Check
out the
quick reference index, organized by topics
such as hands-on, vegetarian, location, and kids/family, to help you find
the perfect class(es). Or view the events on a
monthly calendar to find the date that works best for your schedule.
February
Healdsburg Wild Steelhead Festival
February 5-7, 2010
Festival open to the public on Saturday, February 6. Fun for kids and adults.
Relish hosts seafood cooking demos all afternoon.
More info...
The new Dine & Discover series is modeled after last summer’s Culinary Lunch & Learn classes. These value-conscious Wednesday night classes feature a talented local chef leading a 1½-hour cooking demonstration. Learn creative recipes and techniques for everyday cooking with seasonal Sonoma County ingredients—it’s amazing how much information can be covered in 1½ hours—and savor a fresh and delicious wine country dinner. Each Dine & Discover includes a main course dinner (vegetarian option available upon request), seasonal dessert and copies of all recipes.
Dine & Discover: Everyday Gourmet
with chef Victoria Blumenstein
Wednesdays,
February 10, 17, 24
6:30 - 8:00 PM
Relish Culinary Center, Healdsburg
$44 (beverages not included)
For the month of February, chef Victoria Blumenstein will be our Dine & Discover chef, demonstrating a wide variety of important culinary techniques that transform everyday dishes into gourmet creations. The art of butchering is definitely "in" these days and chef Victoria will show guests how to “primal” a pork leg into its three different cuts. Pork leg is an often overlooked cut of meat, inexpensive yet versatile. Chef Victoria will cook each cut using a different technique: roasting, grilling and pan-searing. The pork will be served with a fresh seasonal salad and a celery root mash, followed by a unique panna cotta dessert. Chef Victoria will demonstrate just how easy it is to make all of these great everyday dishes at home.
Wine, beer and iced tea will be available for purchase.
Relish Culinary Adventures and Quivira Vineyards & Winery offer a series of seasonal farm-to-table wine-estate dinners that let guests experience, in an intimate setting, estate-produced wines paired with food sourced exclusively from the Quivira farm. The result is a truly unique expression of terroir—loosely translated as “a sense of place”.
At each of these dinners, guests will enjoy the unparalleled beauty of Quivira's Dry Creek Valley setting while learning about the farming and winemaking philosophy of Quivira. Winemaker/grower Steven Canter and farm manager Andrew Beedy share insight about the farming techniques employed at Quivira and the associated winemaking style. At each Farm To Table dinner, guests will enjoy an interactive tour or activity that reflects the evening theme before being seated at the farm table to savor the luscious family-style dinner crafted by chef Christopher Greenwald of Bay Laurel Culinary with Quivira wines.
Farm-to-Table Wine Dinner at Quivira Vineyards
Winter: Wine Blending
with winemaker Steven Canter and chef Christopher Greenwald
Saturday,
February 13 Sold Out! Thank you.
4:00 PM Appetizers and Wine
5:00 PM Blend with the Winemaker
6:00 PM Four-Course Family Style Wine Dinner
Quivira Vineyards and Winery, Healdsburg
$125 / $115 Slow Food members / $105 Quivira Queue members
Read article about the Fall 2009 Farm To Table Dinner at Quivira
For the Winter Farm To Table dinner, we move indoors for an exclusive wine blending session with winemaker Steven Canter. Guests will play winemaker, using classic tools and techniques to taste and combine three different Rhone varietals—Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre—into a balanced, sumptuous Rhone blend. Participants will learn the characteristics of each varietal, gain insight into Steven's winemaking philosophy and methods and walk in the winemaker's shoes to create one of Quivira’s outstanding wines.
Following the blending session, guests will savor the rich, comforting flavors of winter with a four-course dinner inspired by the Quivira farm and, of course, paired with exquisite Quivira wines.
The blending session and dinner will be held indoors in the Quivira winery so please dress casually, wear sturdy shoes and bring a sweater or jacket.
Mark your calendars for all the 2010 Quivira Farm To Table dinners:
- Winter - February 13th
- Spring - May 8th
- Summer - July 10th
- Fall - October 9th
Aphrodisiac Dinner in the Bella Wine Cave
with chef Mark Stark
Sunday,
February 14 Sold Out! Thank you.
