October 21st, 2013

Dining Events, Cooking Classes, Cooking Demonstrations, Delaware Beaches, Southern Delaware…What’s Cooking?

As The Second Season continues at the Delaware Beaches….the restaurants and area chefs are sharing their culinary expertise by holding cooking classes and events.  Some of these events are held with fundraising in mind; it is also a great opportunity to get out and meet some of the people lucky enough to live on the coast and learn about a little bit of this, and a little bit of that.

TUESDAY, 10/22 – WOMEN & WINE – at Lupo di Mare located at 247 C Rehoboth Ave. inside the Hotel Rehoboth.  The evening will be a fundraising event for United Way Delaware whose mission is to maximize the community’s resources to improve the quality of life for all Delawareans.

This event is limited to 65 guests.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m.  $39/person.  Gratuity is not included.  Please RSVP Mike Dickinson at 302-226-2240.

Pairing Wines with delicious food.  An Aperitif of Lake Chalice “Cracklin Savie”.  First course of fresh mozzarella, roasted beets, olive tapenade, sea salt, paired with with Old Coach Road Sauvignon Blanc.  Second course of local apple salad, fennel, baby kale, crispy soprasata, asiago, grilled lemon vinaigrette, paired with Seifried Riesling.  Third Course of pork meatballs, white corn polenta, rosemary, tomatoes, pecorino, paired with Forrest Pino Noir.  Final course of house made ricotta cheesecake, honeyed walnuts, paired with Forrest “Doctors” Riesling…..

WEDNESDAY, 10/23 – NEW ENGLAND COOKING DEMO from 6 – 7 p.m. at Northeast Seafood Kitchen in Ocean View, Delaware, just a couple of miles west of Bethany Beach.  The cocktail hour will begin at 4:45 p.m. until 6 p.m.  The deomonstrations of Autumn Sangria, Warm Baby Kale & Apple Salad, Lobster & Sweet Potato Piegories, and Pumpkin Maple Bread Pudding.  For tickets and information, please call 302-537-1785 or email colby@sodelconcepts.com.

SATURDAY, 10/26 – A NIGHT IN NORTHERN ITALY – Tune Your Palate with Paul Cullen at the Bellmoor Inn & Spa located at 6 Christian St. in Downtown Rehoboth Beach.  His demonstrations bring his passions for food and music.  The cost is $55 and they include everything he will make and wine.  You must 21 to attend.  You can purchase tickets, by visiting http://www.paulcullen.net, or call 302-228-9775.

SATURDAY, 10/26 – ABRACADINNER COOKING CLASSES with Chef Kris.  On Saturday the class will be A Season for Soup.  It’s that time of the year and Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup, Raunchy Red Lentil Soup, and Asian Dumpling Soup will be on the menu.  Besides this class, Chef Kris holds classes throughout the season.   The schedule is as follows: 11/9 Pumpkin Palooza!, 11/30 Comfort Foods, 12/14 Gifts from Your Kitchen.

The classes are held on Saturdays at 10 a.m.  The fee for each class is $55.  Please call Chef Kris at 302-228-6125 for further information.  Check http://www.abracadinner.com.

FRIDAY, 11/1 – BEER DINNER, DAY OF THE DEAD BREWERY, at Papa Grande’s located on Rt. 54 in Fenwick Island, Delaware.  Growing up in Puerto Rico “El Dia de Los Muertos” was a day of usual torrential rain, and floods.  The evening begins at Papa Grande’s with a reception of duck tostada paired with Day of the Dead Blonde Ale.  First Course will offer hangover seafood cocktail, fresh seafood, spicy tomato salsa, and avocado, paired with Day of the Dead Amber Ale.  The second course will bring honey crisp apple salad, baby kale, jicama, pickled onion, cajita, pumpkin seed lime vinaigrette, paired with Day of the Daed Hefeweizen.  The third course will have adobo marinated pork loin, spicy rainbow chard, potatoes, grilled green onion, crema, paired with Day of thye Dead IPA.  Dessert will be a house-made cinnamos churros (love churros), coffee infused Mexican chocolate dip, paired with Day of the Dead Porter.  Please RSVP to Jim Affeldt at 302-436-papa, or jim@sodelconcepts.com.

SATURDAY, 11/2 – COOKING CLASS WITH CHEF HARI CAMERON of a(muse.), located at 44 Baltimore Ave., in Downtown Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.  Noon until 2:30 p.m.  He will be putting his distinctive twist on a collection of Classic American Recipes.  Learn the basic of iconic American dishes and learn to put your own signature twist…in other words….make it your own.  On Saturday, 12/14 from Noon until 2:30 p.m. the class will be centering on the holiday foods that come to mind.  Chef Hari  will be taking a look at those favorite holiday dishes; putting his own spin on them.

These classes are informal and are followed immediately by a special lunch with Chef Hari.  Please call 302-227-7107 or visit http://www.amuse-rehoboth.com and click under menus.  The classes are $60.00.

MONDAY, 11/11 – MURDER MYSTERY – A FOWL FEAST at The Buttery on the corner of Savannah Rd. and Second Street in the heart of Historic Lewes, Delaware.  6:30 p.m.  For reservations and info., please call 302-645-7755.

TUESDAY, 11/12 – LIVING GLUTEN FREE IN DELAWARE  at The Birch Tree Cafe located inside Good Earth Market, 4 miles west of Bethany Beach in Clarksville, Delaware.  Join the group to discuss and share the gluten free lifestyle, cooking and dining habits.  They will be offering cooking/baking advice, new product information and much more.  Each month they will taste different products.  This meetings will take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month.

