A Trip Around the Mediterranean Cooking Course

July 19-23, 2010
US $2,000.00*

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

Course Description

Hey no need to make a trip to the Mediterranean this summer.  You can taste all the foods right here in San Francisco.  In my "Trip Around the Mediterranean" course, I'll teach you how to prepare many of my all-time favorite recipes from the areas of the world where I love to travel, eat and teach in the Mediterranean and then some: Italy, Southern France, Spain, Greece, Morocco and North Africa. We’ll use peak-of-summer ingredients from local farms to stamp our culinary passport during this fantastic week of cooking our way around the Mediterranean. 

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.

Our culinary journey will begin in “Italy” where I have taught in more than 6 regions and keep adding new locations and recipes each year! We’ll explore my favorite “trinity” of garlic, tomatoes, and olive oil, learn to make homemade Spinach Ravioli with Tomatoes and Basil, perfect the art of making crostini, use lots of fresh herbs to create Pork Roasted the Tuscan Way and we'll make my very special Caramelized Chocolate Almond Budino. Buon appetito! 

"Italy Menu"

Orange Aperol Sunset
Crostini with Fennel Sausage
            Spinach Ravioli with Tomatoes and Basil
Pork Roasted the Tuscan Way
Fennel, Prosciutto and Parsley Salad with Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
Caramelized Chocolate Almond Budino

In our “France” class get ready for a day featuring some really special Provençal recipes I’ve learned along the way in my travels  including Pissaladière (a savory onion and tomato pie) using my quick puff pastry dough recipe, Toasted Goat Cheese Salad with Smoked Bacon, and a sophisticated Bouillabaisse with Rouille. You are in for a serious treat - Bon Appétit!

"France Menu"

Pissaladière
Warm Olives with Wild Herbs
Toasted Goat Cheese Salad with Smoked Bacon
Bouillabaisse with Rouille
Lemon Soufflé Cakes with Soft Cream

Another day, we’ll all be yelling “Opa!” as we travel to “Greece” (where I spent my honeymoon!) creating a veritable feast featuring Spinach Skorthalia (a wonderful spinach and garlic spread) with Pita Chips, Spit-Roasted Lamb (we'll spit-roast in my kitchen fireplace) with my favorite accompaniments, and Galaktoboureko – a dreamy custard-filled phyllo pastry. Yiamas! (cheers in Greek)

I love teaching in “Spain” and our Spanish fiesta will include some of the most fresh and flavorful tapas recipes I’ve developed from my many trips there. We’ll kick our day off with a refreshing glass of Summer White Peach and Ginger Sangria, make my addictive Chorizo Hand Pies, and stir up a huge pan of Paella with Chicken, Shellfish and Chorizo on my deck - and that's just to get us started. Salud!

I became a huge fan of Moroccan and North African cuisine while writing my first book, From Tapas to Meze. In our “Morocco and North Africa” cooking course we’ll learn to prepare a diffa, a party or banquet, featuring delicious dishes such as Algerian Eggplant Jam, Couscous with Six Vegetables and Spiced Harissa (delicious and perfect for a dinner party!), Lamb Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives, and a delicious Crispy Moroccan Phyllo Dough with Orange Custard and Almonds. How do you say "Cheers" in Moroccan? B'saha. This means 'to your health.'

"Moroccan & North Africa Menu"

Algerian Eggplant Jam
Moroccan Carrot, Radish and Orange Salad
Couscous with Six Vegetables and Spiced Harissa
Lamb Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives
Crispy Moroccan Phyllo Dough with Orange Custard and Almonds

It's going to be a fantastic week of cooking around the Mediterranean!

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.