Food so good it deserved its own photoshoot
Vicki Baker
These days, you can learn pretty much anything you want on the Internet: How to chop an onion. How to stretch pizza dough. How to make foolproof Hollandaise. And you certainly don’t need to take cooking classes for the recipes—20 years ago, maybe. But now, they’re a dime a dozen online. But that didn’t dissuade Girls on Wheels. Wanting to unleash our inner chef and hone our skills, we visited Sur La Table for a truly immersive culinary experience where hands-on learning and full participation reigned supreme.
Our three-hour class was led by a culinary instructor who guided us through the creation of a three-course dinner. Our menu was frisée salad with Roquefort and walnuts, peppercorn-crusted steak with garlic herb sauce, roasted potatoes with spring herbs, and crêpes flambéed with orange and brandy sauce.
The class started with an in-depth, classroom-style discussion of what we would be cooking and why we’d use certain ingredients and flavors in each dish. We discovered and practiced new techniques, creating a tantalizing meal at our dedicated workstations, complete with all the necessary tools and ingredients. There were also lots of open discussions, questions asked, chef’s secrets disclosed, and food stories shared.
The most surprising part, however, was how much we learned about the science behind cooking. The chef explained how heat changes the molecular structure of food, how different types of acids affect flavor, and how to use these principles to create our own delicious dishes.
After all the chopping, stirring, and sizzling, it was time to indulge in the fruits of our labor and savor the flavors. It was the perfect moment to kick back, relax, and revel in the satisfaction of creating a delicious meal, making us feel like true culinary maestros!
Sur La Table opened our eyes to the art of cooking. It inspired Girls on Wheels to experiment more with ingredients and techniques in our own kitchens. But time spent in the kitchen is about much more than just cooking. It brings people together. There’s nothing better than spending time with good food, friends, and lots of laughs!