Cooking at the Cottage 

Sweet Treats for my Valentine

Valentine's Day arrives soon! What a great time to celebrate all the special people in your life!

 

IN THIS ISSUE, three do-ahead sweet treats are ready to be part of your Valentine's celebration! There's a passionate Dark Chocolate Mousse, a silky, smooth Creme Caramel, and unbelievable Salted Dulce de Leche Cupcakes with a secret center. Along the way, you'll learn about cooking with sugar as you develop what could be your signature dessert!

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What's Cooking at the Cottage

Our COOKING CLASSES are packed with kitchen inspiration and plenty of fun and laughter. REGISTER EARLY for the best selection! Plan an evening out now! Access the WINTER 2013 Class Schedule and details for each class here.
February Classes
SOLD OUT! Friday, February 8th ● 6:30 - 8:30 pm ● "Date Night" ● Hands On Class ● David Moeller - Sullivan University ● $90.00 for two   Menu: Lump Crab Cakes with Horseradish Dijon Sauce ● Pork Tenderloin with Wild Mushrooms, Apples, Caramelized Onion and Cognac Sauce ● Bananas Foster Bread Pudding with Pecans

SOLD OUT!  Saturday, February 9th ● 11:30 - 2:00 pm ● "Valentine Sweets ~ Cookie Workshop"  
Hands On Class ● Cathy Frederick - Cathy's Designer Cookies ● $55.00  The sweetest day of the year is just around the corner so come and let's learn to create masterpieces worthy of this day!  Students will learn the how to's of cookie decorating, including outlining and flooding, a beautiful watercolor technique, learning to pipe royal icing and other decorating techniques that can be used on different seasonal cookies.  The class will also view a demonstration of "How to create your own Royal Icing Lay-ons". (Those little dimensional candies, used for decorating cookies and cupcakes that you have been purchasing.  Now you can make your own!)  Each student will take home four decorated cookies as well as the recipes for Cathy's sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies and royal icing.  Cookies that will be made include: A Beautiful Cameo Cookie using Fondant and Royal Icing ● A Fancy Lace Corset Cookie ● A Watercolor Sparkle Heart Cookie ● A Passionate Kissing Lips Cookie

 

SOLD OUT! Saturday, February 9th ● 6:30 - 8:30 pm ● "Date Night" ● Hands On Class ● Mike Cunha - Sullivan University & Limestone ● $90.00 for two   Menu: Chicken & Sausage Creole in Puff Pastry ● Sauteed Pork Schnitzel with Blue Cheese and Crème Fraiche ● Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundaes with Chocolate Sauce

 

Monday, February 11th ● 6:30 - 9:00 pm ● "Just Put That in Your Pan & Smoke It" ● Demonstration Class ● Lelia Gentle - DreamCatcher Farm ● $45.00  No need to go out in the d cold and snow to get that great smoked flavor.  We'll be smokin' with the Cameron Stovetop Smoker - smoking chicken, seafood and veggies that is.  Come learn the how-to's and the convenience of using a stove top smoker.  We'll be discussing how the different wood chips affect specific foods and how long to smoke different items. This will open the door to an endless list of possibilities on your stove top. Menu: Smoked Trout Pate ●  Mixed Greens with Smoked Eggplant & Goat Cheese ● Quinoa with Smoked Shrimp & Smoked  Peppers ● Smoked Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Apple Chutney ● Smoked Green Beans & Mushrooms with Roquefort Cheese and Walnuts

10 TABLES OPEN! Friday, February 15th 6:30 - 8:30 pm "Date Night for Daddies & Daughters of All Ages" 
Hands On Class Lelia Gentle - DreamCatcher Farm $90.00 for two  This is the month of love and what better way to show that than to share a special night with your one true love. No matter what the age, he will always be your daddy and you will be his little girl. Menu: Wilted Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese & Cider Vinaigrette Classic Steak Diane served with Asparagus Risotto Warm Cherry Cobbler topped with Amaretto Whipped Cream

 

9 SEATS OPEN! Saturday, February 16th 11:30 - 2:00 pm
"Mastering the Art of Soups" Partial Hands On Class David Moeller - Sullivan University $45.00  Always a favorite! Learn how to create a pot of soup without relying upon a recipe!  Start by opening your refrigerator and let your imagination run wild. You will learn to make stock and be able to choose the main flavoring ingredient for your soup, such as chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, broccoli, asparagus, corn, tomato, etc. From there the sky is the limit on designing your unique pot of soup! Yummy! vegetarian friendly 

SOLD OUT! Saturday, February 16th 6:30 - 8:30 pm
"Date Night"
Hands On Class  Mike Cunha - Sullivan University & Limestone $90.00 for two   Menu: Bacon, Arugula & Tomato Frittata with Black Pepper Sour Cream Shrimp Etouffee with Cajun Sausage served with Rice Pilaf
White Chocolate Walnut Bread Pudding

 

