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Monthly Archives:

September 2011

Holler for Challah! Challah Making with Bonnie Eisner Wrap-Up

Challah. I’ve never met a single person who doesn’t like it. Ever. And even if I were to, I doubt they could turn their nose up at Bonnie Eisner’s delicious family recipe (which you can find below). Friday afternoon welcomed students keen to learn how to make the mildly yet perfectly sweet Jewish bread. Everyone left with new skills, great tips and a homemade loaf of his/her own.

Rittenhouse resident (and longtime baker and challah enthusiast), Bonnie Eisner, led the lunchtime class and treated students to her family’s recipe. Her niece, professional photographer Shira Yudkoff, was on hand to capture the fun and aromatic class. (All photos in this post are courtesy of Shira)

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Chocolate + Wine + Goat Cheese = HEAVEN

Monday night’s class with John & Kira’s Chocolates, Penns Woods Winery, and Shellbark Hollow Farm was a COOK-style salute to the artisans of the greater Philadelphia area.

John Doyle of John & Kira’s provided bite-by-bite analysis of the twenty-some chocolate varieties he brought with him, explaining each type’s unique characteristics and capacity to be paired with various wines.  John was quick to mention that pairing wine with chocolate (or any type of food) is always a hit-and-miss endeavor – and he took the time to explain why certain pairings work so well and why others, well, don’t.

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I KNEAD IT! BASIC COUNTRY LOAF WITH METROPOLITAN BAKERY

Wendy Smith Born and James Barrett of Metropolitan Bakery here in Philadelphia are a pair of rustic futurists who effortlessly blend traditional baking methods with new-world gadgets and aspirations. Their artisanal ingredients and methods are thoughtful and meticulous but their personalities exude a respect for and love of dynamism- the unpredictable and wild nature of bread and the world in which we bake it.

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Flying Solo at COOK

Third time’s a charm? Saturday night marked COOK’s third class and boy, what a class it was! Michael Solomonov of Zahav, Percy Street Barbecue and the upcoming Federal Donuts was in to teach a class on Modern Israeli Cuisine. And if that wasn’t enough, Michael Klein, from the Philadelphia Inquirer and most recently heading up the website Philly.com/food, was in to host the evening for us!

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Gin, Gin and More Gin!

Last night saw COOK’s second class go off without a hiccup. Funny too, since it was a class all about gin.

We had not only the mixologists with the mostest, Jillian and Resa from Twenty Manning Grill, demonstrating and concocting some of the tastiest cocktails using Bluecoat Gin, but we had Rob and Meredith from Philadelphia Distilling Co. on hand to talk about their product, the distilling process and what sets it apart form the competition (organic botanicals, for one). Rounding out our line-up of gin experts for the evening were Jason Sheehan, Food Editor at Philly mag, and Lou Boquilla, Chef de Cuisine at Audrey Claire and Executive Chef at COOK.  (See what Jason had to say about the night on Foobooz)

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Our First Class Ever… And it was with Georges Perrier!!!

Tuesday night marked the first official class at COOK, and it was, in a word, magnifique!

Chef Perrier, master of French cuisine and extraordinary teacher, took our 16 lucky guests step-by-step through the following four-course menu featuring wines paired by his sommelier at Le Bec-Fin, Cristine Bruno.

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The Metropolitan Bakery Story

Until eighteen years ago, despite living in a city that’s been called the “Paris of the U.S.,” Philadelphians couldn’t get a decent baguette.

Enter Wendy Smith Born and James Barrett, who decided in 1993 to cobble together the money to open what has now become a fixture of Philly’s booming culinary scene—Metropolitan Bakery. Known for their intense, earthy flavors, crackling crusts and complex texture, Metropolitan breads are baked in over 30 varieties at their 10,000-foot Fishtown bakery and then delivered to four neighborhood shops and to more than 90 of Philly’s best restaurants and markets (including Lacroix, White Dog Café, Village Whiskey, Waterworks and more).

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COOK’S FIRST CLASS IS TOMORROW!

Tomorrow night, COOK officially opens its doors with Une Soirée Avec Georges Perrier.

Philadelphia legend, culinary godfather and my dear friend, Georges Perrier, will prepare a delicious selection of culinary delights for a group of 16 guests in our sparkling, new kitchen-classroom.

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