Join Hanne Blank for a monthly series of hands-on cooking intensives in cooperation with Mill Valley General Store (2800 Sisson Street, Baltimore, MD).
Small classes, one-on-one attention, and a “family meal” at the end of every class ensure that you go home not just with new techniques and tricks, but with muscle memory, sensory experiences, and tasting notes that will let you take your home cooking to the next level.
All classes (except where specified) meet at 9 am on Saturdays at Mill Valley General Store, 2800 Sisson Street, Baltimore MD.
April 17: Veggie Boot Camp
Beginning at the Waverly Farmers’ Market and continuing at Mill Valley, Veggie Boot Camp will jump-start your vegetable cookery skills from shopping and selecting all the way to cleaning, knifework, stovetop technique, and the all-important improv skills that make vegetable cooking come alive. Over our shared veggie-centric meal, talk about how to take your new techniques home to your own kitchen.
May 22: Spring Greens Intensive
Go green! We all know that leafy greens are good for us. Come learn how to turn them into compelling, delicious, center-stage dishes for any meal of the day. What we make will depend on what’s best that week, but may include things like Turkish stuffed chard, bitter greens bruschetta, lemon-sesame spinach salad, and Cantonese stir-fried pea shoots. Top it off with a shared meal of greens, glorious greens!
June 19: Vegan Peasant Kitchen
This class draws on time-honored farm and field foodways from around the globe to explore the down-home options for our own locally-grown produce. The market will dictate what we cook, but it might include things like ful medames, Egypt’s national dish; frisedda alla Pugliese, a southern Italian bread salad; Central American treatments of common “weeds” like purslane and chicory; and more.
July 24: People’s Chinese Cooking
Here’s the real Ancient Chinese Secret: Chinese cooking is one of the world’s great cuisines, and you can make it at home without a kitchen full of exotic equipment! This introduction to the essential tastes and techniques of Chinese cooking puts the basics within your reach. The market will dictate what we make, but will definitely include things you won’t find on restaurant menus… like red-cooked tofu, Sichuan sweet water noodles, and savory jian bing, the Chinese answer to the Egg McMuffin.
August 21: Veggie Boot Camp II
Beginning at the Waverly Farmers’ Market and continuing at Mill Valley, Veggie Boot Camp will bring rigor and vigor to your vegetable cookery, this time with a focus on the high summer’s bounty. We’ll cover everything from shopping and selection all the way to cleaning, knife work, stovetop technique, and the all-important improv skills that make vegetable cooking come alive. Over our shared veggie-centric meal, talk about how to take your new techniques home to your own kitchen.
September 25: Yes We Can!
Make the most of every harvest by learning the art of hot water bath canning. “Putting up” fruits, vegetables, sauces, pickles, and more is a satisfying way to ensure year-long access to high-quality local fruits and vegetables. Imagine hot peach cobbler… in February! You’ll learn everything you need to know to ensure safe, hygienic, and delicious canned goods, and go home with a copy of the Ball Blue Book, a set of basic canning tools, and at least five jars of food to enjoy at home. [This class has a $25 additional materials fee.]
October 16: Fall/Winter Greens Intensive
Go green! We all know that leafy greens are good for us. Come learn how to turn them into compelling, delicious, center-stage dishes for any meal of the day. What we make will depend on what’s best that week, but may include things like colcannon, Istrian sauerkraut soup, chard and sweet potato pie, crisp-roasted Brussels sprouts, and torn cabbage with black vinegar. Top it off with a shared meal of greens, glorious greens!
November 13: The International Holiday Table
Find a new favorite to add to your holiday celebrations, or just learn fun dishes from around the world as we explore food traditions associated with the Indian holiday Diwali or African and Middle Eastern celebrations of Eid el-Adha, create Sephardi and Mizrahi Chanukah treats, learn Mexican posada specialties, and more.
December 11: Essential Chinese Dumplings
You’ve eaten them in dim sum houses, Chinese restaurants, and Mill Valley’s own Dumplings Take Over The World brunches, now learn to make them yourself! This class covers four classic dumpling families, showcasing four essential cooking techniques and four central dumpling formats: steamed bao (filled buns), pan-fried quotie (potstickers), boiled huntun (won ton), and deep-fried egg rolls.
FEES:
$75 per class (a nonrefundable 50% deposit with registration holds your place)
Multi-class discounts available for those signing up for 3 or more classes at the same time.
Classes are restricted to 10 participants, so register early!
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact Hanne Blank at hanne@hanneblankcooks.com
SPECIAL DIET, FOOD RESTRICTIONS, AND ALLERGY INFORMATION
Registered participants will be asked in advance about food allergies and restrictions, vegetarianism/veganism, etc., and class menus will be created to accommodate the dietary needs of as many participants as possible. Because these classes take place in a general-purpose space, however, one or more allergens may be present, and/or cross-contamination with one or more allergens may occur. Students are required to sign a release confirming that they take these classes at their own risk.
Read the Hanne Blank Cooks Class Policies