"A Week in Provence" Cooking Course in San Francisco

July 18-22, 2011
US $2,000.00*

All students in this class will receive a special gift from Le Creuset and Chicago Metallic!

Course Description

I absolutely love teaching in Provence, the southeastern region of France bordering the Mediterranean. The famous outdoor markets of Saint-Rémy and Uzès are always brimming with delicious cheeses, the freshest seafood, gorgeous fruits and vegetables, spices, and are truly a shopper’s paradise. Lucky for us, the ingredients from this area - olives, olive oil, garlic, sardines, lamb, chickpeas, fragrant herbs, cherries, peaches, and apricots, are easily found in the fantastic farmers’ markets we have here in San Francisco. And of course the wines from the Rhone Valley including Chateauneuf-du-Pape and the delicious rosés are an essential element of Provençal cuisine!

During this week-long course, we’ll virtually transport ourselves to Provence through the recipes I teach during my culinary journeys. I’ll teach you how to make some of the classic Provençal summer recipes including Pissaladière, Bouillabaisse with Rouille, Socca (a chickpea, olive oil and cumin pancake from Nice), Spit-Roasted Leg of Lamb with Lavender Salt, Caramel Pot de Crème, Rustic Apricot Tart, and so much more. We will have wines paired from the region along with Rhone-style wines produced in California!

In addition to the menus below, I always sneak in a few extra recipes throughout the week. Of course, the menus are subject to seasonality and availability of ingredients, so you might see a couple of changes to recipes along the way.

CLASS I
Socca
Chez Panisse Garden Salad with Garlic Croutons
Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
Potatoes Mashed with Olive Oil and Lots of Chives
Creamy Summer Berry Gratin

CLASS II
Croutons with Eggplant Caviar
Tomato Garlic Soup
Chickpea Salad with Provençal Herbs and Olives
Leek and Gruyere Soufflé Baked on a Platter
Rustic Apricot Tart

CLASS III
Croutons with Tapenade with Orange and Fennel
Croutons with Anchoiade
Soupe au Pistou
Summer Salad of Seared Tuna, Shell Beans and Tomatoes
Little Lemon Soufflé Cakes with Soft Cream

CLASS IV
Pissaladière
Bouillabaisse
Rouille, a spicy hot garlic mayonnaise
Toasted Goat Cheese Salad with Smoked Bacon
Warm Chocolate Cakes with Soft Centers and Crème Anglaise

CLASS V
Warm Olives
Provençal Cream Tart with Herbes de Provence
Salad of Roasted Peppers, Anchovies and Basil
Spit-Roasted Leg of Lamb with Lavender Salt
Oven Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary and Olive Oil
Caramel Pot de Crème

Classes

Each hands-on cooking class will include recipes designed to highlight the typical dishes of a particular region, theme and/or cooking technique. After reviewing the recipes together, students will divide into teams to work on recipes together.

When we are finished cooking each day, we'll sit down in my spacious dining room and enjoy hand-selected wine pairings with each of the dishes we've prepared.

Wine Pairings

You know how I feel about wine so a delicious meal is not complete without the perfect pairing of wine! At the end of each class and paired with the meal we have prepared, we'll taste a variety of wines whose flavors and acidity have been selected to match those of each dish, and we'll learn about the grape varietals and origin of each wine and discuss them together. Wine tasting notes will be provided. We will also have a very special guest(s) pouring wines at some of our meals!

Accommodations

After cooking during the day, you will still have plenty of time to enjoy San Francisco and all of its wonderful views and sights. We can provide a list of nearby hotels and bed & breakfasts to choose from for your stay.

We can also arrange for car or taxi service from/to your hotel to Joanne's home. We are also happy to provide a list of Joanne's favorite San Francisco restaurants, cafes, wine bars, shops, and farmer's market locations. You can find some of her local favorites here.

Course Details

This week-long course costs $2,000 per person. The cost includes hands-on cooking instruction, copies of all recipes, an apron, and a multi-course lunch each class day complete with wine pairings. Full payment for the course must be included with your completed reservation form. Due to limited availability we cannot provide any refunds for cancellations.

*Note: Course fee does not include accommodations or transportation to the cooking school location.

Classes begin at 10am and finish at approximately 3pm. Classes are limited to 10 students so everyone gets lots of personal attention and a real hands-on experience. We recommend wearing closed-toe, rubber-soled shoes and comfortable clothes for the cooking classes.

Questions? Contact us.