Culinary Events Northwest

 

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Holiday Classes, Recipes & Gift Certificates!

At Culinary Events Northwest       

425-231-9239 and www.culinaryeventsnw.com 

  

Happy Holidays! December is shaping up to be an exciting month. We are featuring classes to help you ring in the holidays in delicious style! Classes for bakers, home chefs and those with a love of entertaining. Check out our listing below, or for a the entire schedule visit our website www.culinaryeventsnw.com Read on for easy recipes that will make any party a success and as always, terrific holiday wine selections from WineStyles, Bothell.

Culinary Events Northwest
Corporate Teambuilding, a great way to celebrate
the holdiay season!

 

Buy a Gift Certificate for $50 or more and receive a $5 credit toward a future class!

Are you looking for the perfect gift for the cook or baker in your life? Gift Certificates are available for any class in any monetary amount. Choose from a Mixology or Wine Excursion, Cooking Basics, Cupcakes, Greek, Thai, French and Italian Cuisine to name just a few. Go to www.culinaryeventsnw.com for a complete listing, then call 425-231-9239 and we'll mail your certificates the next day, and give you a $5 credit toward a future class! (This offer can not be combined with other discounts or coupons.)

 

Recipes 

 

Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pear

16 thin slices pancetta

16 teaspoons soft fresh goat cheese

2 very ripe small pears, halved, cored, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon sugar

Fresh thyme, picked, for garnish

 

Preheat oven to 450. Place pancetta slices in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with pepper. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes.

 

While pancetta is cooking, heat balsamic and sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat until reduced by half and syrupy. Remove from heat.

 

When pancetta is finished, use a spatula to slide the pancetta crisps onto a platter. Top each with 1 teaspoon goat cheese and 1 pear slice. Drizzle with balsamic syrup and sprinkle with thyme and serve.

 

Fennel, Apple and Pecan Salad

1 fennel bulb  

1 apple, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

 

Crème fraîche, to taste (optional)
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup raw pecans (halves or pieces)

1 tablespoon sugar
Garnish: fresh fennel fronds

 

Trim base from fennel bulb; cut bulb in half, and thinly slice, reserving fennel fronds for garnish, if desired.

 

Whisk together olive oil and Meyer lemon juice. Whisk in a tablespoon or two of crème fraîche (until you reach desired creaminess) Season with salt and pepper.

 

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add pecans. Stir until pecans begin to color slightly, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle remaining sugar over. Stir until sugar melts and begins to turn golden, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer pecans to bowl and cool.

 

Combine fennel and apples in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Mix in pecans. Adjust salt and pepper. Serve salad. Makes 4 servings.

 

Cherry-Pistachio Chocolate Bites

1 1/4 lb good-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Vegetable oil, for greasing the pan
1 1/3 cup dried cherries
1 1/3 cup roasted, shelled pistachios, salted or unsalted
 
In the top of a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally until smooth.
 
While the chocolate is melting, line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the foil with vegetable oil.
 
When the chocolate is melted, remove it from the heat, and stir in the fruit and nuts. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon or rubber spatula. Place the pan in the refrigerator, and chill for about an hour, or until the chocolate is firm. (After one hour in a home fridge, the chocolate should be the perfect temperature for cutting - not too hard and not too soft. If it's too hard, the chocolate will shatter under the knife, and you'll have trouble getting a clean cut.)
 
Use the foil overhang to lift the chilled chocolate mixture from the pan, and place it on a cutting board. Peel back the foil, and cut the chocolate into whatever size you desire. Makes approximately 60 1-inch cubes.
Culinary Events Northwest / Albert Lee



Holiday Themed Classes
 

Holiday Food and Wine Pairing

Culinary Excursion to WineStyles, Bothell

Leslie Lightner-Director, Culinary Events Northwest

Wednesday, November 30, 6:30-9:00 PM                       $55

Taste, tempt, tantalize. We'll create a warm, deliciously different evening at the beautifully appointed WineStyles wine boutique this evening. Enjoy sumptuous wine and holiday food pairings custom designed for the season. From appetizers to savory entrees we will explore the perfect marriage of the best domestic & imported wines and the delicious seasonal cuisine especially prepared for them. On the menu: Butternut Squash Soup with Parmesan Croutons; Maple Brined Turkey with Yukon- Celeriac Mashed Potatoes & Pan Gravy; Roast Prime Rib with Red Wine Reduction Sauce; and Pumpkin-Almond Crunch Cake with Homemade Bourbon Eggnog Ice Cream.  Leave with tips and recipes for making your own holiday wine paring party a success. WineStyles, 22833 Bothell-Everett Hwy #104, Bothell 98021

 

Easy and Elegant Entertaining

Leslie Lightner-Director, Culinary Events Northwest

Thursday, December 1, 6:30-9:00 PM                            $48

Are you in the mood to entertain this season but not up to hosting a large and involved dinner party? Chef and catering veteran Leslie will show you how to whip up a no-nonsense menu with holiday style! Pear, Onion & Jack Cheese Strudel; Three Kings Holiday Citrus Salad; Pork Tenderloin with Apricot-Miso Glaze; Potato Gratin with Goat Cheese & Garlic; and Easy Winter Spiced Caramel-Banana Galettes. Secrets for easy holiday meal planning, shopping and preparation discussed throughout.  

