Shop and Nosh at the Cafe at Middlebury Consignment

Social Media Promotion: Sponsored

Cooking Class at the Cafe at Middlebury Consignment

If you follow my blog even semi-regularly, 

you know there are two things that I absolutely love to do 

SHOP and NOSH!

And now I've found a way to roll my two very favorite things to do into ONE, by taking part in a cooking class held at The Cafe at Middlebury Consignment! When an invite rolled into my inbox to visit the Middlebury Consignment Store, needless to say, I was thrilled!

I was familiar with the store through some television advertisements, and several friends have visited on a "destination day' to shop Middlebury, but until now, I've never had the opportunity to visit Middlebury Consignment for myself.

Opening in 2009, Middlebury Consignment is a one stop shopping store for all your home design needs. Not your typical 'consignment' store - Middlebury Consignment mixes a bit of  upscale consignment pieces with new design furniture and fixtures.

I spotted pieces from Lillian August, Howard Miller, Barkman, and more! The original store has since expanded to three buildings, the second two dubbed "the annex" located a few miles down the road. In addition, full design and decorating services are offered, as well as culinary accessories, tools, and utensils.

But on this visit we primarily spent time in the kitchen of the Cafe at Middlebury Consignment, taking part in one of their popular cooking classes. This particular class featured the preparation of appetizers, but they offer a wide and varied range of classes! A quick glance at their cooking class events lists dates that feature Cowboys and Campfires (Aug 6. 2017) Trip to Morocco (Aug 16, 2017) A Tuscan Grigliata (Aug 27, 2017)  End of Summer Tapas Party (Aug 30, 2017) Provence Inspired Steakhouse (Sept 7, 2017) and many, many more in the months to come.

Check out their event calendar at https://www.middleburyconsignment.com/cooking-events/

We started with a nice glass of wine and some cheese and crackers. Our cooking group consisted of a wide range of Connecticut social influencers invited to experience the fun of an 'appetizer' based cooking class led by The Cafe's own Chef Mary Kravec.

In attendance were Natalie from New England Foodie,  Brittny from Basic Britny, Hannah from Sometimes Social, Amanda from the Amanda Bella, Christine from Vigora and Vogue, Nonee from Nonee's World, and Yinka from Yours Truly Yinka and Linked Media.  (If I missed anyone - let me know and I'll link back to you too!)

Visit them all in the days to come for their details of this fun event!

Chef Mary instructs her cooking enthusiasts!

We jumped right in and donned our aprons and Chef Mary would rotate around the kitchen island recruiting the nearest participant to prep that particular portion of the meal. By the end of the cooking class everyone had some "hands on" experience and she included lots of great tips for food prep like how to use a spoon to peel ginger, blanching the broccoli rabe with salty water to draw out the bitterness and retain the crisp green color, and so many more!

Here are some photos of our food preparation:

Here I am --
so intent on stuffing those artichokes
Photo Courtesy of Linked Media

Voila! Stuffed Artichokes -
Ready to pop in the oven!

Amanda works on the flatbread dough!

Nonee works on the rosemary kebobs

Marinating the Balsamic Wings

While everything cooked up in the oven 

we had a wonderful tour of the store!

Yassss!

I'm definitely making a return trip just to shop!

When we finished touring the multiple floors of furniture and home decor we returned to feast on the fruits of our labor!

We made this!

My plate full of goodness!

Broccoli Rabe

Stuffed Artichokes

Roasted Grape Flatbread with Ricotta 

Balsamic Wings

Polenta Squares

Blueberry Lavender Crème Brûlée

I think I can speak for everyone and say we ALL thought the cooking class was a wonderful experience! We each felt like we had a part in the preparation and we certainly walked away with some great tips! I've already replicated the roasted grapes into a chicken dish I prepared this weekend with the same great results. DELICIOUS!

If you haven't already, visit Middlebury Consignment and treat yourself to one of their upcoming cooking classes!  You'll be glad you did!

Middlebury Consignment
The Cafe at Middlebury Consignment

1365 Whittemore Road
Middlebury, CT 06762
Phone (203) 528-0130
https://www.middleburyconsignment.com/

Store hours:
Monday through Saturday 11AM - 5PM
Sunday 11AM - 5PM

Disclaimer: I was invited to tour the store and take part in the cooking class by members of Middlebury Consignment's management and marketing team, however, all views expressed are my own.

Lobster Life Cooking Class at Ella's Fine Food in Westerly RI

Social Media Promotion : Sponsored   

Chef Jeanie Roland's Lobster Cooking Class   

A few weeks back we received an invite to travel up to scenic Westerly, Rhode Island to participate in the first of Chef Jeanie Roland, Owner, Operator, and Executive Chef of Ella's Fine Food and Drinks' summer/fall 2016 cooking classes,  this one titled ... 

Lobster Life!!!

Ah, such is MY life! A weekend trip to coastal Rhode Island - and the chance to eat some lobster! Ummm, okay!

Lobster Life Cooking Class at Ella's Fine Food & Drink
 in Westerly Rhode Island.

But this was more than just eating lobster, this was the ability to learn some fabulous tips and tricks about lobster preparation, and some great general insight on food preparation from Culinary Institute of America (CIA) alum, Chef Jeanie Roland.

Chef Jeanie is a seven-time James Beard nominee, and one of the few contestants to “Beat Bobby Flay” on the Food Network.  Chef Jeanie and her husband James also own and operate The Perfect Caper restaurant in Punta Gorda, Florida. 

