We Do Not Live By Hiking Alone!

Before he started meandering all over Marin with Wendy, Dick Jordan spent three years working as a "scullery maid" at Ramekins Sonoma County Culinary School in the Town of Sonoma. He still goes back from time to time to take a class, and has found three "demonstration" classes (you watch, the chef cooks, you eat) coming up early in 2009 that he thought that the Tuesday Meanderers might be interested in attending. (We could do a private cooking class for the group, but the per person costs are quite a bit higher).
Here are the three classes; let Dick know which, if any, tantalizes your taste buds, and he'll see if we can put a group together (with everyone to register individually):

Friday, February 6, 2009 (11:00 am - 3:00 pm; $50)
Heart's Delight: French Food Done Light
Spa cuisine has earned a reputation for tasting delicious while being healthy and low in calories. The French have mastered this cuisine, without compromising on flavor. Connie Barney Wilson returns from France to demonstrate these flavorful dishes that will satisfy without destroying your waistline:

• Fresh Crab Flan
• Smoky Roast Pumpkin Soup
• Chicken Sautéed with Normandy Cider (Poulet Sauté au Cidre)
• Savory Wild Mushroom Mousse
• Port-Poached Pears on Brioche with Chocolate Sauce

Friday, February 27, 2009 (11:00 am - 2:00 pm; $50)
A Culinary Tribute: Liberace Cooks!
Come to a special class saluting the culinary talents of Liberace. Believing that food and music were the two best things in life, Liberace thoroughly enjoyed the art of cooking. Lisa Lavagetto will demonstrate the following recipes from this famed entertainer, including a velvety soup to start and Italian custard for a sweet finish:

• Creamy Artichoke Soup with Garlic Croutons
• Roasted Pork Loin with Apricot Brandy Purée
• Baked Fennel Gratin with Fresh Breadcrumbs and Parmesan
• Cucumbers and Sweet Red Onions marinated in Vinegar and Cream
• Zabaglione Custard with Marsala and Seasonal Fruits

Friday, March 27, 2009 (11:00 am - 2:00 pm; $50)
The Splendor of Spring
Spring’s arrival brings bright flavors and ingredients that are simple to prepare. Therese Nugent, Sonoma cooking teacher and food columnist for the Sonoma Index Tribune, will show you how to make a hearty meal that celebrates the new ingredients of the season and is sure to please family and friends using the following recipes:

• Roasted Asparagus Soup with Spring Herb Gremolata
• Pasta in a Lemon Cream Sauce (Tagliolini al Limone)
• Poached Salmon bathed in Basil Butter over Spring Succotash
• Minted Sugar Snap Peas
• Old Fashioned Rhubarb Cake with Strawberry Sauce