6:00 PM
Relish Culinary Center, Healdsburg
$129 | $110 for Bella Wine Club members
We’re thrilled to be back at Bella Winery with charming local chef and restaurateur Mark Stark for our fifth annual Aphrodisiac Dinner event. Chef Mark has created a sensual menu using ingredients known for their aphrodisiac properties. You will start the evening with a “Zin Fizz” (sparkling wine with Bella Late Harvest Zinfandel) and appetizers as our charismatic chef demonstrates the evening’s dishes. After the dinner demonstration, we will escort guests to Bella's gorgeous wine cave that will be transformed into a romantic candlelit dining room where the final three courses will be served. Love will definitely be in the air as couples savor every bite of chef Mark's sumptuous menu paired with superb Bella Syrah and Zinfandel wines.
The new Dine & Discover series is modeled after last summer’s Culinary Lunch & Learn classes. These value-conscious Wednesday night classes feature a talented local chef leading a 1½-hour cooking demonstration. Learn creative recipes and techniques for everyday cooking with seasonal Sonoma County ingredients—it’s amazing how much information can be covered in 1½ hours—and savor a fresh and delicious wine country dinner. Each Dine & Discover includes a main course dinner (vegetarian option available upon request), seasonal dessert and copies of all recipes.
Dine & Discover: Everyday Gourmet
with chef Victoria Blumenstein
Wednesdays,
February 17 & 24
6:30 - 8:00 PM
Relish Culinary Center, Healdsburg
$44 (beverages not included)
See description above.
Wild Mushroom Foray and Cooking Class
with chef Elissa Rubin-Mahon
Saturday,
February 20 Sold Out. See the March mushroom class.
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Relish Culinary Center, Healdsburg
$89
Come forage with chef Elissa Rubin-Mahon, past president and founding culinary chairperson of the Sonoma County Mycological Association, who will teach us about collecting, storing and using local wild culinary mushrooms. We'll meet at a scenic private property in Alexander Valley near Healdsburg where we will venture into the surrounding woodlands to foray under the watchful eye of Elissa. After our tromp in the woods, we will review our found fungi and then return to the Relish Culinary Center for a cooking demonstration. Chef Elissa will prepare any edible treasures we find plus some of her favorite mushroom specialties. A complete lunch will be served with hearty local wines—Murphy-Goode Sauvignon Blanc and Michel-Schlumberger Pinot Noir.
We will forage as the weather allows; heavy rain could force us to cancel the forage but the class will still be held. Please wear warm, comfortable clothes and mud-friendly shoes and be prepared to walk on rugged, hilly terrain. You are welcome to bring mushroom samples for us to discuss and attempt to identify.
Relish cooking classes include 8 ounces of wine per person served to all participants over 21 years of age. Additional wine is available for purchase by the glass or bottle.
Sunday Dim Sum (hands-on)
with chef Mei Ibach
Sunday,
February 21
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Relish Culinary Center, Healdsburg
$84
One of the things I miss about living in San Francisco is Sunday morning Dim Sum in Chinatown (often, I admit, to ward off a hangover.) With this class, we're bringing Chinatown to Healdsburg. Chef Mei Ibach will lead guests as they create delicious traditional Dim Sum brunch. Participants will work with authentic ingredients including dried lotus leaves, black beans and wonton wrappers, and learn techniques for steaming and frying perfect Dim Sum dishes. The Dim Sum brunch will be served with the traditional accompaniment—exotic Chinese Teas specially selected by Chef Mei.
Please note, no wine or beer included in the class price. Wine and beer will be available for purchase.
Relish is participating in the first annual Sonoma County Restaurant Week with a Dine & Discover experience. Guests will enjoy a three-course dinner (vegetarian option available upon request) and take home copies of all recipes. One seating per night.
Dine & Discover: Restaurant Week
with chef Victoria Blumenstein
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday,
February 24 - 26
6:30 - 8:00 PM
Relish Culinary Center, Healdsburg
$44 (tax and service included; beverages additional)
Chef Victoria Blumenstein will demonstrate a wide variety of important culinary techniques that transform everyday dishes into gourmet creations. The art of butchering is definitely "in" these days and chef Victoria will show guests how to “primal” a pork leg into its three different cuts. Pork leg is an often overlooked cut of meat, inexpensive yet versatile and delicious. Chef Victoria will cook each cut using a different technique: roasting, grilling and pan-searing. The "three-way" pork will be served with a fresh seasonal salad and a celery root mash, followed by a unique panna cotta dessert. Chef Victoria will demonstrate just how easy it is to make all of these great everyday dishes at home.
Wine, beer and iced tea will be available for purchase.
Pork Butchering Workshop (hands-on)
with chef Dino Bugica
Saturday,
February 27 Sold Out.* Thank you.
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Relish Culinary Center, Healdsburg
$435 ($485 for 2 people sharing one pig)
Class size is very limited.