Chef Jeanie began the cooking demonstration by welcoming us into the restaurant's kitchen

Chef Jeanie Roland in the Ella's Kitchen

She's an absolute whirling dervish and impossible to photograph - her hands are always moving - pots are always rotating - and spoons are always stirring.

Chef Jeanie is one bad-ass female chef and a warrior in the kitchen! I could certainly see how she beat Bobby Flay!

In the kitchen she taught us about the proper way to prep our lobster for its culinary demise - and how to make a heck of a lobster stock. And, if that's not enough - she even gave us a few trade secrets on what can be substituted for lobster stock if you're in a pinch.

Make sure you grab that crispy sediment in the pan
That's where all the flavor is!

After our kitchen lesson we moved back to the dining room where Chef Jeanie began class. We learned so many neat tips with every step of the process. Best ways to open a lobster, best ways to remove meat from a lobster and more!

Chef Roland demonstrates how to break apart a lobster

Chef Roland demonstrates the best way to
remove lobster meat from the claw and tail

And all that work resulted in this delicious Lobster Bisque. Rich, creamy and delicious, and in the center was a beautiful surprise, a delicate dollop of lobster chive custard.

I mean really. There are just so many ways you can say yum before you sip this up and lick your bowl clean.

Yum!
Lobster Bisque at Ella's Fine Food and Drink

Next we moved on to Lobster Pot Pie. Now, I have to admit, I am a die-hard crust on the bottom - crust on the top - 'pot pie' maker. But Chef Jeanie convinced us all to have a bit of fun with this dish, especially in the summer months when you want everything a bit lighter.

And she taught us the fine art of pie dough making. What kind of flour to use,  the proper way to knead, how to roll in only an outward direction (less gluten!), and the importance of resting your dough.

Throughout the entire class she would stop and take questions, or take the time to show you just how things should look. In the photo below she shows how the dough should be just this side of crumbly with bits of butter visible.

And, here's where she really got me!  Instead of crust on the top and bottom, why not just place a nice flaky lobster shaped pie pastry smack dab in the middle of  your pot pie!

I have to admit - I'm a convert! This was a beautiful light dish - perfect for summer - and the lobster cut-out made for a nice presentation that would be impressive when entertaining. A great alternative to crust on the top and the bottom.  And I didn't even miss it! In fact, I thought it was so much better to go a bit lighter when the weather is so warm!

Lobster Pot Pie
Ella's Fine Food and Drink

Next we moved on to Stuffed Lobster and a beautiful Lobster Cream Sauce. Chef shared with us some of her favorite kitchen gadgets, her favorite size knife to use, and how to properly cut vegetables.

Here's my dish of Lobster Cream Sauce over pasta with a roasted cherry tomato garnish.

And a delicious forkful of stuffed lobster.

Chef Jeanie closed with her recipe for a wonderful Grapefruit Vinaigrette Dressing, perfect for all those fresh summer salads from local produce!

Chef gave great direction on alternatives and substitutes but also told us to stick with our favorites as staples. Why? Because a change in brand can completely change the flavor of the dish.

Love Lea & Perrins Worcester Sauce? Don't sub it out for a generic brand!

The result -  an aromatic, tangy, with just a hint of sweetness creamy dressing. I can't wait to make this for my next summer salad!

Speaking of which, Chef Roland sent us home with full recipes for everything she demonstrated - and kept us busy taking notes on all her hints and tips. In addition to just plain delicious, this was truly an informative and fun class!

We strayed away from lobster for dessert when Chef Roland treated us to this Honey and Fig covered creamy dessert.

Because, really, every good dinner should end on a sweet note.

And you can experience this same sweet hospitality at one of Chef Jeanie's upcoming cooking classes!

Chef Jeanie Roland's Upcoming Classes:

• August 20th: END OF SUMMER PARTY,- Tomato & corn buffet theme
• September 17th: ALL ABOUT APPLES - Soup, salad, and more
• October 22nd: DUCK, DUCK & DUCK- Discussion on types and the different usage
• November 12th: ELLA'S THANKSGIVING - Classic Thanksgiving Preparation of Turkey with Jeanie's own twists and some hor d'oeuvres
• December 10th: CHRISTMAS DAY - Holiday Specialties

Cooking classes are $100 per person and start at 12 noon on all dates listed. Classes last 2-1/2 to 3 hours and include: instruction, recipes, adult beverages, featured food and Q & A with Chef Jeanie. Demonstration includes cooking in both the kitchen and their studio kitchen in the dining room.

Visit them soon for a great class or a delicious meal (or both!)

Ella's Fine Food and Drink

2 Tower Street
Westerly, RI  02891
401.315.0606
http://ellasfinefoodanddrink.com/

About Ella’s Fine Food & Drink

Ella’s Fine Food & Drink, located at 2 Tower Street in Westerly, RI, opened in 2011 by Chef Jeanie Roland, a seven-time James Beard nominated Chef, and her husband and business manager, James Roland.  A premier dining destination for coastal, southern New England, Ella’s features French-Asian inspired fare imbued with Chef Roland’s passion for cooking with the freshest seasonal ingredients. In her pursuit of perfection, everything is made from scratch, from breads to desserts and everything in between, and menus change frequently in an effort to highlight the best available ingredients and to challenge Chef Roland and her culinary team. She has been quoted as saying that perhaps, "she has yet to create her best dish!"

Disclaimer: I was invited to this event by members of Ella's management and marketing team, however all opinions expressed are entirely my own.