Friday, June 3, 2011

Heidi's June and July Cooking Classes



The response to my monthly On the Farm classes has been overwhelming and with good reason - the farm tour and cooking class format combine to give us all a mindful experience of where our food comes from and how it is raised... this month and I very happy to say that I am teaching classes at two wonderful farms: Proffitt Family Farms in King's Mountain and New Town Farms in Waxhaw.

On the Farm at Proffitt Family Farms - Sunday, June 5 - 1 - 5 pm
Another of what has become our monthly "On the Farm" class with the Eagans and the Proffitts on their beautiful ranch at Proffitt Family Farms in King's Mountain. Class will begin at 1 pm with a farm tour where we will visit with the chickens, the horses, cows and bulls and meet Precious, the farm's newest calf! Then we'll all settle into the Eagan's beautiful home kitchen to cook with some of the best beef around. Cost is $65.
To register email Heidi at hlnc@carolina.rr.com

On the Farm at New Town Farms - Saturday, June 18 11 am - 3:30 pm
So happy to be cooking once again with my good friends, local farmers Sammy and Melinda Koenigsberg. The first time I toured the property at New Town Farms I told Sammy that if I lived there I would never leave - its a gorgeous peice of land and this time of year the feilds will be full of wonderful produce for us to pick, cook and enjoy! We'll also visit the chickens, collect some eggs and watch the Ossobaw pigs root around in the woods. New Town Farms is a fixture at the Matthews Community Farmers market and on many restaurant menus around town, too. Tour starts at 11 am with a class to follow in the kitchen at the Inn at New Town Farms. After class you'll be able to shop for produce and chicken, too. Cost $65.
To register email Heidi at hlnc@carolina.rr.com

Cooking Classes at the Reid's Fine Foods Cooking School - Almost every weekend and some weeknights,too, you'll find me Cooking Up A Storm in the kitchen at Reid's Cooking School.

The cooking school kitchen is neatly tucked in behind the wine bar at Reid's Fine Foods located at the corner of Selwyn and Colony in the heart of Myers Park. Classes are a blast - students enjoy generous samples and get to lend a hand in the action if they would like. Wine pairings from Reid's wine department with every course. Plus, when you come to a cooking class at Reid's, you'll enjoy a 10% same day shopping discount on anything in the store with the exception of wine and additional cooking classes.
Hope to see you Cooking Up A Storm at Reid's real soon!



Saturday, June 4; 11am – 2 pm – Eat well, Live well- Fear of Frying - Stop the saute but keep the crunch. You won't believe the faux frying techniques and the wonderful recipes that are the result of this fun and flavorful and lower in fat class. All recipes prepared within the guidelines of the Mediterranean-American Diet. Menu includes Heidi’s spicy sweet onion rings; faux fried fish and chips; fried chicken salad with fresh local greens and fried green tomatoes with from scratch pico de gallo.
Cost $65 per person. To register email Heidi@reids.com

Tuesday June 7 – 6:30- 8pm – Guest Chef – Tiz Benson and Anita Stack from Tizzerts host Cake College at Reid’s If you have ever seen a cake from Tizzert's you'll know that Tiz, Anita and staff are a whiz when it comes to cake decorating.
In class this dynamic duo of master bakers and cake decorators will show you all you need to know and it's amazing what you will learn. Class begins with a champagne toast to all that is sweet in life and continues with a fascinating and informative demonstration on assembling, frosting and decorating a cake. After you watch the masters, the opportunity to do it yourself finds each class participant, pastry bag and decorating tip in hand, learning to ice and decorating cupcakes, making icing pansies, roses, leaves and more! Sweet!
Cost $85 per person. THIS CLASS IS FULL - TO GET ON THE WAITLIST email Heidi@reids.com


Saturday June 11 – 11 – 2:30 pm – The Big O - Cooking with Olives Oils From Around the World! Heidi teaches this class once a year and it’s always a crowd pleaser - we'll start with a tasting of nearly a dozen different oils from around the world – all available on Reid’s retail shelves; and then cook with four of our favorites to make bistecca florentine ( a grilled steak marinated in extra virgin olive oil and fresh rosemary), lemon farro summer salad, braised chicken with gremolata and a semolina cake served with homemade olive oil gelato.
Cost $75 per person. To register email Heidi@reids.com


