“Cooking is about passion, so it may look slightly temperamental in a way that it's too assertive to the naked eye.” - Gordon Ramsay
When my bestie Alisha, decided to have her 29th birthday at Cookology in Northern Virginia, I was super thrilled. She wanted to host an intimate cooking class with close friends and family, on her special day. The class was so much fun, and the instructor was amazing! I loved the fact that we were taught specific cooking techniques, but we were free to experiment, and try new things with our dishes. Everything throughout the night was casual, fun, and light - if you are in the Northern Virginia area I totally recommend this for adults, and children.
The Menu:
Appetizer: Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Entrée: Parisian Bistro Style Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper Veloute
Dessert: Bourbon Bread Pudding
Truer words have never been written.
When we arrived to the cooking class, we were greeted by the most welcoming staff, wine, and appetizers! We got acquainted with our work stations, the recipes we’d be creating our meals with, and the kitchen.
The welcoming appetizer of caprese skewers, before we began cooking.
We cooked with a variety of vegetables, proteins, and even alcohol! Our instructor had us begin with our individual dessert first. The class needed adequate time to prep the bourbon bread pudding first, prior to making our entree. By doing this process, we were able to allow the dessert to cook thoroughly, and this also eased everyone into making the larger dish ahead.
Bourbon, celery, peppers, and butter - all key components for the meals cooked during class.
The ingredients for the bourbon bread pudding.
Preparing the bourbon bread pudding mixture, and cubing the bread for the dessert.
Once the dessert was assembled, and set for baking, everyone moved on the entree. We made a Parisian style chicken with a house made sauce. For this dish we were assigned a partner, and Alisha was mine! As a team, we prepared all the veggies to go along with the dish - celery, onion, potatoes, garlic, and red pepper. From there she sautéed the mixture into a large pot, which was later blended in a food processor, as a sauce for the grilled chicken.
My best friend, Alisha sautéing the veggies for the roasted red pepper veloute.
The class observing a cooking demo by the head chef.
Parisian style chicken, paired with a house made salad.
Bourbon bread pudding, with a whiskey glaze.
I absolutely loved my experience at Cookology! This experience was really unique to other cooking classes. Not only was the class private, but it was super relaxed, and I enjoyed the fact that everything was easy going. The chef provided really good kitchen tips throughout the process. Also, it was great to learn new recipes as well as how to stretch ingredients for each meal. I definitely recommend doing a cooking class with friends, or your partner. It is a great bonding experience, plus you walk away with so much knowledge!
If you have taken a cooking class, share your experience below!
XO, Analise