7 SEATS OPEN! Monday, February 18th 6:30 - 9:00 pm "Homemade Pizza Pies & Traditional Barese Focaccia Bread" Hands On Class Luigi Gelsomini - Luigi's Pizzeria & Pasta $55.00 Have fun while you learn to make pizza dough, rolling and shaping the hand stretched dough until you get the hang of it! Chef Luigi is an expert pizza maker so you don't miss this one! You will be making amazing pizza crust and focaccia bread with your family in no time!  Menu: Neapolitan Pizza - thin crust Panzerotto Traditional Cheese Calzone Stromboli Calzone Eggplant Calzone Spinach Calzone Mini Calzones - perfect for appetizers Traditional Barese Focaccia Bread vegetarian friendly

Tuesday, February 19th 6:30 - 9:00 pm "Foods of the Maghreb & Tagine Cooking" Demonstration Class Steve Lee - The Herbmeister $45.00  The northwest coast of Africa is considered a culinary jewel chest, the flavors of its food are both unique and reminiscent of the entire Mediterranean coastline and are on fire as the current foodie trend. Join us as we savor a double appetizer of Hummus & Muhammara ~ one is the classic chickpea spread and the other a flavorful roasted red pepper dip. Our entrée is a titillating Moroccan Tagine of Chicken & Squash served with Tunisian Fruited Couscous.  Dessert is a simple Mauritanian Sesame Cookie served with Hot Mint Tea, just what you need after this culinary trek through the upper Sahara.  As well as taking this exotic journey with Steve, you will learn about cooking using a tagine. There are two basic types of tagines - one is made solely of clay and used within an oven, much like a Romertopp Clay Pot.  The other is made from a heavy metal, usually cast iron and enamelcovered.  Whichever is used the final dish is very stew-like or moist as the food steams within the vessel. 

 

Wednesday, February 20th 6:30 - 9:00 pm "Seasonal Dining - Wintertime"● Demonstration Class Coby Ming - Harvest in NuLu $45.00  From farm to table is the premise that Harvest is based upon.  Not only can you cook seasonally in the winter months but exceptionally.  With a little planning, summertime's bounty can extend into what seems like barren winter months. Come and experience this feast with Coby. Menu: Chive Biscuits with Sorghum Butter Caesar Salad ~ romaine lettuce, asiago crisp, shaved norwood cheese, grilled lemon dressing & garlic croutons Braised Crispy Pork Belly served with Sweet Potato Grits, Pickled Vegetable Salad & Pork Jus Lemon Strawberry Tiramisu

Thursday, February 21st 11:30 - 2:00 pm "Don't Sacrifice Flavor During Lent"Demonstration Class John Plymale - Porcini $45.00    No need to sacrifice flavor during the season of Lent.  Using one of the finest morsels from the sea, this pasta meal will become a favorite year round.  Menu: Salad of Field Greens, Melted Brie, Roasted Pistachios, Sundried Cherry, Pickled Red Onion dressed with Prosecco Vinaigrette   Scallops Romani ~ sauteed bay scallops with romani sauce, fettucinni, tomato concasse, toasted pine nuts & shaved Peceroni Romano Italian Cream Cake ~ pecans, toasted coconut and sweet cream cheese icing

SOLD OUT! Thursdays, February 21st through March 28th 6:30 - 9:00 pm "Basic Training 101" Hands On Class Tom Smith - Sullivan University $475.00 for a Six Week course  A six week series of HANDS ON training, guaranteed to have you cooking like a pro in no time! This class is designed for all students from the beginning cook to the cook who wants to fine-tune their skills and understand the "whys" of cooking!  During this course, you will learn proper knife skills, stocks and basic sauce making, soups, salads, vinaigrettes, techniques such as sautéing, roasting, braising, slow roasting, pan-frying & deep-frying. You will learn how to break down a whole chicken into individual pieces & how to truss meat correctly. You will learn about cooking beef, chicken, seafood, vegetables and starches. After this course, you will feel much more confident in the kitchen & motivated to try out new dishes and create your own recipes! Feel free to bring your cook's knife and an apron to class each week.

SOLD OUT! Friday, February 22nd 6:30 - 8:30 pm
"Date Night"
Hands On Class David Moeller - Sullivan University $90.00 for two   Menu: Lobster Bisque Chicken Scaloppini with Prosciutto Ham, Porcini Mushrooms, Fresh Mozzarella served with Herbed Butter Sauce & Sautéed Vegetables Individual Cheesecakes with Fresh Fruit

Saturday, February 23rd ● 11:30 - 2:00 pm ● "Sweet Breads ~ Muffins, Scones, Biscuits & Cinnamon Rolls" ● Demonstration Class ● Brad Dillon - Brad's Designer Breads   The sweetest month of the year brings out the sweet side of Brad's Designer Breads. So, just in time for your Easter, Derby guests and Mother's Day brunch, break out the muffin tins, the rolling pin, and prepare to WOW your friends with your baking skills.  Class will include making Orange Cranberry Muffins with a Crunchy Sanding Sugar Topping, plus Chocolate Cherry Muffins and Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing.  We will also work on scone skills with Crunchy Sweet Almond Dried Cherry Scone and then a Candied Ginger Scone.  As an addition to your Derby table, we will work to create a delicious Cheddar Cheese Biscuit that will be served with slices of Kentucky Country Ham.  And last, but not least, to save you that long trip to the mall, we will make some "To Die For" Cinnamon Rolls from scratch, that will save you both gas money and calories.  

