The food folks at Northwestern Michigan College want your tastebuds to jump and shout this winter with their series of one-day cooking classes. Meet new foodie friends and learn skills under the tutelage of chefs and gourmet cooks in their state-of-the-art teaching kitchen. Bring take-home containers and a clean bib-apron to each class. Here’s the menu of classes:

Winter Festival of Food

Come and enjoy a Saturday of demonstrations and food discovery while NMC’s culinary instructors, area chefs, and specialty food businesses strut their stuff. Each hour highlights four workshops in the kitchen and classrooms—you select 4 of the 16 options to suit your interests. Learn to select, clean, and prepare seafood with Chef Jim Morse (Siren Hall); debone and stuff a chicken with Chef Jim Milliman (GL Culinary Institute); discover how to cook without a recipe with Chef Eric Patterson (The Cook’s House); or make homemade pasta and sauce with Chef Mickey Cannon (Tuscan Bistro). Learn the difference between lagers and ales with Kim Schneider of NorthPeak; get pie-making tips from the Grand Traverse Pie Company; and explore vinegars and oils with Fustini’s. Add chocolate basics, knife skills, bread making, and many other topics to the list of options. Of course, there will be tastings throughout the day! Register now or call 995-1700 and you’ll receive a flyer with workshop choices in January, when details will also be available at www.nmc.edu/ees. Be early with your workshop selections so you get your first choices.

• Sat., Feb. 20, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Check in begins at 9:45 a.m.)
• Oleson Center on NMC Main Campus
• Cost: $69
• Code: 10513

Crockpot Soups and Focaccia

Join Barbara Evans in her spacious home kitchen to create and sample winter staples—homemade soups from the crockpot and warm bread. Three different soups are on the menu and you’ll get new ideas and learn techniques as you help prepare. The finale is enjoying your hearty meal. Leave with new ideas for variety in soups, recipes, and a copy of the instructor’s cookbook, Chez Barbara.

• Mon., Jan. 18, 4-8 p.m.                    
• Meets at 4551 Case Blvd. in Interlochen (ask for directions when registering)
• Instructor: Barbara S. Evans
• Cost: $45
• Code: 10455

Stuffed Pasta Italian Style

Create authentic cuisine with shapes, fillings, and flavors from specific regions of Italy—Ravioli, Mezzuluna, Agnolotti, and Tortelloni. Chef and restaurant owner Mickey Cannon guides you through the process from making dough to shaping, filling, cooking, saucing, and presentation. You’ll create a variety of tasty fillings using vegetables, chicken, seafood, and meats as well as sauces for each. You will enjoy a memorable feast with plenty left to take home.

• Tues., Jan. 19, 6-9 p.m.                    
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Mickey Cannon
• Cost: $65
• Code: 10479

ABC’s of Comfort Food

The northern winter will soon be blowing in and now is the time to revive your repertoire of meals that are nourishing and nurturing. Experience an evening of foods that are appetizing, bountiful, and comforting. Using mostly local ingredients, prepare a savory French onion soup, a fresh roasted chicken with three-cheese macaroni, and no meal is complete without a Michigan fruit cobbler to top it off. Warm and full from sampling your creations, you’ll leave with new ideas and insights into the availability of local foods.

• Thurs., Jan. 21, 6-9 p.m.                   
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Eric Patterson & Jennifer Blakeslee
• Cost: $59
• Code: 10473

Yeast Breads – Fast and Easy

Can you really make artisan yeast bread in a few minutes? Yes, indeed! Learn and practice the techniques described in the popular book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Mix up different kinds of bread dough, including a white artisan bread and peasant multi-grain, with some flavorful additions, like herbs and olives. Experiment how to form the dough into a boule, a bread pan loaf, and other creative shapes. Enjoy the aroma and taste of freshly baked bread and take your new-found skills home to share with family and friends.

• Sat., Jan. 23, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.           
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Nan Horstman
• Cost: $55
• Code: 10456

Pulled Pork—Smoke, Pull, and Enjoy

Pork—it’s not just for dinner! Enjoy learning how to produce the classic Southern favorite pulled pork. From start to finish, you will learn how to select your meat, the proper way to brine it, prepare a “dry rub” and properly rub the pork. Discover the ease of smoking it on a kettle style grill. Create three dishes spanning a breakfast, lunch and dinner using your pulled pork: a Southern version of “huevos rancheros”, the classic pulled pork sandwich and sea bass with grits and pulled pork.

• Wed., Jan. 27, 6-9 p.m.                         
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Jim Milliman
• Cost: $65
• Code: 10453

Indian Curries and Pilafs

Discover the anatomy of classic Indian curries and rice pilafs and become more comfortable using spices and curry masalas to create the complex, satisfying flavors of India. Learn to prepare dishes that are easy-to make, but big in flavor like tomato-based chickpea masala, coconut-based Goanese cauliflower and potato curry, and onion-spice-based Moti Matal shrimp. Add a side of coconut vegetable pilaf, fragrant basmati pilaf with whole spices or crispy fried onion pilaf and even your spice-avoiding friends will ask for more!

