For the Love of Cooking

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After spending ten years in college, it was a real shock to my system when I graduated. I drove to school at least 1-2 times per week for those ten years, so school became my hobby. However, after I graduated, my hobby was gone.

I was very excited to spend extra time with my family, but I missed learning. At the same time I was ending my school journey (it really was a terminal degree), Sean was starting another three years. Many nights, it was just the kids and me, and it was during this time that I discovered a fondness for cooking. I have always loved to bake, but cooking had not previously been high on my list.

I would say that my cooking skills were below average to average. I was aware of this weakness, so I began researching and asking friends and family members for recipes. I perused old cookbooks and attempted new cuisines and recipes. Sometimes I disgraced those recipes, and other times they were a success.  

Lucy was about five years old at the time, and she always wanted to help in the kitchen. She would come in and stir a mixture, and sometimes she would just asked if we could go into the kitchen and cook.

In 2016, my friend was at the mall, attending a movie. She saw a sign outside of a cookware store for cooking classes. The advertised class was on how to make French Macarons. My friend knew that I wanted to attempt macarons, but that I was scared to try my hand at them. Macarons are not the easiest cookie to make, much less when you want to make them perfect. I signed up and went by myself to the class.

The most amazing thing happened in my macaron class. My love for cooking/baking collided with my love of learning. A chef was teaching me all that I could ever want to learn about making a cookie that I wanted to master. I also had a free forum to ask thousands of questions, and I’m pretty sure that I did.

Sean and I really believe that no one should ever stop learning. Taking the cooking classes educates me every time I attend. When I finish my classes, I can go home and replicate the dish, putting into practice the knowledge that I learned in class.

I have taken classes regularly for the last three years at Sur La Table. I attend two or more classes per month, and this has added up to over 70 classes. Friends participate with me, and when family classes are available, Lucy joins us. Sean attends classes that strike his fancy.

Participating in the classes has opened up a whole new world of food to me. Sean and I now cook meals in our home that we would never have fathomed three years ago. The new dishes that we cook do not cost any more than the typical meals we make, but the variety has increased astronomically.

By participating in cooking classes, I have learned everything from baking homemade bagels (which are the absolute best) to cooking prime rib and frying homemade tortillas. The classes range from very simple, such as one-stop sheet pan dinners to extremely difficult, such as croissants.

Since we travel, I look for cooking classes when we go out of town as well. There is nothing better than learning how to cook regional cuisine when on the road. I took a class in Mexico where I learned to make authentic guacamole (Click here to view my post on guacamole).

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The family also attended a class at the New Orleans School of Cooking. We learned to make crawfish etouffee, shrimp and artichoke soup, and homemade pralines.

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For Mother’s Day last year, I received the best present. One of my students’ moms makes Honduran tamales. Her mom came to my house, along with some of my friends, and she taught a cooking class on the tamales right in my kitchen.

Another fun place that we found to take cooking classes is Maggiano’s Little Italy. They hold classes quite frequently, and the classes are always magnificent. Maggiano’s holds seasonal classes as well as those for adults and children. Lucy and I had a blast learning how to bake Maggiano’s lasagna and their version of tiramisu. The classes at Maggiano’s are usually followed by a full buffet.

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My school of cooking, Sur La Table, has a variety of classes for any taste. Lucy loves to attend, and she can’t wait until she is old enough to take the adult classes. I love how the kid’s classes are geared towards independence in the kitchen.

The chefs take a lot of time showing the kids how to master techniques such as cutting with knives, folding, and mixing. Lucy even brought my mom recently for a grandparent’s class. Classes are great for date nights, time with friends and family, and when flying solo.

I recently fell in love with the “mini” classes at Sur La Table. The classes run 45 minutes and give a hardcore lesson on a skill that aspiring cooks can perfect. However, no matter how long the class, it is always so nice to walk into the kitchen where the chefs are glad to see you and something great is being prepped.

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Whether you are searching for how to bake the perfect cookie or methods on spatchcocking a turkey, cooking classes are a fantastic option for continuing your education. Whether cooking as a hobby or just a fun experience, definitely try out Sur La Table or a local place in your neighborhood to take a cooking class. It is an unforgettable, mouthwatering experience!

Click the link below to see what classes are available near you.

Have you ever participated in a cooking class? We would love to hear from you. Please drop us a line in the comment section below!