[PDX] Cooking Classes...

[ExtraMSG]

Was looking over Sur La Table's and In Good Taste's cooking classes today. Thought I'd share some of the ones that especially interested me.

Anyone done classes at both? I had a basic knife class at In Good Taste that was mediocre. Too basic for me and the guy was a little inexperienced. At least it was cheap. Most of their classes are a lot more expensive than Sur La Table's. I think I'm inclined towards non-hands-on classes, too, because I think you could get through more stuff not having to wait for novices. And you'd be able to ask more questions and see the expert do it. Any experiences or opinions either way?

SUR LA TABLE

2.26 Braising: Winter Do-Ahead Dinner Party, Lydie Marshall -- $55

2.28 World Tour Cuisine: Morocco, Angela Favre -- $50

3.05 Artisan Bread I: Baking with Yeast, Tim Healea (Pearl Bakery) -- $65

3.09 Pork and Shellfish from Wildwood, Adam Sappington -- $50

3.12 Artisan Bread II: Sourdough Baking, Tim Healea (Pearl Bakery) -- $65

3.13 Fun Fish Taco Party, Nancy Zaslavsky -- $95

3.30 More Secrets of a Cuban Kitchen, Eric Laslow --$50

IN GOOD TASTE

1.22 Cathy Whims Presents, Cathy Whims -- $95

1.27 Hands on Truffles and Wild Mushrooms, Vitaly Paley -- $120

2.02 An Evening of Foie Gras and Black Truffles, Tom Hurley -- $150

2.03 French Mountain Delights: Gruyere and Black Truffles, Nancy Forrest -- $95

2.05 Flavors of Umbria; Black Truffles and Handmade Pastas, Cathy Whims -- $105

2.23 A Portuguese Dinner, David Machado (Lauro) -- $95

[bankchef]

From the above list these two classes I experienced:

I took Artisan Bread I when I was living in Portland. Great class if you aren't already a baker. Also took a class taught by chef de cuisine of wildwood (was a winter braising class).

I liked the classes because it was an easy way to see and hear other chefs and taste a little of their food.The students are a total mix of newbies and seasoned home cooks. I kept a fifty dollar spending limit and took one class per month. Plus you get a discount on cookware that night etc. etc. You may not learn a whole lot but there's usually one or two things that you haven't done or thought enough about before or just haven't thought about in a while.

[duckduck]

I've done a few classes at Sur La Table and quite a few at Whole Foods. Pick up their schedule as well. They have some cool guest chefs in there. I've felt more comfortable at Whole Foods. The thai classes with Ivy and mexican with Billy Schumacher have been great. Chef Ivy is very laid back and it has a bit more relaxed atmosphere than Sur. I took bread classes with Tim from Pearl Bakery and I would suggest his classes. I've done bread for years and still picked up tips. I'm thinking of doing the crepes class at Sur and I'm doing the seafood class next week with Billy Hahn. They do bring in some great names at In Good Taste. I'm still bummed that I missed Eric Ripert. They seem to have a problem with getting me on the mailing list. I was looking at a class with Nick Malgieri at Good Taste but ended up taking it for half the price at Sur. And Alice Medrich was a really great teacher if she comes around again. Anyway, I always check out those three class schedules when they come out.

[ExtraMSG]

One thing I wish these companies would do is give better info about their chefs. When it's a guest chef, often promoting a book or their restaurant, it's fine. You get the info. eg, I trust Laslow to do Cuban food because his grandparents were Cuban and he's a good chef besides. But how do I know that someone named Schumacher knows any more about Mexican food than me?

[duckduck]

I know just from taking his class that he's spent a lot of time in mexico learning to cook. I enjoyed what I learned from him. It seemed to be more like what my mexican crew eats than the white bread restaurant mexican food sold at large. And Ivy was raised cooking Thai from a Thai woman and spends her vacations cooking in Thailand. She's got a thai soup class coming up next month with hands on curry paste mixing. I really think you'd enjoy it Nick. I'm thinking about taking that one.

[ExtraMSG]

I do want to take more classes. I wish those truffle classes weren't so damned expensive.

[bankchef]

Yeah, you're better off just buying some truffles and having fun at home.

[duckduck]

Did NW Seafood class last night at Sur La Table with Billy Hahn from Jake's Crawfish. Awesome class! I would strongly suggest it to anyone the next time it comes around. We had shrimp/crab cakes with ginger jalapeno mayonaise, mesclun salad with Jake's house dressing, bleu cheese crumbles and glazed walnuts, crab and shrimp stuffed salmon, seafood etouffe and Jake's chocolate truffle cake. The food was wonderful! The best part of the class though was when Billy threw a big 14# whole salmon up on the counter and took us from fin to filet and showed us how to de-bone and shin and cut up a whole salmon. He even went over it again during the break for people that wanted to see it again while standing at the counter. He's was fun, patient and very informative. The food was great and as a teacher, Billy rocks! It was one of the best classes I've taken there so far.

[ExtraMSG]

I was looking at the Whole Foods classes today and realized they're cooking and lifestyle classes including ones like this:

Friday, January 16th

Vedic Palmistry Astrology

With Dr. Kathleen Keogh

7:00–9:00 p.m.    Free

Learn how this amazing healing modality can bring balance to our lives.

Thanks for the great report on your class. I really need to be doing this as well.

[duckduck]

yeah, I was looking at the homemade bath salts and massage oils class myself. I did one of the allergy clinics and it was very informative. They do some cool stuff. Such as, by the way, chocolate tasting on sunday feb. 8th from 2-6 pm only $3 and no need to register. How cool is that?