If, by chance, you're not going anywhere new this summer, why not try cooking something new? Here are two culinary classes I caught wind of recently: 

• "Recipes in a Snap" at Country Club Market; Thursday, July 17, at 6 p.m. ($50): This class features paella, that wonderful Spanish rice-chorizo-seafood dish. And for those of you who might wonder if this dish is truly easy, chef-instructor Terrie Kohl offers these reassuring words: "It's a one-pot meal! I teach the recipe with tips on alternative ingredients so cooks can use what's in-house."
  
  The class also features a watermelon and pineapple salad with queso blanco and, for dessert, strawberry margarita tiramisu. Kohl teaches her classes in her Clive home, and participants can bring their own beer or wine to enjoy with the recipes (which add up to a full meal). 

Find more information (and other classes) here.

• "Ice Creams and Sorbets From Coconut Milk" at Wooden Spoons Workshops; July 28, 29 and 31 at 6 p.m. and July 30 at 11 a.m. ($45): Cooking instructor Deb Cazavilan's creamless ice creams are designed for vegans, lactose-intolerant people, and anyone who could benefit from omitting dairy from their diet. She'll showcase flavors such as dark chocolate with fleur de sel (a hand-harvested sea salt), banana vanilla bean and mint chip.
  
  Not a coconut fan? You may be surprised As Cazavilan says, "I've found the coconut flavor really stays in the background if I use other flavor-forward ingredients, like dark chocolate and mint."

Find more information (and other classes) here.

By Vicki Ingham

Three local author-illustrator teams have produced new books for children:  

• Linda Mason Hunter has written 13 books on ecology, architecture and design, but "Three Green Rats: An Eco Tale" is her first children's book. Illustrated and co-authored by Suzanne Summersgill, the 112-page chapter book directs its message about living sustainably to readers ages 7 to 11, who, as Hunter says, "haven't developed bad habits yet, and they grow up fast--in 10 to 15 years, they become opinion shapers and cultural leaders." The book is a Foreword Reviews Book of the Year finalist and won a second-place Moonbeam Children's Book Award. For more information, visit threegreenrats.com.

• "Boxes for Billy," written by Billy Dohrmann and illustrated by Bryan Dixon, celebrates creativity and the gift of an unfettered imagination. Aimed at kids ages 4 to 8 (and their parents), the hardcover book tells the story of how a boy transforms boxes into exciting new worlds. Interesting fact: Dorhmann financed the book through a Kickstarter campaign, raising $10,743 (exceeding his goal of $10,000) from 161 backers. You can buy the book here.

• Dr. Stephanie Cox, a third-generation family physician practicing in Greater Des Moines composed 26 rhyming couplets for "My Doctor and Me ABC." Paired with cheerful illustrations by Emily Burger, the rhymes introduce 2- to 5-year-old children to healthy habits and give them an idea of what to expect at the doctor's office. It's available at The Learning Post in Urbandale, Iowa Methodist Medical Center gift shops and online at amazon.com.

Bravo Greater Des Moines handed out a record-breaking $3.2 million in Cultural Enrichment Grants to 60 organizations for fiscal year 2015. One of three first-time recipients is a new nonprofit called City Voices, which received $3,200. The organization provides music training and voice lessons to underserved students in the Des Moines public school system. "These students would otherwise be unable to receive vocal training due to lack of financial resources," says Dave Stone, assistant director of Bravo. He also singled out Des Moines Metro Opera, "which has experienced a large growth in attendees through new outreach programs and partnerships with Iowa Public Radio." The opera received nearly $150,000.

Unlike many grant programs, Bravo's Cultural Enrichment Grants can be used for general operating expenses. "Somebody has to keep the lights on," says Sally Dix, Bravo's executive director. "That's why this program is so special." -V.I.