Why do we do this to ourselves? We go straight from work, spend two hours chopping, two hours plating and serving, another hour cleaning up, and constant dishwashing throughout. Then we go home and collapse on the couch for an hour because we’re too wound up to sleep, but we still have to get up at 5 the next morning. Hmmm….
Because we get to help cook things like this?
Last Thursday at Gretchens we volunteered for a class focusing on shellfish paired with wine. The food was prepared by Knut Christiansen, the wine was provided by Randy Finley, owner of Mount Baker Vineyards. We were there for five hours and I think I’ve eaten enough butter sauce to last me for a week or two, but it was a fun class.
Randy brought a good assortment of wines. We had the choice to begin with a sip of viognier or reserve merlot - both were excellent. Then he poured a rosé which was interestingly substantial, with almost an oaky quality. It went with the first shellfish course, which was:
Last week we helped out with a wine tasting that featured moderately priced wines from California’s central coast region, chosen by Tom Saunderson of Young’s Columbia. As usual, it was a great selection - there really was something for everyone.
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Another class at Gretchens, this time a wine tasting featuring Spanish value wines brought by Gary Morris from Unique Wine Company. We were volunteer help in the kitchen this time, but we made sure we got to taste everything! Susan, the class coordinator, made up three courses to go with the six featured wines: an antipasto plate with olives, salami, Tuscan white beans with garlic, a piece of toasted baguette, and a parmesan crisp, an oven beef stew (fantastic) with Caesar salad and another parmesan crisp, and gorgonzola cheesecake crusted with pecans and served with crackers and grapes. (more…)
For this class we were paying guests, not volunteers! Watching the quantity of dishes being washed I decided I was OK with this. We just sat back, talked with our tablemates and admired the plates as they arrived. The chef was Jim Kowalski, chef-about-town and employee at the fabulous Breadfarm Bakery in Edison. Wine was chosen by Renee Stark of Noble Wines. (more…)
A kitchen store near our house regularly offers cooking classes and wine tastings. We used to occasionally go to these as guests, as we could afford it, but then we discovered the possibility of volunteering in the store as class assistants. Now every couple of weeks or so during the class season we head down to the store after work and start chopping. The level of work required depends heavily on which chef or wine rep is leading the class, and how many people are signed up - classes range from 6 to 26 people. It’s work, but we get to taste the food and the wine, meet local chefs, and cook some things we don’t normally try at home. In return we chop, plate, wash dishes, serve, stuff peppers, debeard mussels, measure flour, and sweep up at the end of the night. It’s a little like getting restaurant experience without getting paid or yelled at.
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