Cheffing it up
This week I had the opportunity to be part of a local restaurant's cooking class with two of my girlfriends and 77 other wanna-be chef guests. The Shanty's been in business for over 100 years and after the most recent owners took over in 2006 they've been expanding and growing. They've been busy updating their menu, have been featured on TV shows such as Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, won the best-of Chicago award among others, added a huge addition that tripled their space and most recently started offering cooking classes and demonstrations. In addition to the restaurant, the family also owns an olive grove in Greece where they grow and harvest olives and produce the most delicious olive oil.
The evening started off by donning our tall, white chef's hat and black apron, then the owner described the good, bad and ugly of olive oil. Have you ever stood in front of scads of olive oil bottles at the grocery store and wondered which one to pick. I have, on many occasions, often picking either the prettiest bottle or the one on sale. I learned that wasn't such a great idea. The tidbit of information that I took away from the class was the acidity level was very important. You want to look for anything 1% or under and it should be listed on the bottle.
After our olive oil tasting we were ready to get started. The cocktail portion came first and after muddling our cherry, we each took turns using the shaker to mix a drink. For some reason our table's cocktail shaker wouldn't cooperate and we needed help getting it open a few times.
For the cooking portion of the evening, each person was equipped with a burner, pan, towel, tongs and spoon, which we learned was the most important tool. In creating the dishes we sautéed, seared, browned, stirred, mixed and created a delicious sauce for the short rib and vegetables. We also created a fresh crab, shrimp and lobster pasta primavera which was spectacular.
What a fun evening cheffing it up with friends, trying something new, meeting new people and learning new things. Look around, there are opportunities everywhere you look to add value to your life. It allows you to step away from the everyday tasks and gives you a chance to expand your horizons, do something unexpectedly fun and grow. See what you can find in your neck of the woods, then go for it.
xoxox.....Sheryl