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Now, you're cooking
By JANET K. KEELER, Times Staff Writer
For much of the past decade, legions of overscheduled workers-parents-caregivers have hunted for acceptable takeout offerings to feed the beasts at day's end. We've learned to doctor rotisserie chicken in order to distinguish Monday's fare from Friday's and we know which Chinese restaurant fries the best rice, which has the best wonton soup. We are in the computer database at every pizza joint. We are artful at hollering orders into speakers that respond with a scratchy "first window, please." Now, after all this effort spent learning how to make dinner appear without pots, pans and fresh ingredients, it appears we want to learn to cook. Cooking classes are springing up with increasing regularity in the Tampa Bay area, a trend that is mirrored nationwide. At fancy restaurants, city recreation centers, retail stores, catering outlets and private homes, people are gathering to learn something new about cooking. Five years ago, the Food File, the calendar of events that runs in the Taste section, might have included one or two recreational cooking classes each month. Today's Food File lists five classes this week alone. For the next few months, the Taste section will visit a variety of cooking classes in the area to give readers an idea of what different types of classes offer. (See accompanying story on a cooking class at a St. Petersburg recreation center.) "I think people are getting tired of takeout," says Dorlene Kaplan, editor of ShawGuides' The Guide to Cooking Schools, an annual catalog of both professional and recreational cooking programs around the world. "For families in which both adults are working, it's nice to be able to create something from scratch and to have the confidence to throw something together." Kaplan says the listings in the guidebook have more than tripled, from 333 in 1989, the guide's first year, to 1,098 in 2002. Those numbers include programs that train students for careers in the food industry and classes taken for fun and self-improvement. Even the most esteemed cooking schools, such as the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., now offer classes for amateur cooks. Kaplan attributes the heightened interest in all cooking classes to several things, not the least of which is the popularity of the TV Food Network.
Cooking classes, like many of the Food Network shows, are entertaining, Kaplan says. That's another reason why they've become popular. So is camaraderie. "The other people you meet in class have at least one thing in common: They love good food," says John Lewis, general manager of La Maison Gourmet recreational cooking school in Dunedin. "It's kind of like joining a club." La Maison Gourmet, which started more than four years ago as Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, now has company. Publix opened its first cooking school, called Apron's, in August at its Gunn Highway store in Hillsborough County's Citrus Park. Shelly Carroll, Publix's director of meals, says the cooking school was initiated as a way to help customers get back into cooking. A smart move, given that Publix sells cooking ingredients. The school has been a hit, Carroll says. "We've had at least 75 percent of our seats booked," she says. "We weren't sure of the interest. We knew there were still people who wanted to cook, who liked to cook out there, but we still weren't sure how well it would be received." Apron's has brought in well-known instructors, including Robert Michael Mondavi Jr. of Mondavi Wines and Francis Anthony, the "Love Chef" of Regis and Kelly fame. Those celebrity sessions are popular, Carroll says, as well as the school's basic skills courses. La Maison offers dozens of classes every month, and some of the more popular, Lewis says, are couples' classes, kids' programs and the basic skills series. La Maison also hosts private parties, organizes corporate team-building sessions and offers personal chef services. What cooking class is best for you? That all depends on your goal and your budget. If you're looking for a social gathering with friends, a demonstration class at a restaurant such as Roy's in Tampa will probably fit the bill. For about $40 to $60 you can watch the chef make lunch, explaining his techniques along the way. You listen, you eat, you drink wine, and you'll probably come away with some tips. In general, cooking demonstrations, as opposed to handson classes, are the least expensive. Demonstration classes, with fees ranging from $25 to $60, are found in many locations, including cooking schools, retail stores, catering companies and restaurants. Nature's Harvest Market on N MacDill Avenue in Tampa offers free weekly vegetarian cooking demonstrations as a draw to the store. That price you can't beat. For those who want a more active learning experience, handson classes are the way to go. In these classes, every student gets a chance to chop and chiffonade, saute and simmer. "Beginners should take handson classes," editor Kaplan says. "It's important that you are able to practice the techniques. Plus, when you are participating, you connect with the other people. I'm a big fan of handson classes." Handson classes usually cost less than $100, sometimes as low as $15 if you take a series of classes at a city recreation center. The six-week basic skills series at Apron's is $300; a similar nine-week series at La Maison is $595. A nonvocational "La Technique" 22-week series at the French Culinary Institute in New York is about $4,500. An alternative to going to a class is hiring an instructor to come to your home. The price of these classes depends on the training of the instructor, the menu or topic and the number of students. You could pay as little as $15 a person and as much as $100. It's probably a good idea to do a little investigating about the class or the instructor before you commit. This is most imperative if you are taking a vacation cooking class abroad that can cost in the thousands for a weeklong course. The truth is, anyone can call themselves a cooking instructor. Most instructors have business licenses as caterers or personal chefs, but there is no licensing