The spring quarter at adult school is in its third week, and I have one very full class. The Moonlighter for the summer quarter will feature my Tuesday night class—and if it overflows, I will add a Wednesday class as well. The quarter will begin mid-June, and run through July. I am looking forward to the summer fruit and to some “real” tomatoes, but enjoying the spring vegetables that are arriving, in particular the artichokes, fava beans and early peas. Students this spring have been very enthusiastic about all the food we’ve made, and I am working on lots of new recipes as well as twists on old ones. My “old” students who’ve returned for the spring session after attending this winter, have been talking about the recipes they made with the new students—I’ve included one at the end of the newsletter, which is my favorite chicken soup of all time.
I am always willing to arrange for group classes privately, so if you have a bunch of friends or co-workers, or a club or group who would like to have a class or kitchen party, please do contact me, by email or phone. Also do remember Paulding & Company for your business’ outings and team building sessions, and of course, for catering!
New Teacher and New Classes
We are welcoming Laurel Miller to the kitchen with a wonderful spring Farmers’ Market Brunch class on Wednesday, May 18th, 6:30-9:30 PM. Here’s the class description, and a little bit of information about Laurel as well. Sign up for her class by emailing Laurel at kaukau.kids@verison.com. Please include your name, phone number, e-mail address in the message. Only paid reservations will be honored, and class size is limited, so please register early!
Spring Brunch from the Farmer’s Market
Need a good reason to get out of bed on a weekend morning?With warmer weather comes a slew of long-awaited ingredients from the farmers' market, many of which are perfect for preparing a simple, elegant brunch. In addition to learning about using and choosing seasonal produce and sustainable farming methods in this hands-on class, you’ll be preparing a feast that highlights local food artisans and farmers. Class includes pairing of locally-produced sparkling wine. Please bring a knife and apron. $75.
- Lavender Scones with Meyer Lemon Curd
- Green Garlic, Prosciutto & Redwood Hill Goat Feta Frittata
- Smoked Trout Salad with Horseradish Creme Fraiche and Baby Beets
- Strawberries in Rosemary Syrup
Laurel Miller is a cooking instructor and food and travel columnist for The Oakland Tribune/ANG Newspapers and Diablo magazine, as well as a freelance contributor to publications such as Gourmet, Saveur, Outside, Outside Traveler, San Francisco, and Lonely Planet.
Laurel owns The Sustainable Kitchen, her home-based cooking school, although these days she spends much of her time traveling on assignment, which she finds is a great excuse to indulge in her obsession for ethnic street foods. She also conducts farm tours to local organic farms, dairies, and other food producers, where students can get a hands-on education in harvesting ingredients, milking goats, or making cheese, before using the products in on-site cooking classes. Laurel has been featured in a number of publications and on radio and television shows such as “Bay Area Backroads,” “Evening Magazine,” “Off the Beaten Path,” and “California Heartland.” She also teaches at cooking schools and farmers markets throughout the Bay Area.
Laurel, who grew up on a California ranch, is passionate about the need to educate people about the origins of their food and sustainable agriculture. She feels that cooking is a fun and logical way to learn about both. For more information on her cooking classes, check out her website at www.sustainablekitchen.com.
Ricotta Cheese Class with Rosetta Costantino
Rosetta Costantino, who has been teaching a thriving series of classes at the kitchen to an admiring and happy throng of students, has added another section of her Ricotta Cheese class, on April 24th. This is a Sunday afternoon class, starting at 2 PM. For any of you who haven’t taken any of Rosetta’s classes, this native Calabrian chef will wow you with her fantastic food. Although Rosetta’s already taught me how to make ricotta (it’s easy and I make it regularly!) I’m coming to this class, as I have to several others of hers, to learn more. I hope I see some of you there! It’s not even on the calendar yet, and has been added to the schedule due to popular demand.
Making and Using Ricotta - From Appetizers to Dessert, with Rosetta Costantino
In this class you will learn how to make homemade fresh ricotta. We will taste ricotta warm as it is made. It is to die for. We will use the ricotta to make ravioli as they do in my town of Verbicaro — large and oversized with egg-less dough. The frittata, another dish from my town, is made with ricotta. It is cut into pieces and then simmered in a tomato sauce. We will end the meal with a traditional dessert made in Southern Italy during the month of March for St. Joseph day (March 19th): cream puffs filled with fresh ricotta cream. Class is $75 per person. This is a hands-on class; please bring your apron and your appetite.
- Bruschetta con Ricotta Fresca (Bruschetta with Fresh Ricotta)
- Ravioloni Calabresi (Large ravioli filled with fresh ricotta, sopressata, parsley, egg and pecorino cheese)
- Pezzetti d'uova con Sugo di Pomodoro (Ricotta frittata cut in pieces and simmered in a simple tomato sauce)
- Zucchine ripiene con ricotta (Zucchine stuffed and baked with ricotta, cheese, egg and parsley)
- Sfince di San Giuseppe (Cream puffs filled with ricotta cream)
To register for the class please e-mail Rosetta at rosettac@pacbell.net or call (510) 652-7522 to check availability and receive payment instructions. Please include your name, phone number, e-mail address in the message. Only paid reservations will be honored, and class size is limited, so please register early!
Cancellation policy: No refunds issued, only credit. If you cannot come to class, please notify Rosetta 48 hours in advance to receive credit towards a future class. If you must cancel with less than 48 hours before a class, you may send someone in your place. No credit can be issued for late cancellations or missed classes. In case of insufficient enrollment, a class may be canceled. You may sign up for another class or receive a refund.