In last week’s blog I shared about all the wonderfully creative classes that are happening in Santa Fe during “Do it Yourself” DIY Santa Fe in March. I was “leaning toward a night with the chef” and so decided to attend Deborah Madison’s vegetarian cooking class at the Santa Fe School of Cooking.
Okay…. I admit it. I’m smitten. There you have it. I want Ms. Madison to cook all my foods from now on. But, she has to be there, in my kitchen, telling her stories about how the fennel is grown and why we use all the parts of each vegetable; nothing thrown away. Listening to her describe each hand-picked item for the evening’s events was truly wonderful. We saw part of her Belgian endive bouquet and tasted the bitterness of the root, felt the rubbery feel of the Curry leaves and shared in the red skinned walnuts brought from Davis, CA for the evening’s salad. Each recipe was prepared lovingly while we watched via the overhead mirrors. Fielding questions, as the three hour class unfolded, allowed us to understand the melding of flavors, the techniques of braising and roasting and ultimately the plating of her masterpieces. Okay, okay. I say masterpieces, you say dishes. Anyway, fun was had by all and we left satiated not only by the incredibly tasty curry, chutney and salads but the new knowledge of vegetables that will help me put maybe just one more Thai chile in my next creation.
If you haven’t taken a class at the Santa Fe School of Cooking, I highly recommend you check out their calendar and see what’s cooking when you plan your next trip to Santa Fe. Not only do they share their knowledge of Southwest cuisine in the classroom (recipes to take home), but you can take a restaurant walking tour and experience a variety of local chefs, in their own kitchens, sharing their creations with you. A glass of wine, a bit of local food and a tour of the city all create memories you will have for a lifetime. Enjoy! We invite you to share your experience and photographs of the time shared around the school’s kitchen and we hope you enjoy our photos of the evening, too. Should you like the recipes that we were given that evening, I've been given the okay to share. Please email me, for your very own copy, at deb@innofthegovernors.com. Happy eating and safe travels, Deb Swanson
