Culinary Arts

Intro to Pressure Canning

Dive into the world of pressure canning as your instructors demystify the process and you learn the how-to and rewards of preserving your favorite foods for use year-round. Participants will experience hands-on practice in the kitchen, step-by-step demonstrations, and sample delicious pressure-canned goods. Everyone will take home a half-pint jar of the product we canned in class, along with informative handouts and the confidence to start pressure canning at home.

Community Instructors: Jan Szalkowski and Wendy Steusloff

Little Chefs: Fantastic Fruit Pizza

Thursday, September 11 ~ 5:30pm to 7pm

Get your young chef in the kitchen with friends to make a delicious and beautiful fruit pizza! We’re taking advantage of the season’s abundance of fresh fruit by arranging it on top of a homemade, soft cookie crust covered in cream cheese frosting. Kids will work together in Virginia’s Kitchen as they learn the steps to prepare the cookie and simple frosting base. Then, we’ll let their creativity flow, as they decorate their own personal pizza with their favorite fruit toppings in a delightful pattern of their choice. Recipes will be sent home with each little chef so that they can recreate their masterpiece at home!

Class Notes: Recommended for ages 5–12 (exceptions may be considered; contact cstose@577foundation.org). Kids should wear closed-toe shoes and clothes that can get messy—aprons provided. We’ll be tasting the food we prepare, so please inform us of any dietary restrictions before registering. This menu includes dairy and gluten; while we try to accommodate allergies, substitutions may be limited due to cost and class time.

577 Staff Instructor: Kelly Rose Hirsh

Learn the Basics of Baking: Apple Crumb Cake

Learn the basics of baking as we get hands-on in Virginia’s Kitchen to practice and discuss common skills, typical ingredients, and essential utensils. Participants will test their new skills as they work to create their own apple crumb cake. While the cakes are baking, everyone will watch a demonstration on how to make a simple caramel sauce for drizzling on the cake. We’ll taste some samples, and participants will leave class with both recipes, the cake they made in class, and the confidence to continue baking at home.

577 Staff Instructor: Beth Phlegar

Cooking for Your Health: Meal Prepping for Fall

Join local family physician and certified culinary medicine specialist, Dr. Humaira Lateef, to explore healthy and delicious ways to meal prep. Featuring fall vegetables as our star ingredients, participants will learn about and sample four make-ahead meals: a nourishing bowl, wrap, breakfast hash, and a veggie soup. Everyone will take home recipes and any leftovers.

Culinary Medicine is where health and healing meet the art and science of food. It’s a vibrant field that recognizes the profound impact of what we eat on our overall well-being. Class Notes: Some samples/recipes contain milk, peanuts, and honey. To help us honor 577’s commitment to sustainability, please bring a food container for your leftovers that will hold at least 6 ounces. We recommend everyone bring an apron and a hairnet or head covering.

Community Instructor: Humaira Lateef, M.D. FAAFP, CCMS

Sourdough Bread Baking

Demystify the sourdough bread-making process in this hands-on, two-part class and learn how to create wholesome, homemade baked goods with confidence.

On Monday, October 13, we’ll kick things off by breaking down how sourdough bread baking works, removing the uncertainty that often comes with this time-honored craft. Everyone will get hands-on to mix up their own starter while exploring the customs and folklore of sourdough—and, of course, sampling fresh homemade bread. Each participant will take home their starter in a quart-sized glass jar along with detailed instructions for its care.

Return on Monday, October 20, for Part Two, when you’ll bring your starter back to check its progress and share your starter stories. We’ll observe the “pull and fold” method for working with sourdough dough and answer all your questions. You’ll go home with a collection of favorite recipes from the instructors, including sourdough chocolate chip cookies, English muffins, crackers, and baguettes.

You’ll leave feeling confident, inspired, and ready to bake your own delicious sourdough creations at home.

Community Instructors: Jan Szalkowski and Wendy Steusloff