SOLD OUT! Saturday, February 23rd ● 6:30 - 8:30 pm ● "Date Night"Hands On Class ● Mike Cunha - Sullivan University & Limestone ● $90.00 for two   Menu: Spinach & Artichoke Dip with Grilled Pita Crisps ● KY Sorghum Poached Duck Breast with Sundried Cranberry Sauce ● White Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Monday, February 25th ● 6:30 - 8:30 pm ● "A Taste of Korea" ● Demonstration Class ● Alex Perez - Hunting Creek Country Club ● $45.00   Formerly of Lillys Bristo, Alex has blended his heritage of Korean and Mexican into his own unique style.  This class will focus on the cusine of Korea and some wildly popular dishes. Sit down and enjoy this Korean feast.  Menu: Korean BBQ (Bulgogi) ~ marinated beef with soy sauce, and spices to make your mouth water ● Chicken Japchae ~ stir fried noodles with vegetables and chicken ● Mandu ~ fried pork dumplings with a sweet and sour soy sauce ● Banchan - Three Korean side dishes: Kkakdugi ~ cubed radish kimchi,  Kimchi kaktugi ~ spicy fermented cabbage and spicy fermented radish, Oisobagi ~ cucumber kimchi ● Kimbap ~ rice, meat and vegetables rolled up in seaweed ● Steamed Rice, of course, Korean staple ● Sikhye ~ rice dessert drink

2 SEATS OPEN! Tuesdays, February 26th through April 9th (no class on March 19th) ● 6:30 - 9:00 pm ● "Intermediate Training" ● Hands On Class ● Mike Cunha - Sullivan University & Limestone ● $475.00 for a Six Week Course. A six week series of HANDS ON training, designed for those who have completed the Basic Training series and are looking for more. No worries; if you haven't taken the Basic Training series, but are comfortable with elementary cooking skills and are looking to fine tune your techniques or challenge yourself, this series would be perfect for you! During this course, you will concentrate on working with the five Mother Sauces, starches including Rice Pilaf, Polenta, Risotto & Grits, explore the diversity of the Egg by making the Perfectly Poached Egg, Fluffy Omelets, Crepes& Custards (both sweet & savory). Learn to perfect your cooking techniques by Braising, Shallow Frying, Poaching and Sautéing, learn different preparations for veggies such as Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce, Broccoli Casserole, Ratatouille and Lyonnaise potatoes and try your hand at basic baking skills with Biscuits, Muffins, Flatbreads & cookies. Feel free to bring your cook's knife and an apron to class each week.

Wednesday, February 27th ● 6:30 - 9:00 pm ● "A Blast from the Past" ● Demonstration Class ● John Plymale - Porcini ● $50.00   For those of you under the age of 40, is a recipe of a particular thick cut from the tenderloin (fillet), which, according to Larousse Gastronomique, was created by personal chef, Montmireil, for François-René de Chateaubriand, the author and diplomat who served Napoleon as an ambassador and Louis XVIII as Secretary of State for two years. When prepared properly, it can be among the most flavourful and tender cuts of beef.  This dish was found on the menus of most high end eating establishments during the 1970s and was wildly popular.  Whether it is a fond memory or a new experience you won't want to miss this evening.  Who knows, you may start a new trend!  Menu: Chateaubriand served with Bernaise Sauce ● Swirled Duchess Potato ~ a seasoned puree of roasted Yukon gold and sweet potatoes piped into various shapes and baked; a classic French dish ● Sicilian Style Cannolis ~ tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing sweetened ricotta cheese
Our Cooking Class Schedule is always on our website  Click here! -- check them out! 
recipeone RECIPE: Dark Chocolate Mousse
RECIPE: Dark Chocolate Mousse
Mousse-Making
Mousse-Making
Cooking Indirectly
Do Ahead Dessert
For Making Mousse
cookingsugarCooking with Sugar
Cooking with Sugar
Thermometers
recipetwo RECIPE: Creme Caramel
RECIPE: Creme Caramel
Creme Caramel in Two Stages
Sugar into Caramel
Creme Caramel Notes
Sweet Treats for my Valentine
For Making Creme Caramel
recipethree RECIPE: Salted Dulce De Leche Cupcakes
RECIPE: Salted Dulce De Leche Cupcakes
Cupcakes in Three Stages
Cupcakes in Three Stages
Cupcakes in Three Stages
Cupcakes in Three Stages
Recipe Notes
Recipe Notes
For Making Cupcakes
Cookbook Review
Cookbook Review

Enjoy celebrating all the special people in your life this Valentine's Day!
Mark & Linda
Mark & Linda Kunz Bayens

Cooking at the Cottage

3739 Lexington Rd
Louisville, KY 40207
502-893-6700

 

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