The best way to feel at ease in the kitchen is to take The Basics of Cooking and Culinary Skills cooking classes. These four-part series provide essential instruction that can turn anyone into a better home cook. Plus, students learn the kitchen tricks that make cooking a pleasure. Both of these classes offer valuable information about how to cook that is helpful to both the novice and experienced cook.

The Basics of Cooking is a demonstration class that features roasted pork and potatoes, perfect omelets, balsamic asparagus, homemade macaroni-and-cheese, vegetable soup, chocolate cake, and many other family favorites. Chef-instructor Cindy Ott has taught introductory cooking classes for over ten years and her easy-going style is full of humor. The next session is September 19, 26, October 3, and 10 from 6 to 8:30 pm.

Culinary Skills is a full participation class that teaches how to bone meats, make homemade stocks, and classic restaurant-style sauces. Session 1 focused on chicken, including boning, chicken stock, and many chicken preparations (roasting, baking, grilling, sauteing, poaching, fricassee, and confit). Session 2 is beef: tenderloin, steaks, stew, plus beef stock for French onion soup, and sauces for beef (bearnaise, aioli, pan sauce). Session 3 features a wide variety of fish preparations (seared, papillote, grilled, poached, smoked) plus lobster bisque and sauces for fish. Session 4 is vegetables: soup and salad, plus roasted, sauteed, and baked vegetable preparations. At the end of four weeks, students have the foundation to make at home dozens of different delicious meals from scratch. Chef Anne Cori leads the class, which starts on September 4, 11, 18, and 25 from 6 to 9 pm.

Register Now.