Heidi Billotto Cooks Anyone can cook, let Heidi Billotto show you how to make it fun! Charlotte Culinary Expert, Heidi Billotto hlnc@carolina.rr.com Sat June 2 - 11 am - 3:30 pm - On the Farm at New Town Farms in Waxhaw. So happy to be cooking once again with my good friends, local farmers Sammy and Melinda Koenigsberg. New Town Farms produces all sorts of seasonal vegetables as well as chicken, eggs and some pork. This time of year the feilds will be full of wonderful produce for us to cook and enjoy! We'll also visit the chickens, perhaps gather a few eggs and watch the Ossobaw pigs root around in the woods. Great fun and fabulous photo opts for us all. Then we'll had back to cook with and eat and enjoy what is fresh, in season and growing on the farm. The class is predominantly demonstration-style with some hands-on opportunities. Wine pairings with each dish we prepare will be offered by my buddy wine guru Josh Villapando of the Common Market in Plaza Midwood. New Town Farms is a fixture at the Matthews Community Farmers market and on many restaurant menus around town, too. Our walking 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 and wine, too. Cost $75 per person. Just TWO spaces left... MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW...by emailing Heidi today at HLNC@carolina.rr.com. AT HOME WITH HEIDI - Saturday June 9, 11 am - 2:30 pm, Spice Up Your Spring and Summer Table. Our evening version of this class a couple of weeks in my home kitchen was such a hit that I can't wait to do a Saturday rendition of the same theme. We'll cook together At Home with Heidi in this hands-on class with a variety local farmers' market produce and proteins; fresh herbs from my herb garden, dried spices and spice blends from my new friends, Amy and Scott from the Savory Spice Shop in the Southend's Shops at Atherton Mill and an assortment of incredible 2011 Harvest extra virgin olive oils from my even newer friends Sophie and Jack from Pour Olive - a great new olive oil shop on East Blvd., right next to Maddie’s Gallery. Four sensational new dishes will be on the menu and as we cook we'll taste each one with a wine selection paired by my go-to wine guru Josh Villapando from the Common Market in Plaza Midwood. Cost $65 per person. Email Heidi at HLNC@carolina.rr.com for reservations Look for more On the Farm classes in June with details coming up in my next newsletter but you can certainly make reservations now by emailing me at hlnc@carolina.rr.com Saturday June 23 - 5-8:30 pm -Farm Food, City Style - Cooking On the Farm at Tega Hills Farms In this new On the Farm class we'll learn everything you ever wanted to know about Hydroponic gardening as Tega Hill owners Mark and Mindy Robinson lead the tour in the green houses and surrounding summer gardens. the class will take place in theback of the green house among the flats of microgreens... on the menu - stuffed squash blossoms, Fun Asian lettuce wraps with twosauces, vichyssoise with a crab and microgreen salad; and a local fruit salad with candied bacon and hydroponic greens. printed recipes, generous samples and of course wine pairings with each course. Cost is $75 per person. Make you reservations now by emailing, Heidi at hlnc@carolina.rr.com. Saturday, July 14, 3-7 pm - Summertime Italian - On the Farm at Proffitt Cattle Co. - never too early to make your reservations for these popular classes. The class includes a farm tour, cooking with Proffitts certified organic beef, generous samples, recipes packets and wine notes for each participant and wine pairings with each course...On the menu for this July class - Summer Italian...Save the date, mark your calendar and email Heidi at HLNC@carolina.rr.com to make your reservations now. A Class all your own.... Private Cooking Classes with Charlotte Culinary Expert Heidi Billotto As many of you know, in addition to holding the position of food editor for Charlotte Living Magazine, catering in private homes and teaching a regular schedule of cooking classes around town; I also teach a number of private cooking classes - in my home and "on location" in your homes, as well. These private in-home classes are offered for two up to 16 class participants are designed to suit your culinary interests and are a great way to entertain friends or colleagues for birthday parties, book club meetings, office team building events, girls night out or gourmet clubs cooking parties. For kids I offers range of age appropriate subjects for a simple cupcake decoration party to actually cooking a meal for family or friends. The process is simple - we plan a date and a topic and then you come to me or I come to you with everything we need - food, equipment, recipes and even an assistant to help with clean-up! Your job - to simply enjoy and have fun! Email Heidi at HLNC@carolina.rr.com, for all the details and we'll get a date on the calendar for your own private cooking class - I can't wait!