gobluegirl
northeast suburbs
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I am interested in getting some really beginner cooking lessons; i.e. more than how to make pasta, but somewhere around how to design and cook a simple meal from scratch (A little more advanced than baked chicken and a vegetable with some rice a roni on the side).
Can someone steer me in the direction of a cooking school, etc? I did a basic google search but felt ovewhelmed.
Mercurius
First Avenue
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gobluegirl wrote I am interested in getting some really beginner cooking lessons; i.e. more than how to make pasta, but somewhere around how to design and cook a simple meal from scratch (A little more advanced than baked chicken and a vegetable with some rice a roni on the side).Buy this:Can someone steer me in the direction of a cooking school, etc? I did a basic google search but felt ovewhelmed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering_the_Art_of_French_Cooking
Read it and save your money.
catnfiddle
Giant Corncob District
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Some of us like hands on training. I know I really don't enjoy the process of cooking so poor Rockmastermike gets stuck with most of that responsibility. Perhaps a class would provide the chance for some of us to figure out why folks like Mike, Andrew Hall and you have so much fun in the kitchen.
gobluegirl
northeast suburbs
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I learn better when I do something hands-on. I also want to learn knife skills, how to pick good meat, spice combintations that taste good together, and different cuisines. French cuisine is not my favorite, but if there was a class that taught how to create healthy recipes from all cuisines, that would be something I would be interested in.
michaelcoyote
!seabus
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North market has cooking classes i think every two weeks. the next one is tonight:
north market wrote Chef Series Cooking ClassDate & Time: Wed, Nov 5, 2008
Chef Matthew Prokopchak of Trattoria Roma
6:30-8:30 PM in the Dispatch Kitchen
Tickets $60 each call 614-463-9664 for reservations
The one after is Nov 19th.
vespamary might have more info
catnfiddle
Giant Corncob District
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Those look like they are more master classes. I used to have access to an Adult School that had basic cooking classes, but I always took the fun classes like creative writing and belly dancing (which I still cannot do). Is there something basic without showing up at someone's house and looking over their shoulder?
gobluegirl
northeast suburbs
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yeah, catnfiddle! I'm glad we're on the same page with this. Isn't there like a home ec. for grownups????
Anne
King Lincoln
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Here is a bunch at Sur La Table at Easton:
http://surlatable.turnstilesystems.com/LocationDetail.aspx/Columbus
Williams Sonoma may also have some, you would need to call.
michaelcoyote
!seabus
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You know this might be a good niche for the North Market to explore. some basic "home economics" classes updated to take in some meal planning, how to buy food and of course cooking as well as other useful tasks for market customers.
Bear
The woods
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I'm never sure how to respond to this question, because it seems to me that it's really two requests wrapped up in one:
1. I want more information on the technical aspects of cooking (things like general principles of food science, knife skills, and so on). The answer to this question is often, as Merc pointed out, a cookbook that speaks to you, or a show (I'm partial to Alton Brown's Good Eats, myself).
2. I want to enjoy cooking as much as other people clearly enjoy cooking. The assumption is often that 1. leads to 2., but I'm not sure that's always (or even often) the case. The depths of my own kitchen ignorance, for example, can hardly be overstated... but I very much enjoy exercising what little talent I do possess on those rare occasions when I do exercise it. It's possible to develop a love of cooking, of course, but I think the important prior question is, are you already feeling it to some extent and just hoping to fan the flame, or do you hate cooking with a passion and want to learn to love it? If the latter, I'm not sure reading or watching TV or taking lessons or anything else will have much of an impact.
gobluegirl
northeast suburbs
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Bear, I think MichaelCoyote summed up my request for cooking lessons. I'd like to go to a few classes where someone shows me how to pick out good ingredients and put them together to make a delicious meal. Someone to essentially to give me their creativity so that I can do it at home. I love watching food network, especially Giada, but would really like someone to literally hold my hand and show me how to do it myself.
Bear
The woods
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gobluegirl wrote Bear, I think MichaelCoyote summed up my request for cooking lessons. I'd like to go to a few classes where someone shows me how to pick out good ingredients and put them together to make a delicious meal. Someone to essentially to give me their creativity so that I can do it at home. I love watching food network, especially Giada, but would really like someone to literally hold my hand and show me how to do it myself.
Then the North Market "Cook with the Chef" series might be up your alley. The chefs literally walk through the North Market buying things that are available there and show you how they put them together into a delicious meal. It's not totally hands-on -- you're in the audience rather than making the meal yourself --, but it's quite informative, and it's designed to use the kinds of ingredients you'd have available....
catnfiddle
Giant Corncob District
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Learning good knife skills is actually a critical aspect of my gastronomic wish list. If Rockmastermike is ever in the kitchen when I am trying to cut something, he lets me know that I'm about to lose a finger or an eye. To be honest, I'm not crazy about using knives in general, so basic safety and finesse with them would be a plus.
In the meantime, I WILL attempt that matzo ball soup recipe this week since I didn't manage over the weekend. If I get the matzo meal, I don't even need to worry about using a food processor.
turbo ninja
Crumb Bus, Oh.
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Columbus State may have something like adult-ed home ec/cooking classes. A few years ago I took a knife skills class that was very helpful, and I still apply the lessons I learned.
Alas, a quick search of their site didn't turn up any relevant links or URLs.
Daz
Tweeting about some totally unimportant event
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Bear wrotegobluegirl wrote Bear, I think MichaelCoyote summed up my request for cooking lessons. I'd like to go to a few classes where someone shows me how to pick out good ingredients and put them together to make a delicious meal. Someone to essentially to give me their creativity so that I can do it at home. I love watching food network, especially Giada, but would really like someone to literally hold my hand and show me how to do it myself.Then the North Market "Cook with the Chef" series might be up your alley. The chefs literally walk through the North Market buying things that are available there and show you how they put them together into a delicious meal. It's not totally hands-on -- you're in the audience rather than making the meal yourself --, but it's quite informative, and it's designed to use the kinds of ingredients you'd have available....
North Market's classes are damn well amazing. It definitely is more of you in the audience, but they're EXTREMELY informative, and if you have some paper and pen ready, you can get just amazing tips.
joev
Merion Village
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For more classes(where they're not trying so hard to sell you fancy cookware,) check out Dorothy Lane Market in Dayton. Or pick up some magazines and cookbooks. For novices, I like Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine. Say what you want about her, but Rachael Ray's cookbooks are very accessible to new home cooks. I also like Dave Lieberman. Once you've mastered the basics, pick up Shirley Corriher's FoodWise. And listen to Lynne Rossetto Kasper's Splendid Table on 90.5 - Sundays at 2.
Bear
The woods
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joev wrote For more classes(where they're not trying so hard to sell you fancy cookware)...
heh... yeah, I forgot that Alton made such a pitch for Shun on that episode. FWIW I'm sure it's sincere and that he believes they make great knives, though he does put his name on a line of their products so take that part with a grain of salt. The rest (how to hold a knife, which cutting boards to avoid -- "Glass?" "Evil!" "In fact -- Dark Lord of the Sith evil") is quite worthwhile.
Personally, I boycott Shun knives (conveniently enough, for the sake of my pocketbook). Their decision to make left-handed and right-handed knives means that my right-handed wife and I would have to buy two of everything we wanted... and with companies like Global around that make equally terrific knives, forget that.
Motorist
The Trots
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There was an idea on here a while ago about CUers teaching free classes to each other on whatever skill they have. You should try talking one of the folks you mentioned into teaching a free class. Maybe if you offer up your kitchen or somethng...
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