll skip the bread entirely to make instantly delicious tomato salads and simple sauces that you could also freeze or can to keep on hand for a delicious reminder of these sunny days.
CLASS 56 • Wed, Aug 19 [10am-1pm]: PEPPERS, CORN & SQUASH
Sweet, spicy, hot, cold, crunchy, soft, red, yellow and green—this summer bounty trio can keep you in meals of all kinds for many weeks to come. They provide a colorful canvas that can be taken in countless directions while capturing the heart of our Indian Summer cooking and eating. If you’ve never taken advantage of the ever- accommodating Summer Squash and Pepper Piperade, then this is the time to learn how to do it. We’ll simmer up a savory pot of Fresh Corn and Salmon Chowder that will make you feel like you’ve drifted into a lingering vacation on the Cape. And then we’ll wrap things up with a hearty Roasted Zucchini, Pepper and Sweet Corn Polenta Gratinée. This class will help you expand your existing repertoire with guidelines for creating a whole new host of family favorites.