    Thurs., Jan. 28, 6-9 p.m.                       Code: 10484    Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
    Instructor: Nancy Krcek Allen    Cost: $65

For the Love of Chocolate—Truffles and MoreJoin chocolatier, Mimi Wheeler, owner of Grocer’s Daughter Chocolates, for a delectable encounter with the “food of the gods.” Learn to create melt-in-your-mouth chocolates as you learn to temper chocolate, create infusions for flavoring ganache, and make truffles complete with dipping. In addition to getting many tips for working with chocolate, you’ll discover a lot about cocoa beans and chocolate around the world. And you won’t have to wait until the end of class for tasting!

• Sat., Jan. 30, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.              
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Mimi Wheeler
• Cost: $59
• Code: 10485

Great Soups and Sauces

Explore the world of from-scratch soups and sauces with Chef Jim Morse. Using locally available products, learn to create versatile homemade stocks. Discover the five grand sauces of French cuisine and their derivatives. With what you learn about stocks and sauces, you’ll be ready to create wonderful soups with seasonal flair. Of course, the best part is the sampling finale.

• Mon., Feb. 1, 6-9 p.m.                          
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Jim Morse
• Cost: $59
• Code: 10482

Traditional Polish Cooking

Are you trying to create or recreate some traditional Polish dishes but need some help? Discover Polish cooking rich in meat, winter vegetables, spices, and different kinds of noodles, the most notable is the pierogi. Find out how to properly make and assemble the pierogi dough using a traditional potato and cheese filling. You’ll also make sweet red cabbage and rolled beef in a “from scratch” sauce. Add faworki (angel wings) just in time for Mardi Gras. Learn a little about the culture and language, and pick up techniques passed down through generations on making it the way “babcia” used to make it.

• Wed., Feb. 3, 6-9 p.m.                   
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Brigette Barbas & Zofia Slupecki
• Cost: $59
• Code: 10457

Tapas: Internationally-Inspired Small Plates

Create dramatic small plates with an international flair. Using fresh, flavorful ingredients, you will make several tapas including tenderloin crostini, Southwestern marinated shrimp, Spicy Thai sesame noodles, Chicken skewers, and a variety of mini desserts. Learn techniques and new recipes to make your next party a hit with flavor and flair. Bring a container to take home extras of your creations that you can’t sample in class.

• Thurs., Feb. 4, 6-9 p.m.                
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Stacie Kohler
• Cost: $59
• Code: 10459

The Best of Braising

Want meat so tender you can cut it with a fork? Discover braising, a healthy slow cooking method prized for tenderizing less-expensive cuts of meat. Discover how one-pot cooking delivers great taste while requiring little attention and little clean up. Learn healthy preparation techniques and use of seasonings to enhance flavor. Practice braising techniques while preparing beef braciole (stuffed beef rolls with tomato sauce), short ribs braised in porter ale with maple-rosemary glaze, chicken breasts with hard cider and parsnips, and Caribbean pork shoulder with braised green cabbage.

• Sat., Feb. 6, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.            
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Laura McCain
• Cost: $65
• Code: 10460

The Korean Table

America has long had a relationship with Korea, but its cuisine remains a mystery to most. Explore why Koreans prize garlic, chilies, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil. Discover how to use these simple ingredients to prepare a practical yet richly flavored and healthful cuisine. Learn how to prepare traditional stuffed kimchi, Korean condiments and sauces, rice and some of their most prized dishes like pibimbap (rice bowl), royal meatball soup, kimchi dumplings, bulgogi barbeque, glazed vegetables and braised chicken. Understand the Korean concept of dining as a finale serving and eating at the Korean table. Please bring a quart jar.

• Thurs., Feb. 11, 6-9 p.m.                  
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Nancy Kreck Allen
• Cost: $65
• Code: 10465

ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS: Kids in the Kitchen

Winter Warm-Up Lunch (Grades 1–4)Imagine playing outside in the cold snow and then coming inside to a delicious and warm lunch prepared by you! Get familiar with kitchen basics, kitchen safety, and how much fun it is to cook in a big shiny kitchen. Sip on the richest cup of hot cocoa you made from scratch and discover the steps to making macaroni and cheese without a box! Save room for homemade apple crisp and real whipped cream! Bring containers for leftovers just in case you can’t eat it all.

• Sat., Feb. 13, 10-12:30 p.m.
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Michelle Lazar
• Cost: $39
• Code: 10437

Bistro Fare

Step into an old world bistro and discover French cooking the way it was meant to be. Learn classic techniques with a contemporary approach that can easily be applied in your home without hours of work. Explore the concept of bistro cooking and cuisine while you create a delicious three-course meal to warm your spirit. Your menu includes: potato galette with apple-onion marmalade, curried chicken stew, warm lentil salad, and a fruit clafouti for dessert. Savor the flavors of this simple, yet timeless cuisine.