We’re very excited to offer this amazing hands-on class led by chef Dino Bugica of Diavola Pizzeria where each participant will butcher an entire roaster pig. The class will start with a discussion about butchering basics, including necessary equipment, best practices, safety and hygiene, knife usage and other pertinent information. Armed with this information, each participant will move to his/her own 70-pound Yorkshire or Hampshire pig, sustainably-raised right here in Sonoma County by farmer Jube Begley. Guests will follow Dino’s butchering process, identifying and trimming different cuts of pork on their individual pigs. We’ll take a break mid-day for Dino to cook up a loin from his demo pig to serve for lunch along with samples of hand-cured Diavola salumi and other goodies. At the end of day, Dino will share information about pork curing and lead participants as they prepare pancetta to cure at home. Each participant will take home all the cuts from their pig, including pancetta to finish curing at home.
Participants are asked to bring their own sharp boning knife and a large cooler. We will provide ice for the cooler to keep the meat chilled for your drive home. One or two people can work on a single pig—how you divide or share the meat is up to you.
For safety reasons, no wine or beer will be served at this class.
* With the popularity of this class, we are exploring additional butchering classes so please be sure to join our mailing list to be the first to hear about new classes.
March
Baking with Alternative Flours
with The Gluten Free Lab
Sunday,
March 7
1:00 PM
Relish Culinary Center, Healdsburg
$79
We are thrilled to be collaborating with Aly Anderson and Heather Prandini, founders of The Gluten Free Lab, on new gluten free classes. Aly and Heather created the Gluten Free Lab from their ongoing efforts to cook and eat gourmet food that just happens to be gluten-free. This class explores the biggest challenge to gluten-free eating—baking with alternative flours. Heather and Aly will share invaluable information about the characteristics of their favorite and most cost-effective gluten-free flours, special additives such as xanthan gum, and the best substitutes for everyday cooking tasks like dredging, breading, making gravy and thickening sauces, demonstrating a cheese sauce. Then participants will make yeast dough for cinnamon rolls and quick banana bread. While those goodies are baking, participants will shift to making four different batches of sugar cookies—same recipe, different flours—followed by a side-by-side tasting of all the baked goods right out of the oven. Each participant will leave with a comprehensive list of gluten free flours and their properties, experience baking with the most common types of flours, and a better understanding of which flours suit his/her personal preference. This comprehensive class is a great foundation for gluten-free baking so we’ll be offering it regularly.
Note: The Relish Culinary Center is not a certified gluten-free cooking environment. Ingredients with gluten will not be used in the class but the environment may contain trace amounts. Dairy products (butter and/or cheese) will be used in all recipes.
"John & Julia"
with chef John Ash
Saturday,
March 13
5:30 PM
Relish Culinary Center, Healdsburg
$74
The wonderful and engaging chef, restaurateur and author John Ash returns to Relish for this festive class about the charming and talented Julia Child. John was lucky enough to have been able to work occasionally with Julia doing special events around the country. As John says, “She mightily influenced me and, more importantly, brought many of us back into the kitchen at a time in which big corporate food companies were trying to convince us that cooking was a burden.” At this class John will cook up some of her wonderful dishes and share a few stories and memories about this amazing woman.
Relish cooking classes include 8 ounces of wine per person served to all participants over 21 years of age. Additional wine is available for purchase by the glass or bottle.
Wild Mushroom Foray and Cooking Class
with chef Elissa Rubin-Mahon
Sunday,
March 14
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Relish Culinary Center, Healdsburg
$89
Come forage with chef Elissa Rubin-Mahon, past president and founding culinary chairperson of the Sonoma County Mycological Association, who will teach us about collecting, storing and using local wild culinary mushrooms. We'll meet at a scenic private property in Alexander Valley near Healdsburg where we will venture into the surrounding woodlands to foray under the watchful eye of Elissa. After our tromp in the woods, we will review our found fungi and then return to the Relish Culinary Center for a cooking demonstration. Chef Elissa will prepare any edible treasures we find plus some of her favorite mushroom specialties. A complete lunch will be served with hearty local wines—Murphy-Goode Sauvignon Blanc and Michel-Schlumberger Pinot Noir.
We will forage as the weather allows; heavy rain could force us to cancel the forage but the class will still be held. Please wear warm, comfortable clothes and mud-friendly shoes and be prepared to walk on rugged, hilly terrain. You are welcome to bring mushroom samples for us to discuss and attempt to identify.
Relish cooking classes include 8 ounces of wine per person served to all participants over 21 years of age. Additional wine is available for purchase by the glass or bottle.
