All Over Albany

A sampling of cooking classes, winter 2016

Even in this winter of non-winter, February and March can be a good time to take a cooking class. It's a chance to gather somewhere warm, learn something new, and eat something good.

So, here's a new a batch of cooking classes over the next few months that caught our eye -- and maybe you'll find them interesting: From Valentine's Day treats, to sausage making, to tagine, to ramen, to sushi, to pancakes.

This is not a comprehensive listing. If there's something not on her that you think is worth a mention, please share!

A lot of these classes tend to sell out -- quickly. So if something catches your eye, better to sign up earlier than later.

February 6: Valentine's baking | Different Drummer's Kitchen
Deanna Fox leads a hands-on class about making Valentine's Day treats, including creme brulee. 1 pm - $55

February 6: Raw Sweets for Your Sweeties | Honest Weight
Raya Ioffe leads a class about making raw chocolate treats. "Everyone will leave with chocolates that are free of gluten, dairy, soy, and refined sugar." 4 pm - free (registration required)

February 7: Morroccan tagine lunch | Tara Kitchen
The popular Schenectady restaurant offers a once-a-month class. "You will learn how to use a tagine and make your very own Moroccan lunch! We provide all of the equipment and ingredients for this interactive class. You will also leave with a gift bag." (The next class after this one is March 6.) 11:30 am - $45

February 13: Fresh sausage making class | Hickory Hill Smokehouse
The smokehouse is in Delanson in Schenectady County. A small-group class on making fresh sausage at home. Includes 5 pounds of sausage to take home. (Register by February 8.) 9 am - $99

February 13: Seed smarts | Hillsdale General Store
Gardening expert Margaret Roach will be leading a class about garden planning. "Plan a garden yielding year-round results--whether for freezing, canning or drying--with Margaret's clever harvest-stashing tips, plus track down unusual herbs and beneficial flowers that increase wanted insect activity and garden health, too, with Margaret's help." 10:30 am - $60

February 13: Couple's Cooking Class - Lamb Edition | Sentinel Butchery
Sentinel is the new whole-animal butcher's shop in downtown Troy. "Couples will learn how to cut, pan sear and braise small roasts cut for two. This is a tasting class, so participants will eat what they cook, or can choose to take it home." 6:30 pm - $100 per couple
Update: Sentinel Butchery has closed

February 14: Sourdough 101 | Hillsdale General Store
Baker/cookbook author/horticulturist Sarah Owens leads a class about the basics of sourdough bread baking. 11 am - $75 (includes proofing basket and sourdough starter)

February 17: Chicken parts versus the whole | Arts Center of the Capital Region
Jillian Naveh leads a class in which "you'll learn how to fabricate a whole chicken into parts, as well as cook the whole chicken to taste the difference between the two preparations." 6 pm - $67.50

February 18: Brazil! | Different Drummer's Kitchen
Ric Orlando leads a class about making a handful of Brazilian dishes, including feijoada. 6 pm - $75

February 21: Pig Breakdown | Sentinel Butchery
"Participants will learn from our expert butchers how to separate, bone, skin and otherwise cut a whole pig and will even learn how to stuff sausage! At the end of the class, students will be able to bring home sausages they've prepared themselves." 5:30 pm pm - $200
Update: Sentinel Butchery has closed

February 23: Mead and herbal beer making | Honest Weight
Farmer/fermenter Andrew Bacalakis leads a class about making mead and herbal beers. 6 pm - free (registration required)

February 24: Homemade ramen | Gio Culinary Studio
"Students will learn how to create delicious, homemade ramen all from scratch!" 6:15 pm - $60

March 3: Honey | Spoon & Whisk
Patrick Mannato leads a class about making a variety of dishes with honey: Ricotta Hotcakes with Honey-Glazed Bacon; Pork Tenderloin with Tangerine, Honey, & Soy Marinade; Lavender Honey Lemonade; Honey & Whiskey Truffles. 7 pm - $45

March 4: Old Polish cuisine | Market Bistro
Golumpki. Pierogi. Paczki. 6 pm - $55

March 5: Pressure cooking without the pressure | Hillsdale General Store
Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough -- authors of The Great Big Pressure Cooker Book -- will be leading demo class about using a pressure cooker, including "Risotto in 7 Minutes (no stirring!)". 10:30 am - $70

March 10: Makin' bacon | Gio Culinary Studio
"Students will learn how to create 3 different types of delicious cured bacon, using readily available ingredients." 6:15 pm - $65

March 14: Quintessence | Market Bistro
Former Quintessence chef Donnie Graham leading class about making some of the dishes from the now-gone diner on New Scotland Ave: chicken teriyaki, spinach fettucine, Quintessential Salad w/Quintessence Vinaigrette. (And earlier date for this class sold out, and it looks like this one will be soon.) 6 pm - $50

March 15: Everything peanuts | Different Drummer's Kitchen
Jim Kavanaugh leads a class about making a handful of dishes using peanuts, from salad to dessert. 6 pm - $65

March 16: The art of Italian pizza | Gio Culinary Studio
"Students will learn to create four distinct and authentic Regional Italian Pizza completely from scratch." 6:15 pm - $60

March 18: Speciality pasta | Gio Culinary Studio
Hands-on class about making specialty pasta shapes from scratch. 6:15 pm - $60

March 19: Bagels, bialys, pretzels | Different Drummer's Kitchen
Deanna Fox leads a hands-on class about making the boiled baked goods at home. 1 pm - $65

March 21: Intermediate sushi | Different Drummer's Kitchen
Yasuo and Kathy Saso -- of Saso's fame -- lead a hands-on sushi-making class. 6 pm - $69

March 22: Gnocchi and dumpings | Gio Culinary Studio
Hands-on class"all about gnocchi dumplings, and how to create different varieties with simple to follow recipes." 6:15 pm - $60

March 22: New World Mexican Classics |
Ric Orlando leads a demo class about Mexican-inspired dishes. 6 pm - $69

March 24: Let them eat cake | Spoon & Whisk
Leah Stein leads a class on making Chocolate Black-Out Cake and Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. 7 pm - $45

March 26: Dumplings around the world | Hillsdale General Store
Deanna Fox leads a class about making "Chinese Pot Stickers, Polish Pierogies, Indian Samosas, and Mexican Empanadas, as well as dips and sauces to round out each dish." 10:30 am - $70

March 29: Better with bacon | Market Bistro
Candied bacon, bacon-wrapped bourbon chicken, beer and bacon cheese poutine, chocolate bacon cupcakes with dulce de leche. 6 pm - $55

April 7: Flatcakes, field to griddle | Arts Center of the Capital Region
Amy Halloran -- author of The New Bread Basket, which is about regrowing the regional grain industry -- will be leading a class about pancakes. "Learn the basics of griddles, batters, and flour and taste the flavors of fresh, stoneground whole-grains in savory and sweet flat cakes." 6 pm - $57.50