The more things change

[pecunium]

Much of what I did in the Army was teach. If it wasn't formal classes (MOS acquisition, etc.) it was, "hip-pocket training", or things at the local level.

A lot of what I do online is teach. The seminars I've been speaking at (which includes the one in Monterey this next Saturday) is teaching.

And, it seems, I'm about to start teaching at work.

Sur la Table is two companies, one is retail sales of cookware, one is hands on classes.

I am scheduled to teach a basic knife skills class on 29 Nov. (The November Calendar shows the sorts of things we teach). That's the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

It's just what it says, basic. How to hold a knife, how to perform basic maintenance on it; perhaps some of the differences between styles.

It will also be basic cuts; vegetables, no meats; that's intermediate. How to julienne, how to dice; the difference between mirepoix and bruinoise. How to cut onions (which will touch on some of the other things onions are goood for).

How to most easily do bell peppers (and how to deal with hot peppers). We'll start a stock, and make a salsa cruda.

It's the cheapest course we have ($59), and you get a discount on anything you buy (IIRC it's 20 percent on most things, and 10 percent on electronics), which includes cutlery.

There are seats available. Right now there is one person in the class, and two people (Les, and CG) planning to enroll. Which, sadly, isn't enough to (quite) guarantee the class will go on. If it's not filled by Weds (because of the holiday), it will be cancelled.

So, if you have any interest; and are going to be in the Bay Area, this would be a good time to take a class, you can even enroll on line.

Comments

[feonixrift.livejournal.com]

How would I find a place with classes like that in my area?

[zeeth_kyrah]

Depending on where you live, Whole Foods might be offering classes like that. Also, if you're lucky you might find a local cooking school which offers public classes (and if you have such a school which doesn't, you might suggest them).

[feonixrift.livejournal.com]

Last time I looked, it was all stuff-I-eat-free cookery and cake decoration. Sigh.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

The nearest Sur la Table culinary to you is in the Farmer's Market. You might see if the CCA in Pasadena has an extension class. There also might be classes at local "adult/community" schools (I know Palo Alto has an adult education center, and they teach cookery).

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Oh.... Bristol Farms (at the S. Pas/Pas border) used to do cookery I don't know if they still do, nor if they have a knife skills class.

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

I will second the comments below on Viking and Whole Foods, as well as suggest that high-end places that sell the stuff you eat or cook with will often offer classes on how to use them. I've thought about taking some Indian or Thai cooking classes, in part because those are the seasonings most unfamiliar to me-- and I find that without knowing how spices work and what they do, I can't accommodate for the fact that what I eat doesn't have meat and usually doesn't have something like rice, bread, or potatoes to mellow or dilute spices.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Indian would be really good for us to play with. We can't do any aloo, but how are cauliflower and eggplant for both glycemic index and your taste?

Curries were (so I understand it) a big deal before meat became so much a part of the diet. I've also seen some nice "musselman" (thai curries) with firm-fleshed fish/shellfish.

Project!

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

No cauliflower for me. You will want to evacuate the house if I ever eat any. Eggplant is good. Okra is good. Mushrooms are very good.

all the beans/pulses are good. Paneer, being cheese is Something I Love. I have found spice mixes that work well, but I often don't know how much to use-- because without the rice or naan, I end up eating something way spicier than intended.

And now that we have the thai lime tree, we should totally play with that.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

We can also, after the fruits have done the needed aging (for "black lime juice), play with some persian cookery. How are you with quinoa? We might be able to play with that in lieu of rice.

[luna-torquill.livejournal.com]

I'm tempted, but I rather feel like I'd be sticking my head into the lion's mouth to walk into that place when I have no income. When I have enough time to experiment with cooking, yet. I have this sense that I'd end up buying myself an early Christmas present (I've told you about the deeply unsatisfactory knife situation in this house) with the funds I've earmarked for buying family presents... and I don't have any confidence that putting a triple-digit knife on my wish list would elicit any response this year. sigh.

If you end up giving this class again anytime after the new year, please sing out again, as I'll have some excuse for a source of funds both for the class itself and anything I happen to fall in love with. For now... I think I should resist temptation. :)

[izzydesan.livejournal.com]

I took a similar class last week at our local Viking Cooking School. Sur La Table is giving better rewards (our discount was only 10%). Sadly, I can't help your class situation as I don't live in the Bay Area, but if I did, I would be there.

Speaking of onions, do you know any tricks so that you don't cry during the cutting? I've tried everything, but am still ultrasensitive to them. I did see a nifty pair of goggles you can wear, but blind as I am without my glasses, I wouldn't be able to see what I am doing!

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

The best things I can commend, is cold onions, and a sharp knife.

I've had some success with, of all things, a couple of strike anywhere matches in my mouth. Not perfect, but a reduction. The theory is the sulfur compounds in the matches attract the mist from the onions.

Me, I think it's probably bunk, and more placebo than anything else, but hey, a little placebo in such cases is fine.

The real culprit, is your glasses. They trap some of the spray, and the concentration goes up. I am told the goggles are great, but I wear glasses and would forget to wear the goggles (and feel ridiculous).

[sunfell.livejournal.com]

I'd love to attend any cooking or technique class you'd give.

Problem is, I'm 1500 miles away. Maybe you can do a video sometime! :-) (I am not kidding- you should!)