July 17, 2006; 6:30pm – 10:00pm
Overview:
The first hour of this class will be an intensive lesson in proper knife care and sharpening, taught by Eric Weiss, master sharpener. During the rest of the class, participants will learn and practice knife skills with Charlie Vollmar, our accomplished knife skills teacher.
Details:
In this intensive class, students will learn proper knife
selection, handling, maintenance and care. Emphasizing
professional techniques and skills, students will learn
efficient ways to prepare core products used as a base for most recipes, making meal preparation less time consuming and more enjoyable. Following short demonstrations, students will practice peeling, dicing, slicing, mincing, chopping and julienne techniques on a variety of products. The goal of the class is to learn
proper knife handling to increase efficiency and speed, while emphasizing organization, safety and enjoyment. Students are asked to bring a SHARP (or sharpenable in the first part of the class) paring knife and 8î Chefís knife.
During the knife care and sharpening part of the class, participants will be taught to hone their own knives to perfectionóa sharpening stone and honing oil is required, and one may be reserved for purchase at the class for $15, or you can bring your own. Participants are asked to bring a good quality chefís knife and paring knife to class.
After his section of the eveningís instruction is completed, Eric will be happy to put a perfect edge on another of your special knives, so feel free to bring another. His charge for this service will be $5.00 per knife. Eric can also make special arrangements with you to repair a broken blade, so now would be a good time to look through your collection and find one that wants to come back to life.
Our teachers:
Eric E. Weissís sharpening experience spans 30 years. Born in England, raised in Germany, his love affair with all things sharp began in boyhood, grew with him through military service to the Queen, and comes to fruition in his sharpening booth at the Berkeley and El Cerrito Farmers Markets. In just over two years he has sharpened over 2000 knives, tools and scissors. He works for catering companies and restaurants, quilters and taxidermists, gladly sharing his true wealth of historical, cultural, and scientific knowledge about the blade.
Charlie Vollmar is a popular cooking instructor, consultant, writer and chef/owner of Epicurean Exchange. A graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, his work emphasizes basic skill and technique work, and wellness and lifestyle enrichment topics relating to cooking, nutrition, fitness and special needs. His days are spent teaching at top-notch culinary schools, designing custom wellness programs for corporate clients, health clubs and wellness clinics, facilitating interactive workshops, and is currently working on his first book.
Program Cost: $85 per person (not including the sharpening stone & oil). Register online with Paypal for the class; email Terry@pauldingandco.com to reserve your sharpening stone and oil. Class is limited to 16 participants so register early to insure a spot!