Rustic Italian Cooking: Everyday Pasta

Pasta is more than just a delicious entree or side dish; it?s an essential part of Italian culture. Italians have been creating pasta dishes for generations, varying the shapes and sauces to reflect regional traditions. In this hands-on class, led by our native Italian cooking instructor, you?ll prepare and enjoy mezza luna (1/2 moon shaped pasta filled, in this version, with sauteed artichoke hearts and cheese, topped with a white cream sauce, parmigiano cheese and fresh parsley), sauteed zucchini (with pancetta and onions), and traditional tiramisu.

Rustic Italian Cooking: Pork Pork

Students will assist in preparing porchetta (slow roasted pork coated with rosemary and garlic and served with skin-on wedged potatoes baked with mixed herbs), roasted butternut squash (dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette and served on radicchio with dried fruit) and poached pears (in champagne and topped with mascarpone cream cheese and pistachios), followed by the entire meal enjoyed together family style.

Rustic Italian Cooking: Seafood Italian Sunday Suppers 3

Students will assist in preparing swordfish risotto (cooked in a white wine and shrimp stock), calamari (stuffed with pine nuts, bread crumbs, parsley, and olives, then cooked in a white wine and tomato broth), arugula and pear salad (topped with shaved parmigiano cheese and balsamic vinaigrette dressing), and apricot torte. The meal is enjoyed together family style following preparation.

Rustic Italian Cooking: Two for Two! Two Dinners for Two People

It's always handy to have a couple of "sure fire" menu plans in your repertoire to enjoy with someone special. Why not expand your horizons with two new ones that share the tastes of Italy? Join our native Italian cooking instructor in preparing and sampling two menus:Menu one includes veal saltimbocca (thin slices of veal rolled around prosciutto and sage, then sauteed and topped with a white wine sauce), spinach and cannellini bean salad (dressed with a Dijon mustard and chive vinaigrette), and chocolate mousse. Menu two includes sea bass (baked with scalloped potatoes and herbs in a tomato and wine broth), escarole (sauteed with garlic, chilis, and toasted pine nuts), and fresh fruit parfait (layers of mascarpone cream cheese and fresh fruit that's been marinated in honey and cognac). The meal is enjoyed together family style following preparation.

Rustic Italian Cooking: Vegetarian Italian Sunday Suppers 4

Students will assist in preparing zucchini alla parmigiana (layers of fried zucchini slices baked with bread crumbs, parmigiano cheese and basil), frittatine al forno (thin egg omelettes rolled around mozzarella and parmigiano cheese and baked with an onion, tomato sauce) and strawberry terrine (homemade sponge cake layered with mascarpone cream cheese, fresh strawberries and blueberries), followed by the entire meal enjoyed together family style.

Sauteing 101

Join us for an intensive look at this dry/high-heat, low-fat, quick-cooking method. You will get ample practice and once you've got it mastered, the sky's the limit for creativity in the kitchen! Come hungry! Full participation.

Menu: shrimp scampi with linguine, rack of lamb with mustard and rosemary pan sauce, pan-roasted chicken au jus, and sauteed salmon with a gingered-carrot sauce. Full participation.

ServSafe Certification

In this class students will learn the causes of foodborne illness and prevention. You will learn the food safety systems, the facilities cleaning and sanitizing, food safety regulations and employee training. You will take the ServSafe? certification test at the end of the day. Students passing the exam will receive a certificate as a ServSafe? Food Protection Manager.

You must purchase the required text new before the class. "ServSafe Essentials 5th Edition revised" with exam answer sheet. The book contains the prepaid answer sheet.
ISBN 978-1-58280-271-8. The book is available in the WCC bookstore. It is recommended that the student read through the book before the class.

The Art of the Souffle

Sweet or savory, souffles are a sure way to impress your guests. It's all about technique for this one! So join us for an evening mastering the process and you'll see just how easy this crowd pleaser can be. Get ready for the ooohhs and aaahhs!! Full participation.

Menu: asparagus souffle, Roquefort souffle, lemon souffle, chocolate souffle, adn Grand Marnier souffle.

Wine from Australia and New Zealand A New World of Wines

Australia and New Zealand are part of the New World of wine producers who have a reputation for being able to merge traditional wine-making processes with innovations in blending, marketing and growing technologies. Their wines provide a fruit forward flavor profile that is not about sweetness, but about the initial onset of fruit taste, which can make these wines friendly and approachable for new wine drinkers. From affordable to collectible, wines from "down under" offer diversity and value. During this session you'll get to know the key growing regions and taste their distinct wine styles.

(Requirement that students must be at least 21 to participate).

You must be 21 or older to attend this class.

Wine from South America Wines of Argentina and Chile

Both Argentina and Chile produce vast amounts of wine and have established their reputations in the world wine market as other affordable wines of good quality become ever harder to locate. This class provides an enlightening introduction to these countries, examining the history, vine varieties, and wine producers. You'll taste a number of wines from an array of wineries and grape varieties to help you select the gems available from these vibrant regions. Some of the principles of matching these delicious wines with exciting menu choices — food and wine harmony! — will be discussed.

(Requirement that students must be at least 21 to participate.)

You must be 21 or older to attend this class.