 

Mixology Party!

Culinary Excursion to Wild Vine Bistro, Bothell

Chris Feller-Executive Chef, Wild Vine Bistro

Jacki Molleker-Mixologist, Wild Vine Bistro

Tuesday, December 6, 6:30-9:00 PM                               $56

There's a chill in the air and the evenings are frosty, what better time for cozy cocktails paired with holiday cuisine featuring savory cheeses, decadent meats and seasonal produce. Join Jacki (a passionate and talented bartender) and executive chef Chris as they walk you through these holiday toddies and delicious recipes--you'll be ready party with style! Course 1: Cosmopolitan with Belgium Endive Salad, Valdeon Blue Cheese Mousse & Candied Bacon. Course 2: Gordon's Cup with Applewood Smoked Lox, Caramelized Shallot Blinis & Creme Friache. Course 3: Old Fashioned with Duck Confit, Goat Cheese & Pistachio Stuffed Ravioli & Duck Jus'. Course 4: Spanish Coffee with Flourless Chocolate Torte, Toasted Hazelnuts & Orange Vanilla Marmalade.Wild Vine Bistro 18001 Bothell Everett Hwy, Bothell, WA (425) 877-1334

 

 

CUPCAKES for the Holidays

(HANDS-ON, Class limited to 20)                     

Carol Marty-Owner, Carol's Creative Confections

Wednesday, December 7, 6:30-9:00 PM                           $48

As beautiful as they are delicious, what could be better than a moist, decadent, lovingly decorated cupcake? This evening Carol will take you from childhood memories to adult flavors in this

hands-on class featuring the perfect single serving cake. We will learn how to make impressive bakery quality cupcakes, complete with hands-on decorating tips including Poinsettias and wreaths. An ideal class to prepare for your next big holiday celebration or elegant gift giving. Gingerbread Cupcakes with Orange Butter Cream Frosting; Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting; Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Mocha Frosting; and Vanilla Cupcakes with White Chocolate-Mint Frosting.

 

A French Christmas

(HANDS-ON, Class limited to 22)

David Amar-French Chef, CulinaryInstructor

Wednesday, December 14, 6:30-9:00 PM                         $55

In France, a réveillon is a long dinner or party, held on the evenings preceding Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The name of this dinner is based on the word réveil (meaning "waking"); because participation involves staying awake until midnight. This evening, we are delighted to have French native Chef David Amar work with us at the culinary center while sharing his favorite family traditions and holiday foods. Salmon Tartar on French Blinis (little pancakes) with Cream Cheese; Pan-Seared Duck Breast with a Honey-Balsamic Reduction; Roasted Fingerling Potatoes; and Coffee & Dark Chocolate Yule Log. Bon Appetit!

Great Holiday Wines for PairingCulinary Events Northwest

 

Val de Salis Viognier
This is 100% Viognier from 15 to 20 year old vines.  This is a WineStyles staff favorite!  It is straw yellow in color with an intense and very complex nose of pineapples, lychees, peaches and apricots.  Full bodied and flavorful on the palate.  Serve chilled, but not too cold and let the wine breathe or decant  it before serving.  It may be drunk for cocktails or between courses.  It is one of the rare dry wines that goes very well with salads including those with vinegar dressings and exotic "cuisine." This is a great holiday white because of it's versatility. 
Regular Price is $11.99  Culinary Events NW price $10.79

 

Qaramy 600
This just might be one of the most special (if not the most limited) wines in the Qaramy portfolio. The wine is named "600" because an incredible 600 bottles (just one barrel!) were made, and each bottle is specially numbered. This wine is a unique blend of 60% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Syrah, coming from the best parcels of the winery's own 9-year old vineyards, at 3,300 feet above sea level in the famed Uco Valley. It spent 14 months in new French oak, and the result is a stunningly elegant wine. Its color is the purple-black so typical of the Uco Valley, and it dazzles with aromas of violets, blackberries, and vanilla. Its mouth feel is suitably velvety for a wine of its pedigree and the flavors of blackberry and violets continue, joined with notes of mocha, all coming together in a harmonious, incredibly long finish. A true rare gem, this wine could be aged for 15 more years, or can be drunk now for maximum enjoyment with full bodied beef or lamb dishes.
Regular Price is $37.99  Culinary Events price $34.19

  

WineStyles, 22833 Bothell Everett Highway  Bothell, WA 98021  /  425-408-1031 and www.winestyles.net/canyonpark  

 

Please call 425-231-9239 to reserve your classes. Remember to visit our website www.culinaryeventsnw.com for more information and upcoming classes.

 

Copyright 2011, Culinary Events Northwest, LLC.