Sunday June 12 – 1-4 pm – Southern Suppers for Four or More - This class features a menu that will have everyone all saying “Ya’ll come back and have some more!”. On the menu, Heidi's creamy Macaroni and Cheese, collard greens with braised black-eyed peas, spicy shrimp and grits and chocolate pecan pie for dessert.
Cost $65 per person. To register email Heidi@reids.com

Sunday June 19 – 1-4 pm – On the Bone –This is the perfect class for all the Dad’s out there with a culinary bend and those among you who love to cook on the bone. Come and learn all the ins and outs of great dishes like classic Osso Bucco, stuffed braised Grateful Growers pork chops, herb-crusted rack of lamb and artichoke & Ashe county cheese-stuffed chicken breasts.
Cost $65 per person. To register email Heidi@reids.com

Sunday June 26 – 1- 4 pm – Guest Chef – A Taste of Passion 8 with Chef Luca AnnunziataIn this fabulous class, Chef Luca and his lovely wife Jessica, will offer us a taste of Passion 8, a tiny little bistro in Ft. Mill just over the state line, offering big flavors from their nightly market menu. At the restaurant Luca uses as much local product as he can and then takes it to another level. His talent in the kitchen is amazing, plus he's a great guy and tons of fun to cook with...come discover your passion, learn the tricks of the trade from this fabulous chef and discover why everyone is so passionate about Passion 8.
Cost $85 per person. To register email Heidi@reids.com


Saturday July 9 - 11 am - 2 pm – Food & Wine of Champagne
A new take on a French cooking class in which we will prepare an entire meal from appetizer to dessert. Each course will be paired with a bit of the bubbly. We'll taste a bottle of the real stuff from France and then, through the meal, compare it to other sparkling wines from around the world. The food starts with an appetizer of tiny gougere ( or cheese filled puffs) to whet the appetite, a first course of seared scallops and leeks in a champagne sauce is followed by an entrée of sauteed chicken medallions with a mustard cream sauce. A salad of fresh greens with a champagne vinaigrette and luscious chocolate dessert round out the meal.
Cost $85 per person. To register email Heidi@reids.com

Sunday July 10 – 1-4 pm Steakhouse Dinner for Four
We’ll prepare all your steakhouse faves in this one, from crabcakes to that infamous blue cheese wedge; we’ll cook with local Proffitt Family Farms steaks and other fine cuts from Reid’s meat department and top this beefy class off with an incredible 10 minute chocolate souffle!
Cost $75 per person. To register email Heidi@reids.com

Saturday July 16 – 11 am -2 pm – Summer Seafood Shellfish and "finny" fish too, we'll grill, broil, saute, braise and bake all of your favorite fish cooked to perfection. Menu includes Green shelled mussels in pernod butter; summer shrimp sliders; whole boneless Nc trout with a tomato and caper coulis and seared salmon with Yah’s mango salsa. Tell 'em Charlie the tuna set you...
Cost $75 per person. To register email Heidi@reids.com

Sunday July 17 – 1-4 pm – Guest Chef Josh Keilman from Passion 8 Bistro The oh-so-sweet side of Passion 8 Bistro. We are fortunate to have another chef from Passion 8 bistro join us on the guest chef docket. This class is with sous chef extrordinaire, Josh Keilman. Josh’s focus in this class will be summertime sweets –come, watch him work his creative magic as he teaches us all a bit about the sweeter side of Passion 8.
Cost $85 per person. To register email Heidi@reids.com

Saturday July 23 – 11 am – 2 pm – Food and Wine of France – A complete French meal for you own haute cuisine at home. We'll start with classic French Caesar salad with homemade croutons, real french onion soup, individual servings of seafood en croute, savory herb-stuffed tomatoes and ice cream profiteroles with The Secret Chocolatier’s chocolate and caramel sauce. In the words of our dear Julia, “Bon Appetit!
Cost $65 per person. To register email Heidi@reids.com

Sunday July 24 – 1-4 pm – Guest Chef Bruce Moffet – A Taste of Barrington’s
Barringtons has been one of Charlotte’s favorites for upscale
American cuisine for over ten years now. With chef and owner Bruce Moffett at the helm from the very beginning, the restaurant has been named “Tops for food in Charlotte” in the Zagat Top Restaurants in America Guide from 2003 to 2010. In this class Bruce shares his talent and expertise in working with class participants to prepare an entire meal a la Barrington’s. You won’t want to miss it!
Cost $85 per person. To register email Heidi@reids.com