Technique classes at Williams-Sonoma---New York free

If you like cooking but you are not very good at it, Williams-Sonoma offers free technique classes. I had the opportunity to experience two of their classes - Traditional Sides with a twist and also Holiday Breakfast. I am not an expert at cooking but those classes will teach you basic techniques to make your own dishes! During The Holiday Breakfast, I learned how to make a frittata: ideally, you use three ingredients and you add the eggs and the cheese. I also learned the difference between a frittata and an omelet. The omelet is folded, the frittata not. The Traditional Sides with a twist was more challenging, at least for someone who does not know what is a potato ricer. Did you know that you can make "potato rice"? The mashed potatoes with plenty of butter and double cream was delicious! So was the vinaigrette with the fresh mint in it and the 3 to 1 oil to vinegar dose.

But the most important thing I learned was that cooking is a social experience. If you really want to improve your cooking skills, you will have to "see" cooking in a completely different way. It's fun, sociable and you always need an "intention to create". You don't really need recipes.

As for me, I won't buy the potato ricer. But I will keep taking the technique classes. More as an effort to change my perspective to cooking but also to get inspired by the great chefs I meet.

--------------------------
For more information about Williams-Sonoma classes, call 212-8239750 or visit their website http://www.williams-sonoma.com/ for recipes too!