Culinary Arts

Wrapped in Tradition: Making the Michigan Pasty

Spend an enjoyable evening making a delicious, regional food–the Michigan Pasty. Participants will learn about the history of this savory handheld pie, enjoy a warm pasty sample, and get hands-on to make enough dough for everyone to take home and bake their own pasties with their favorite fillings.

Class will also cover the differences between traditional pasties and pasties eaten today, what fillings work best for easy meal prep, and how best to store them. We’ll even learn how to whip up a simple gravy to pair with your pasties.

Class Note: Please bring a lunchbox, container with ice pack, or a cooler bag to make sure dough stays at the correct temperature on the drive home. Each ball of dough will be roughly the size of a grapefruit. Some samples/recipes contain milk, wheat, eggs, dairy (goat cheese & butter), and alliums (onion & garlic).

Community Instructor: Hannah Steusloff

Food as Medicine: Cooking with Medicinal Herbs

Let food be your medicine and learn to incorporate healthy herbs and mushrooms into your cooking! Learn tips to conveniently use herbal broths, syrups, vinegar, oil, and honey infusions in everyday cooking. Everyone will sample our creations and take home recipes.

Community Instructor: Lily Kunning

Spring Foraging Workshop

Wednesday, April 15 ~ 5:30pm to 8:30pm

Friday, April 17 ~ 5:30pm to 8:30pm

Early to mid-April is a truly abundant time for foraging in Northwest Ohio, as many plants send up tender shoots and fresh new greens. In this three-hour class, 577’s Organic Garden Horticulturist Samantha Day will guide participants through the grounds, identifying a variety of edible plants that can be foraged in our region during spring.

After gathering our finds, we’ll head to the Kitchen in Virginia’s House to create a fresh, seasonal salad, sauté some shoots into flavorful “garlicky greens,” and prepare others in okonomiyaki or yachaejeon-style (Japanese/Korean vegetable pancake) for a savory snack—plus, possibly more treats, depending on our discoveries. Along the way, we’ll discuss foraging tips specific to Northwest Ohio, explore helpful identification guidebooks and resources, and each participant will receive a printed copy of the monthly foraging guide compiled by Samantha.

Class Note: A portion of this class takes place outdoors. Please dress appropriately for the weather.

577 Staff Instructor: Samantha Day

Cooking for Your Health: Sauté, Stir-Fry, & More

Join local family physician and certified culinary medicine specialist, Dr. Humaira Lateef, for a hands-on class rooted in Culinary Medicine—where health and healing meet the art and science of food. This vibrant field recognizes the profound impact of what we eat on our overall well-being.

In this session, we will explore several healthy cooking techniques as we learn how to sauté, stir-fry, simmer, and braise, with a focus on a whole food, plant-predominant diet. Together, we’ll cook and sample a vegetable stir fry with teriyaki sauce. Once these techniques are mastered, you will be able to put together quick meals made from any combination of vegetables, seasonings, protein-rich foods, and whole grains.

Class Notes: To help us honor 577’s commitment to sustainability, please bring a 4- to 6-oz. food container for your leftovers. We recommend bringing an apron and a hairnet or head covering. Some recipes may contain soybeans.

Community Instructor: Humaira Lateef, MD, FAAFP, CCMS, DipABLM

A Taste of the Mediterranean: Cook, Learn, & Share

Discover the vibrant flavors and wholesome traditions of Mediterranean cuisine as you learn to prepare a selection of classic dishes using fresh ingredients, aromatic herbs, olive oil, and time-honored techniques. Together, we’ll prepare, cook, and share a meal that includes an olive and cheese appetizer, chicken shawarma, quinoa, and a vegetable side dish.

Participants will chop, sauté, season, and assemble dishes inspired by the coastal regions of Southern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. Along the way, we’ll explore the benefits of the Mediterranean diet and gain practical tips on ingredient selection, flavor balancing, and simple techniques you can recreate at home.

Community Instructor: Wendy Steusloff and Jan Szalkowski

Cooking a Celtic Feast: May Day Celebration

Enjoy a feast of bright, seasonal food as we celebrate the arrival of sweet summer days on May 1, also known as May Day, or the Celtic tradition of Beltane.

Class will begin with a delicious, shared meal featuring seared lamb with allium, generous fixings of salads and berries, and bread with butter. From there, participants will get hands-on to make a classic oat bannock, and take home a sweeter, modern version to share with friends and family.

Throughout the class, we will explore the significance of traditional foods tied to this celebration, while also learning about the history of Beltane and how this seasonal ritual has been lost and rediscovered over time. No prior cooking experience is needed. Just come ready to enjoy, learn, and connect around the table.

Class Note: Some samples/recipes contain milk and/or wheat.

Community Instructor: Hannah Steusloff

A Taste of Spring: Brunch for Dinner

Join us for a fun and flavor-packed experience where day meets night and sweet meets savory in a delicious spring brunch–in the evening! Together we’ll make a rustic asparagus and goat cheese galette, some light and fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes topped with a fruit syrup and optional fresh fruit. We’ll complete our meal with cream cheese and fruit pastries alongside refreshing mocktail mimosas.

Whether you’re looking to expand your brunch repertoire or enjoy a fun culinary night out, this class offers techniques, flavors, and tasting. Come hungry and leave inspired!

Class Note: Some samples/recipes contain milk, eggs, and/or whea

Community Instructor: Wendy Steusloff and Jan Szalkowski

Cake Pops for Spring

Learn how to create your own cake pops from start to finish and make two dozen (24) to enjoy with family and friends at home. This month, we’ll be using white and chocolate cake while focusing on cheerful spring-inspired designs.

During class, you’ll learn techniques for rolling cake balls, dipping them for a smooth finish, and decorating with creative details. Along the way, we’ll share tips for achieving the right texture, preventing cracks and slips, and creating cake pops that look just as good as they taste.

Class Note: If you have one, please bring a 9 x 13-inch airtight container to transport your cake pops home. A box will be provided if needed. Some samples and recipes may contain eggs, tree nuts, and/or peanuts.

Community Instructor: Jennifer Fisher

Crafting Herbal-Infused Drinks

Discover delicious ways to incorporate herbs into our daily beverages as we explore coffee, tea, ferments, cocktails, mocktails, and more! Participants will get an assortment of beverage ingredients to make kombucha, golden milk, a syrup, and a cold infusion in this fun, hands-on class. Everyone will also receive their own SCOBY and recipes to continue the fun at home.

Community Instructor: Lily Kunning