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‘Tis the season? Not quite, but here at COOK we’re already planning ahead for the upcoming holiday season. We’ve cleared space in our retail pantry and on our bookshelves for new (and returning) items.

In the coming weeks, we will be Insta-tweet-book-ing photos from a recent photo shoot to highlight the unique, epicurean gifts available for purchase at COOK. Until then, here’s a sneak peek! All items are currently available, and, as a reminder, we’re open Tuesday through Sunday noon until 5pm (unless our doors are closed for a class–check our schedule here).

Do you LOVE Japanese cuisine? Well, you’re in luck because seats are still available for our October 15th event with Todd Lean, Executive Chef of Stephen Starr’s futuristic University City hotspot, Pod. Join Chef Todd at COOK when he will prepare an other-worldly omakase for 16 lucky guests. Omakase is a Japanese phrase used in restaurants that means “I’ll leave it to you”.  In this case, the “you” is the chef and the “it” is the menu. So instead of guests ordering à la carte, the chef presents a series of plates intended to be innovative and surprising, almost like an artistic performance by the chef. Chef Todd’s COOK menu will feature:

Team COOK loves us some Brian Ricci. Especially when he cooks Indian. This past Friday was no exception. With back-to-back snowstorms, we had been looking forward to his spicy return to COOK. Guests always wonder how this Kennett chef learned to cook a curry. In addition to working in the kitchen at Django, Supper and Pub & Kitchen, Brian spent many years at Danny Meyer’s famed NYC restaurant, Tabla. Rival Bros. Coffee Co-Owner and former Pub & Kitchen chef Jonathan Adams (aka Jonny Mac) told us that Brian’s Indian cooking was some of the best he’d ever had and that we should invite him for an Indian-themed class. So we did…twice. We’re already looking forward to a third time around.

First things first…Our March classes will go on sale Wednesday, February 5 at 2pm, so mark your calendars and be on the lookout for a preview of the schedule on Foobooz.

In the meantime, we have some open seats for select February classes. Below are the details and direct links to purchase seats.

While this post is primarily a photo recap of our recent Champagne Dinner with Olivier Desaintmartin of Caribou Café and Zinc, we would be remiss to not mention three things we ourselves learned from Monsieur Desaintmartin. One of those is most certainly not that Team COOK loves Champagne–it’s no secret that I, along with Michelle and Lily, love  bubbles, so no surprise there…But among the many lessons learned last Friday are the following:

1. Champagne is not a grape, but rather a blend of three grapes–Pinot Noir (which gives body), Chardonnay (which gives strength), and Pinot Meunier (which gives fruitiness).

While Kraft is warning of an impending “cheese” shortage, fear not…On Saturday, January 18 from 7:30 to midnight, cheese lovers will unite at Ruba Hall (414 Green Street) for Cheese Ball II, hosted by Tenaya Darlington, aka Madame Fromage. In addition to a $10 admission, guests are requested to bring a cheese for inclusion in what is sure to be the planet’s largest cheese board.

This year’s proceeds will help local cheese maker Sue Miller of Birchrun Hills Farm build a cheese aging cave. If you’re not familiar with Birchrun, Sue’s local raw-milk cheeses are sold at Di Bruno Bros, Metropolitan Bakery, Fair Food Farmstand, and Headhouse Farmers Market. So why a cave now?

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, you may be putting together your menu. And if you’re like us at COOK, you may be trying to think of new ways to spice up your Thanksgiving routine. And while there are endless ways to treat your turkey, what about dessert? This past weekend, Holly Ricciardi of Magpie Artisan Pie Boutique taught our guests how to prepare a welcome alternative to the standard pumpkin or pecan pie–Apple Cranberry Lattice Pie. Below are the surprisingly simple steps to making your own pie, but if you’re feeling less-than-Martha, it’s ok…Magpie is now accepting Thanksgiving orders!