The Succah is put away; we successfully fed our families 19 holiday meals and took a well-needed break last week. GKC is back and ready for fall. Here in New York that means changing leaves, changing wardrobe, and eating seasonal foods. That’s trendy anyway, eating foods of the season especially those that are grown close to home.
We suggest you take a minute or two to explore a few activities that you enjoy. For us, that means more cooking and cooking classes. Recently we bonded with the JCC of Manhattan and were so impressed with the line-up of chefs and classes they offer. Unique at the JCC, The Patti Gelman Culinary Arts Center is the only fully equipped kosher kitchen to offer both dairy and meat cooking classes in Manhattan. The culinary studio remains bustling throughout the week with instructive cooking classes held daily for adults, teenagers and children. Their intimate, hands-on classes are an ideal place for beginners as well as experienced cooks to improve their cooking skills. I can’t wait!
The Chef-Instructors hail from a wide variety of culinary backgrounds, resulting in classes that are as diverse as they are delicious. They offer classes with well-respected chefs from successful restaurants, cookbook authors (we hope to be included when our book is out this summer!), caterers and private chefs, wine experts, food purveyors, and other culinary authorities. Here are a few upcoming classes that we are considering but for a complete listing go to their website JCCManhattan.org and sign up. Many thanks to the JCC for sharing this sneak peak recipe for Tuscan White Bean Soup from a recent class, just for GKC readers. It’s just a sample of the delicious recipes that are taught, shared and distributed with each class. Sunday night soup just got a little better.
I’m currently deciding which classes to take, anyone want to come?
11/2 (9 – 11 a.m.) Moms In The Kitchen (Delicious Nibbles for Busy Moms)
Active mom and professional chef Kim Pistone leads this series featuring wholesome meal plans for busy moms. Homemade granola, wraps, hummos and more.
11/8 (7 pm) The Tuscan Table
Join chef Sarah on a special journey through creating this traditional, simple, and rustic trattoria type fare. You’ll create escarole salad with walnut red wine vinaigrette, slightly mashed roasted sunchokes with goat cheese, homemade butternut squash and ricotta ravioli with sage brown butter, whole roasted branzino with lemon anchovy radicchio, classic tomato and garlic bruschetta, and for dessert, homemade tiramisu.
11/10 (7 pm) Savory and Satisfying Soups (I think they created this one for me!)
A hearty soup served with a piece of crusty bread, salad or sandwich makes for a wonderfully delicious and nutritious meal. You’ll make tomato fennel soup with a grown-up grilled cheese panini with pesto, fontina, and gruyere; pumpkin soup with lime cream, toasted pepitas and crispy tortilla matchsticks; mushroom barley soup with cremini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms; green minestrone with fresh pesto and grated parmesan; oatmeal honey wheat bread; and a winter green salad.
11/17 (7 – 9:30 pm) Thanksgiving Favorites
Simplify and enjoy your holiday cooking by learning tricks for preparing traditional holiday recipes ahead of time. The mouthwatering menu includes all the trimmings: turkey and gravy, cranberry and orange relish, mashed potatoes, apple stuffing, braised Brussels sprouts with hazelnuts, honey glazed carrots, and pecan pie–sure to please anyone who is coming to dinner!
12/1 (7-9:30 pm) Holiday Entertaining Made Easy
Learn time saving party planning tips and presentation ideas while you shake a festive cocktail and prepare a selection of delicious hors d’oeuvres. Create pomegranate margaritas and sparkling white sangria, crudités with roasted red pepper and walnut dip, bite–size goat cheese cheesecakes, plantains topped with mango, pomegranate and avocado salsa, honey roasted peppered pecans, truffled deviled eggs, parmesan wafers, smoked salmon, wasabi and pickled ginger tartines and perfect pissaladiere strips.
12/8 (7-9:30 pm) Delicious Dishes from Great NY Restaurants
Cheers to chef Irene who once again demystifies how to create signature restaurant dishes right in your own home! You’ll learn to prepare a mouthwatering tomato tatin from La Goulue, Telepan’s savory vegetable bread soup, Craft’s zesty beet salad with beet vinaigrette, NOBU’s famous black cod with miso, Bouley’s fabulous fingerling potato puree, The Red Cat’s sautéed zucchini with toasted almonds and pecorino, and WD50’s heavenly cherry clafouti.
At GKC, cooking is a hobby, a passion, a business, and something that we constantly try to improve. Now that the kids are back in school, and the schedules are more permitting, take a class with us at the JCC in NYC!