SATURDAY, 11/16 – HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING at Nage, located at 19730 Coastal Highway in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.  Classes are 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.  If you cannot make it, then on Saturday, 12/7 Nage is offering a Holiday Dessert Cooking Class.  More info? and registration?  Please call 302-226-2037.  Or, visit http://www.nagerb.com/special-events.html#cookingclasses.

SATURDAY, 11/23 – BIG FISH GRILL COOKING CLASSES at 4117 Highway One in Rehoboth Beach.  The cost per class is $75 and you must register in advance by calling 302-227-9007.  The classes are held from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Menu items from the Big Fish Grill and Summerhouse will be featured.  Hands-on participation in the pereparation of festured menu items is part of the fun.  The classes will include a tour of the restaurant, a whole fish cutting demonstration, which I happened to volunteer when I participated some time ago, and tips about purchasing and preparing fresh seafood.

Other dates:  December 7th and 21st, January 4th and 18th, February 1st and 15th, March 1st, 15th and 29th, April 12th and 26th and May 3rd.

On the day of the class the doors will open at 9:45 a.m.  Go hungry!!

Have a great time!!

April 25th, 2013

Cooking Fun, Tune Your Palate, The Cordrey Center, Millsboro, Delaware, with Paul Cullen…and Bonnie too!! A little music, a little homemade pasta!! A One Man Show!

It really was a great evening on Wednesday, 4/24, when Jody, Donna, and I took off for a cooking class with Paul Cullen at The Cordrey Center located in Millsboro, Delaware.  We were looking forward to great food and music.  We had heard that the previous event was so much fun and a sell-out.

Now, I was a little worried, since I have been counting fats…and calories too.  It would be very interesting…pasta…olive oil; you know what I mean.

A little reception with wine and friends.  I only knew a few people.

Bonnie (Paul's wife), Jody, Donna

Paul Cullen has his own wine label.  Both, wine and music, were for sale on Wednesday.

Louie and Frank from Frank & Louie’s located at 58 Baltimore Avenue in Downtown Rehoboth Beach, arrived with cheeses and Italian delicacies….They are the Bascio Brothers who are on their own and waiting for you to come to the store and check them out.  Their tel. 302-227-5777.  You can find them on Facebook.

Maria DeForrest was taking the professional photos of the evening.  Please check her out at http://www.deforrestphotography.com.

So let’s get started…we all got the recipes…Paul does not measure; it is a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

Paul had fixed an Antipasti Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette.  The salad consisted of Romaine, fennel, radishes, cucumbers, red onion, salami, and sharp provolone.  The dressing took no time to make with Paul mixing the white balsamic vinegar, Virgin olive oil, stoneground mustard, a dash of salt and pepper.  Simple, tasty, and so easy.

Next course was Ricotta Cheese Crostini with a Balsamic Drizzle…..the key for making the homemade Ricotta Cheese is to stir constantly to keep the milk and half and half from burning on the bottom of the pan.

The next course was Homemade Potato Gnocchi with Pancetta Chive Sauce.  Plenty of Italians in attendance at this event.  They liked them!!  Paul did make this dish look easy.  To tell you the truth, I would have made such a mess in my kitchen!

You have to work in batches…bring out the potato ricer…make a mess!!

Knead until dough comes together…form into a ball, divide and roll each piece between hands.

Cut and place them in boiling water and as soon as they float, they are ready!!

The Pancetta Chive Sauce was easy and was done in no time…key ingredients?  Butter and Olive Oil!

Paul took a little break from the kitchen while we were all enjoying our food and played a little music for us.  The evening was flowing well.  Everyone was relaxed, taking it all in.

And one more dish…making pasta dough for Ravioli.  Again, Paul made it look easy.  The necessary ingredients of unbleached flour, eggs, salt….and have fun on the counter.

The ideal is a pasta machine for roling and cutting the dough.  And, a glass of wine in front.

On this photo, Paul shapes the ravioli and then will use a glass to cut them.  He likes the round shapes.

His simple sauce called Grandma Tags Fast Sauce consisted of San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, shallot, basil and olive oil.

Bonnie watching the sauce.

And then it was our turn to taste again….So good!!  Bonnie told us that she never has to cook.  Paul does all the cooking at home!!

The evening went quickly..2 hours in the middle of the week with friends…perfect!!

Note:  Please check Paul Cullen’s website http://www.paulcullen.net for more information and other events.

Also, please visit The Cordrey Center’s website at http://www.thecordreycenter.com.  They have already on their schedule…trips, classes, events, activities and even a cruise!!

Have a good one!!

April 23rd, 2013

“Tune Your Palate”, Event, Cordrey Center, Millsboro, Delaware, Wednesday, 10/24, Paul Cullen, Music, Wine, Italian Cuisine

It was supposed to have been just one signature event….but the public wants another one.  “Tune Your Palate” is an innovative cooking class from former Bad Company Bassist, Paul Cullen.

Paul artfully blends his passion for cool music, jazzy wine and divine cuisine into one signature event.  He will demonstrate how to make his Italian cuisine, such as handmade ravioli, gnocchi and ricotta cheese.  All this while pairing his delicious wines and playing an intimate concert to finish the night.

The Cordrey Center, a garden event venue, is located at 30366 Cordrey Rd., Millsboro, Delaware. 19966.  It will only take you 2 turns off of Rt. 24. The event is from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.  The cost is $30 per person.  For reservations, please call 302-945-5853.

The evening will have an added bonus with an artisan cheese tasting/demo with Andy Meddick of Morgan and Gower Cheesemongers of Downtown Rehoboth Beach.  Also available will be handmade breads from Old World Breads.

The first event was a success; this second one should be a sellout, as well.  Talk to you later!!