Next Cooking Basics 101 Class; Lemon Orzo with Chicken; Dining in Shepherdstown, WV

Post Date: 5 June 2015

Cooking Basics 101 Class – Session 1 – June 11

This class meets at Woodson High School, with the first class on Thursday night, June 11, at 6:30 PM.  The first session will have an Italian twist, with a Caprese Salad and Pan Fried Chicken Italiano with Asparagus.  For the first two sessions we will be making no-bake desserts featuring soft Italian cheeses (ricotta and marscapone) and fresh fruit.  In future classes we will be making fish and beef main courses.

The course is designed to build confidence in the kitchen using the P.O.F. (Preparation, Organization, Focus) method.  Recipes are easy to follow and written in a way to reinforce the P.O.F method.  In addition to the dishes made in class, participants will receive supplemental recipes to try on their own at home.  We will also be covering safe food handling and knife skills as well as essential kitchen equipment and spices.

 Lemon Orzo with Chicken

I made this dish last weekend (pictured above).  It is based on a recipe entitled “Lemon Orzo with Scallops” from the June 2015 Food Network Magazine.  Here is the location of the original recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/lemon-orzo-with-scallops.html

For our version, we substituted boneless skinless chicken breast for the scallops cut into bite sized pieces and cooked in olive oil according to the recipe.  One other substitution we made was baby spinach for the arugula, as I find it a bit too bitter for my taste.   The lemon flavor makes it an excellent spring and summer meal.

Dining in Shepherdstown, West Virginia

Last week some friends and I took a bike trip along the C & O Canal, with Shepherdstown as our home base.  While there we had 2 excellent meals, at the Rathskellar in the Bavarian Inn and at The Press Room in Shepherdstown’s historic area.  Despite its name, The Press Room has mostly Italian entrees with very large portions.  The Rathskellar, as you might expect, features German food and great German beer on tap.

While there we went across the Potomac to Sharpsburg, MD, and did the tour of the Antietam Battlefield.  The tour takes you through the town and right past a great ice cream shop, Nutter’s, on Mechanic Street and East Main Street.  The ice cream is wonderful, the portions generous, and the prices reasonable.  Inside and outside seating is provided.

Upcoming Classes

Here are the upcoming classes I will be teaching for the summer term. 

June 11, 18, and 25 – Thursday Night – Cooking Basics 101 – Woodson High School

July 11 – Saturday Morning – Beach House Brunch – Plum Center

July 19 and 26 – Sunday Afternoon – Summer Desserts – Plum Center

August 15 – Saturday Morning – Lunch Along the Mediterranean – Plum Center

To register for these classes, or any ACE cooking classes, please go to:

http://www.fcps.edu/is/ace/specialinterest.shtml and scroll down to the Culinary section

While there, be sure to check out the other culinary courses offered by ACE’s excellent chef instructors.

Till next time, keep cooking.

Contact Chef Kevin at: KJBrady@fcps.edu