The Joy of Cooking ... Classes!

My "students" and I celebrating a successful cooking class / party!

As a caterer, being in someone else's kitchen is just part of what I do. Often my staff and I find myself joined from time to time by a curious guest who loves to cook. And if there is time, we always try to answer all their questions. But, as you can imagine, a catering kitchen when it starts to really rev up is a bit like a roller derby -- hot, fast and just a little dangerous! If you aren't in sync with the action, it sort of passes you by.

Which is why we enjoy it so much when we can slow things down and take the time to spend with clients and guests who want to learn a little more about the recipes we make.

We have done many cooking classes and they mostly fall into two categories. The first one is the class as a party itself or as a team-building experience. Cooking is always a fun, interactive, and ultimately rewarding activity for bringing people together.

The other cooking class we've done happens directly in the client's kitchens. Sometimes they invite guests to enjoy what we make together and sometimes they just bring us in to teach them a couple of their favorite Good Gracious recipes or to perfect those that they found in in my book, Food, Fun and Love: Party Styles.

In the past few months we've done both types of cooking classes which I'm happy to share with you here.

Cooking Class as Team Building

DaVita, a long-time corporate client of Good Gracious, is very forward-thinking and always looking for new ways to bring its team together. At this event, we all traveled up to the very eco-chic resort and campgrounds of El Capitan Canyon in the Santa Barbara area for a cooking class that would become a lovely lunch.

In the spirit of an upscale campfire, the menu was very meat-heavy but the preparations were all fun and designed for at-home grill cooking. I think there is only one dish I might have to explain a little. Chicken Up the Bum might sound a bit rude, but it's truly the most delicious chicken. I do it all the time at home. As you can see from the photo below, it really is a half-full can of beer placed inside the chicken. The bird sits on the can for about 50 minutes in a hot, enclosed grill. In the end (sorry...couldn't help that pun) you have perfectly moist chicken!

Afterwards, we all sat down to a beautiful al fresco lunch with wines of the region.

Just as I described it! Chicken Up the "Bum." It also goes by the name "beer can chicken." We seasoned it with salt, pepper and drizzles of olive oil infusions.

Here I am, giving tips on cooking lamb and pork on a grill. We made Racks of Lamb with a Chopped Vegetable Salsa and Bone-In Grilled Pork Loin served with a rustic Chimichurri.

Guests also learned how to make Grilled Hearts of Romaine Salad with Peppery Sour Cream Lemon Dressing, Crumbled Bleu Cheese and another side dish, Baby Red Potato With Bacon.

All Things Vegetable: A Cooking Class Just for Fun!

We have a couple clients who enjoy cooking and want to center a home party around a cooking class. A long-time client and friend, Laura Ladd, wanted to know how to make a few of the dishes in my book; those that she has loved through the years. Our Chef, Joanne Purnell, made a personal appearance to teach and assist with a completely vegetarian menu.

The items they made together included Crispy Exotic Vegetable Chips (beets, taro, plaintain and potato) with such inspired dips as Curried Hummus, Yellow Beet Chimichurri and Red Tomato Balsamic. In addition, Laura learned how to perfect one of our popular vegetarian appetizers -- Vegetable Panna Cotta. She and Joanne made both the broccoli mushroom and the carrot thyme ginger versions.

After all the cooking, Laura celebrated by inviting a few friends over for a very "green" cocktail hour!

Exotic Chips!

Prep for the Sauteed Shaved Brussels Sprouts

Laura and Joanne testing their dishes