• Wed., Feb. 17, 6-9 p.m.                     
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Mary Reh
• Cost: $59
• Code: 10467

Fish for Dinner

Take the stress and guess out of fish preparation in this skillet-to-plate workshop. Chef and restaurant owner Mickey Cannon highlights four favorites—salmon, whitefish, tuna, and mahi-mahi. You’ll learn to sauté, panfry, and steam fish for quick, easy preparation. Learn to enhance flavors with infused oils and simple sauces. You’ll get tips for selecting good fish and techniques for cutting. For your evening tasting party, you’ll also create complementary sides.

• Tues., Feb. 23, 6-9 p.m.                     
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Mickey Cannon
• Cost: $75
• Code: 10476

The Art of Flavor

Advanced Uses of Herbs and SpicesImagine chicken cooked with sumac or making your own incredible curry. Discover how to use flavors to provide a subtle enhancement and not overpower your dishes while you try your hand at blending spices. Compare dried herbs to their fresh counterparts and learn how spices influence flavors. Prepare three types of curry and rubs for your roasted meats and fish. Pick up a few tricks of the trade as you cook up a storm with your newly prepared spices in exotic dishes like chicken mole, and shrimp and cauliflower curry.

• Thurs., Feb. 25, 6-9 p.m.               
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Jim Milliman
• Cost: $65
• Code: 10454

Meatless Meals

Learn to create great tasting and simple vegetarian recipes. Discover the nutritional benefits of a vegetarian diet whether you’ve chosen this lifestyle or are simply trying to reduce your meat intake. Explore four different seasonal menus based on fresh vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and a small amount of dairy. Make mouthwatering recipes including roast squash with quinoa, barbecue tempeh stir fry, avocado chickpea salad, and wild rice dried fruit salad. Learn what’s available seasonally and get local buying tips.

• Mon., March 1, 6-9 p.m.                  
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Jim Morse
• Cost: $59
• Code: 10468

Sauté Like a Pro

Create delicious one-skillet meals at home with ease and expertise! Learn the art of sauté—a quick-cooking method that’s fun, fast, and tasty. Explore techniques as you learn to select appropriate ingredients, build flavors, and create a meal. You will make several main dishes working with a variety of meats, vegetables, pastas, and sauces. Enjoy an in-class feast and take home skills you will use often.

• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Thurs., March 4, 6-9 p.m.                  
• Instructor: Stacie Kohler
• Cost: $65
• Code: 10481

The Sushi Roll

Learn to create great authentic sushi for your next eating event. Three kinds of sushi are featured: Japanese traditional, California style, and hand-rolled (Temaki-zushi). Chef Misaeng, a native of Japan, guides this demo, prep, and tasting experience. Leave with new skills, great variations, and recipes to liven up any buffet.

• Sat., March 6, 11 a.m-2 p.m.               
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Misaeng Suh Liggett
• Cost: $59
• Code: 10489

Up North Pasties

You have eaten these “hand held” pies traditionally found in the Upper Peninsula and now you can find out how to make your own! Discover how to make yeast-free pastry dough to fill with a savory meat mixture and a sweet Michigan apple filling. Learn quick and easy short-cut methods to try at home and gain tips on freezing these pies. Enjoy the fruits of your labor in class and take home enough to share with family and friends.

• Mon., March 8, 6-8 p.m.                  
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Nikki Lennox
• Cost: $49
• Code: 10470

Appetizers: Italian StyleUsing fresh ingredients that you can purchase locally, learn to create palate-pleasing appetizers like eggplant rollatini, smoked salmon napoleons, and bruschetta. Chef and restaurant owner Mickey Cannon will demonstrate how to portion and present appetizers to complement an entrée or serve as the meal itself. End the evening with a sampling of your creations with enough to take home and share.

• Tues., March 9, 6-9 p.m.                    
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Mickey Cannon
• Cost: $59
• Code: 10478

Knife Skills—Slice, Chop, and Dice Like a Pro

Learn techniques for using basic kitchen knives efficiently and safely in this demo and hands-on evening. You’ll work with an 8-inch French knife, peeler, paring knife, and a filet knife. With all that colorful sliced and diced food, you will create tasty soups as a satisfying reward for your efforts. You’ll have the option of purchasing your own knife kit chosen by Chef Peter to complement your new skills.

• Thurs., March 11, 5:30-8:30 p.m.       
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Peter Baumeler
• Cost: $59
• Code: 10475

It’s All Greek to Me

Enjoy a night of traditional Greek cooking with Nikki Lennox sharing techniques of her ancestors. Start by making an appetizer of Tzatziki, the yogurt dip served with pita bread. A demonstration on making pita bread will be included. Work with fillo dough to create Spanakopita, the classic layered spinach and cheese pie. Homemade Souviaki marinade tops your grilled shish ka bobs. A honey-walnut cake is your final creation before you sit back to enjoy it all.

• Mon., March 15, 6-9 p.m.              
• Oleson Center Kitchen Rm. 129
• Instructor: Nikki Lennox
• Cost: $59
• Code: 10471