or certification needed to lead a cooking class. However, ask questions about the instructor when you call to book the class. Has the instructor written a cookbook, or is she a former chef at a well-known restaurant? Has he been trained at culinary school, and how long has he been teaching? Does he have a good reputation as a caterer? Make sure you know what's on the menu and that the topic interests you. If you hate sushi and ginger, then a class on Asian appetizers might not be for you. It's important, though, to be realistic when signing up for a local cooking class. In two hours, you will not master sauces like Julia Child. Frankly, if you are pretty handy in the kitchen already or are a Food Network junkie, you may only learn one new thing. Still, you have a chance to meet others who like to cook and can have an instructor validate your skills. Kaplan says cooking classes offer something that can't be learned from watching Jacques Pepin on TV or reading Martha Stewart's latest cookbook. The tactile nature of cooking -- the smell of baking cookies, the feel of dough -- comes to life in class. Classes, she says, give you confidence to toss recipes to the wind and improvise. "Every class I go to I pick up a little something," Kaplan says. "The first class I took was from an Italian woman, and she told us that the pasta knows how much salt to take out of the boiling water so you don't have to measure. She threw in half a box (of salt). After that I never measured again." Those kinds of tips can be priceless to home cooks, especially those seeking more time in the cozy confines of the kitchen. Now, that's worth the price of a class. Crab, Leek & Gorgonzola Bisque
In a large stockpot, saute shallots and leeks in butter for 5 minutes. Add potatoes and saute another 5 minutes. Add pear liquid and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 10-12 minutes. Transfer mixture to blender and puree until smooth. Return puree to stockpot. Puree pears and add to stockpot with half-and-half, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir to combine, heat thoroughly, but do not boil. Place equal amounts of crabmeat into each bowl. Add hot bisque, top with cheese and chives. Serves 12-14. Source: Courtesy of Diane VanEpps Roasted Pear and Beet Salad with Watercress and Blue Cheese
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, heat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap each beet in foil and roast until fork inserted removes easily (1-11/2 hours). Unwrap beets, cool, peel and cut into quarters; cut each quarter into wedges. Whisk together oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste in small bowl. Combine beets, blue cheese and watercress in large serving bowl. Add pears and vinaigrette; toss gently to combine. Serve immediately. Source: courtesy of Diane VanEpps Roasted Pears
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place baking sheet on rack and heat oven to 500 degrees. Peel and halve each pear lengthwise. Remove core. Set each half cut-side down, and slice each into fifths. Toss pears with butter, add sugar and toss to combine. Spread pears in single layer on preheated baking sheet, making sure each slice lies flat on surface. Roast until browned on bottom, about 10-12 minutes. Flip each slice and roast until tender and golden brown, about 5 minutes longer. Let pears cool or keep warm. Source: courtesy of Diane VanEpps Essence of Emeril Crab Cakes
In a heavy skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat. Add onion/shallots and red peppers; saute for 1 minute, season with salt and pepper. Stir in green onions, garlic, 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning; cook 1 minute. Transfer sauteed vegetables to large bowl to cool. Whisk in 2 eggs, mustard, 1/4 cup bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Gently fold in crabmeat. Do not stir or fold roughly; try to keep the lumps of crabmeat whole. In three bowls: Combine 2/3 cup flour with 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning. Combine 1 cup bread crumbs with 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning. Whisk remaining 1 egg with 1/4 cup water. Using your hands, gently form 8-10 medium cakes from the crab mixture, packing them firmly but not tightly. Dredge cakes in seasoned flour, dip in egg mixture, then coat thoroughly in bread-crumb mix. Shake off excess crumbs, let sit several minutes. (Note: This works best if three people do the three bowls, then the mixes do not stick.) In a large heavy skillet, heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. When very hot, add crab cakes in batches and fry until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels; add more oil if needed to finish batches. Source: Emeril Lagasse Spicy Tartar Sauce
In small skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add garlic and pepper and cook until flavors are released. Transfer to bowl and let cool. Stir in mayonnaise, green onions and juice, season with salt and pepper to taste. Place a dollop of tartar sauce alongside each crab cake. Sprinkle plates with seasoning and green onions to serve. Serves 4 (8 medium crab cakes). Source: Adapted from Emeril Lagasse Key Lime Pie (from Joe's Stone Crab)For crust:
Filling:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat inside of 9- or 10-inch pie pan with 1 teaspoon melted butter or margarine. In mixing bowl, combine crushed graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup melted butter or margarine. Use mixture to line the bottom and sides of pan, coming up to almost the top of pie pan. Place the pan into preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not overly brown the crumb crust (it will be baked when filled). While the crust is baking, in a medium mixing bowl, make the filling by whisking together the condensed milk, egg yolks, lime zest and lime juice. When the crust is baked, remove from oven and pour in the filling. Return the filled pie crust to the oven for another 8-10 minutes. Let cool at room temperature, or cool slightly in refrigerator. Whip cream and a little sugar. Serve a dollop of cream on top of pie slices. Source: Courtesy of Diane VanEpps
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