STORIES

Seasonal Activities Archive

Cooking  Schools – Around the U.S.A.

.....Maybe you’re a skier, snowboarder, or enjoy winter sports and recreation. But maybe you’re in the U.S. in winter and are looking for other activities. If you enjoy food and cooking, consider partaking in one of the many cooking schools, classes, and workshops offered around the country. School offerings vary widely. Some are for a few days or a weekend, others can be weeklong vacations. Some schools are just the cooking (and eating), others offer complete packages including lodging. Here are a few examples of cooking schools around the U.S.A.

.....The Philo Apple Farm, in Philo, California, offers classes almost every weekend from February into November. Menus are determined by the season, and ingredients come from the farm’s own gardens, orchards, and animals. The setting offers a pastoral background for the kitchens and tables of the school.

.....Jane Butel’s Cooking School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, offers a variety of courses. In addition, their weeklong classes are held in nearby Santa Fe, known for its art and cultural attractions. In the classes, participants learn the inside secrets of authentic and innovative New Mexican and Southwestern cooking. The climate in New Mexico is pleasant year-round, and classes are available throughout the year.

.....On the other side of the U.S., the Inn to Inn Cooking Vacations, based in the Hudson Valley, New York, offers a three-day course visiting three different vintage inns (Bed and Breakfast). At each inn, top chefs give you their undivided attention. Many of the chefs (sometimes pastry chef as well) have trained in Europe and at culinary institutes around the world. Classes are offered Tuesday to Thursday, and weekends in winter.

.....The Inn at Turtle Pond, in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, offers two-day classes throughout the year. The school specializes in Mediterranean/Middle Eastern, Asian, and Vegetarian foods. Based in a beautiful log home, the grounds around the Inn provide pleasant surroundings for walking and enjoying nature when you need a break from the cooking.

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.....In the bracing mountain air of Boulder, Colorado, is the Culinary School of the Rockies. The school offers weeklong classes from January through July, and weekend classes throughout the year. This school offers a selection of appealing opportunities for the recreational cook interested in combining travel with culinary adventure.

Photo © Kenneth & Francesca Hulick

.....Down south in Wimberley, Texas, the Blair House Inn offers cooking classes from Monday through Wednesday every month of the year. There are also Theme Classes offered once or twice a month, focusing on a variety of exciting cuisines. The school’s  goal is to build participants’ confidence in the kitchen by teaching principles and techniques ranging from how to purchase and store the freshest seasonal foods, to preparation and presentation.

.....Coming full circle around the country back to Calistoga, California (in the wine country) we come to the Gourmet Retreats at Casa Lana. Classes range in length from 3 hours to 5 full days, and are offered from January through October. The goal at Gourmet Retreats is to provide a fun learning experience for all levels of cooks, and to introduce them to the benefits of seasonal cooking.

Photo © Kenneth & Francesca Hulick

Seasonal Activity Archives

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