Summer is almost here and my farmer’s market and community supported agriculture (CSA) box are full of really fun things to cook! FINALLY!!! Freshly dug new potatoes, tender fava beans, the sweetest strawberries – and I can hardly wait for heirloom tomatoes so I can make my recipe for Gazpacho with Drunken Prawns! It is perfect for entertaining because you just add a few ingredients to the blender and minutes later you have an icy cold, delicious (and even healthy) soup.

I’m also gearing up for two really fun cooking courses in my kitchen this summer:

TEQUILA Weekend Crash Course in San Francisco. (July 24-26, 2009) We’ll learn to make tequila cocktails paired with recipes from my new TEQUILA book. The menu is so cool… We’ll make Chorizo Hand Pies, Slow-Braised Pork with Tomatillos, and the very BEST Mexican Chocolate Soufflés with Tequila-Chipotle Crème Anglaise, to name just a few. Some of the best tequila bartenders in San Francisco will join the party and teach us how to shake up some amazing cocktails!

Summer in San Francisco. (July 13-17, 2009) Join me for Monday through Friday week of hands-on cooking with height-of-summer ingredients. Menu themes like “Mediterranean Tailgate”, “Fresh from the Farmer’s Market”, and “Garlic, Tomatoes and Olive Oil” have me excited already! The class is during the day so if you come from out-of-town, you can enjoy San Francisco by night. I’ve added a few of my favorite summer recipes: Feta and Goat Cheese Ravioli with Tomatoes and Mint, Pork Roasted the Tuscan Way, and Blueberry and Brown Butter Custard Tart just for starters!

So come to San Francisco this summer and join me for great fun and hands-on cooking together! Class sizes are small so sign up early.

Can’t wait to see you!