Nutritious cookies! Really.
My first trip to New Orleans included a morning at the New Orleans School of Cooking. I learned to make jambalaya and shrimp etouffee. I also learned how to pronounce pecan: “A pee can is something you put under the bed. A peh cahn is something you put in pie.”
When I travel I try to attend at least one cooking lesson. Not all are hands-on, so if you don’t like getting your hands dirty in the kitchen, choose a watch and learn. The result is the same as a hands-on lesson, good food and a better understanding of technique. My lessons have proved useful when dining in restaurants, because my food vocabulary has expanded. Menus are less stressful.
Last Saturday, I attended a cooking class in my home town. Bite out of Life Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaching took the mystery out of managing lunches. [I hate making lunches. It is my least favourite meal of the day, unless I'm on a balcony overlooking an ocean with a glass of champagne in my hand.]
The first lesson, and the most important? Plan ahead. Put the work in up front, so that you are not frazzled by the end of the week. Such common sense…why didn’t I think of that?
Bite out of Life’s lessons are nutrition based, because the woman behind the recipes, Trish Krause, is a holistic nutritionist. She is also a foodie, so she ensures her healthy recipes are appetizing and great-tasting. I am adapting her quinoa salad for lunch today. The Nonagenarian is never too old to experience something new.
Trish’s next culinary workshop is October 20. She is going to explore gluten-free recipes. She holds her classes in a delightful and intimate B&B in Leslieville in Toronto. Jare’s Place is on the Queen Street car line, with easy access to theatre and shopping. The Leslieville neighbourhood abounds with delightful, quirky eateries too. The small class size and the delightful surroundings are a great combination.
During my class, we paired in teams of two. Each team made one of the recipes. We all sampled the results. Delicious!
Next time you are in Toronto, try a culinary workshop. Remember to register in advance.
