A long-standing favorite of 577 students, our Culinary Arts class offerings have included cuisine from around the world, as well as classes with a focus on comfort foods, healthy options, vegetarian and vegan food, creative desserts, canning instruction, and more. Classes are tailored to students who are looking to learn some kitchen basics, tips, and tricks, to those looking to broaden their culinary horizons. Class topics vary each month and are taught in the Cottage or House by local chefs and foodie enthusiasts.
Upcoming Classes
Mason Jar Salads
Monday, July 18, 7pm to 8pm
Are you looking for healthy, seasonal, make-ahead light lunches? Would you like to explore some simple alternatives to those bottles of salad dressing that collect in your fridge? Join us in Virginia’s beautiful and spacious kitchen classroom to explore healthy and balanced, time-saving, cost-effective, tasty yet easy Mason jar salads with a variety of easy-recipe dressings.
Your instructor will demonstrate the preparation of your ingredients, making the dressing, and proper layering order in the jar, all allowing for individual tastes. Cost includes a wide-mouth Mason jar for you to fill in class, using an assortment of provided ingredients.
Community Instructor: Jan Szalkowski
Canning 101
Monday, August 22 ~ 7pm to 8:30pm
If the thought of having healthy and economic foods on hand for easy meal prep appeals to you, canning may be for you! Have you thought about canning but the whole process seems just too daunting? Do you desire to have a stock of nutritious foods that contain fresh ingredients with no preservatives? Join us in the 577 House kitchen classroom to learn how to do hot water bath canning, the best entry-level method for first-time canners.
Home-canned goods store easily, making some of your favorite foods available year-round, and they make for wholesome and fun gift-giving. Jan and Wendy will demonstrate for you the materials you need for home canning, give clear instructions on the process from start to finish, as well as an idea of the time to allot for canning your own fresh produce. You’ll leave class with the knowledge to begin canning now and the inspiration to plan your home veggie garden around a harvest you’ll be prepared to can later in the season.
Community Instructor: Jan Szalkowski & Wendy Steusloff