Cooking or Pastry classes you'd like to take
Is there anything you'd be really interested in learning at a cooking or pastry school? Recipes, techniques, sauces...it doesn't matter what. Is there something that has always seemed mysterious to you....something that never seems to work right....or something you only go to restaurants for because it seems too difficult to do at home....?
I give cooking lessons each week at a community center (& elsewhere) & I'm always looking for new ideas! Would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks much!
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14 Comments:
I really want to make danishes and though I am confident I can do it, it would be nice to learn from someone first hand. Especially the different shaping techniques.
pancakesx at 7:07AM on 10/13/09
I'd like to learn about different cuts of meat. I've seen stuff on tv, but that's different than actually seeing/touching/tasting the meat. Learning how to clean my own fish would be nice too... I've cleaned squid but I've never cut apart a fish.
I also would love to know about different cookware. Like how to use a pressure cooker. Or a bamboo steamer.
gingercookiewithlime at 7:21AM on 10/13/09
I'm still working on dumpling/potsticker dough, and would love a class with someone who could really show me and critique my efforts. Have done this with recipes and videos, but there's no substitute for someone with experience.
lemonfair at 8:02AM on 10/13/09
I would love to learn how to make different sauces -- I can make them, but my technique definitely needs more work!
I'm also keen on learning how to make croissants and (as silly as it sounds) cookies. The latter has always been an issue with me, as they've never turned out quite how I want them to.
avaryne at 9:13AM on 10/13/09
I'd love to take a general pastry class - my stuff tastes good, but I can never get a flaky crust, or one of many things that goes slightly off (but never affects the taste).
Also - cake decorating. I can use a pastry bag. Sort of. And I can get a cake iced. Sort of. But beyond the basics, I know nothing.
stratusgd at 10:01AM on 10/13/09
Cheese making
Cary at 10:51AM on 10/13/09
Souffles!!! I am normally a very confident baker, but they scare the daylights out of me!
Traveller at 11:36AM on 10/13/09
I think a cake decorating class would be fun. I'm really not a huge fan of icing, so I end up making cakes in bundt pans and sprinkling with powdered sugar if I want a little more oomph. So I don't get a lot of practice with cake decorating until I'm making something for company. I've got some books that show techniques, but there's nothing like hands-on having someone show you exactly how to move to get the right effect.
I've seen a few classes listed locally, but usually they're not the sort of thing I'd be interested in.
@pancakesx, Baking with Julia has a great recipe for Danish pastry and several different shapes, and the instructions are pretty clear. I've become addicted to Danish pastry dough because of that recipe. And as far as the shapes, the Danish dough behaves much more consistently than bread dough, so once you've seen how much it expands, you can probably figure out how to make different shapes without too much trouble.
@avaryne, Baking with Julia also has a good recipe for croissants. They aren't really difficult. And the instructions in the book are clear, so you can be pretty confident making them without hands-on help. They are time-consuming, but most of that time is spent with the dough in the fridge, chilling.
dbcurrie at 12:43PM on 10/13/09
Cheese making or Charcuterie. I've always wanted to be able to make and age these different products.
iwanttobeachef at 1:03PM on 10/13/09
Also, I think learning to make ravioli or dumplings would be fun.
iwanttobeachef at 1:04PM on 10/13/09
Shirley Corriher is teaching a class over here at the end of the month. i am dyingggggg to go.
Golden at 3:59PM on 10/13/09
Oh, oops. Sorry - i didn't exactly read the question. That was a bit rude, i'm sorrrry :/
Golden at 4:00PM on 10/13/09
Smoking cheese.
dmcavanagh at 7:50PM on 10/13/09
Thanks everyone for your comments! Really interesting!
girlcookinparis at 3:11AM on 10/15/09