Register by SAT May 1 Fermentation has been used for millennia to preserve fresh vegetables while enhancing the flavours and nutritional profile. Naturally fermented foods use salt (or a culture starter in some cases) to create a welcoming environment for good bacteria. Through the process known as process lacto-fermentation, these probiotic bacteria naturally preserve the ferments and provide the familiar sour taste of sauerkraut and sour pickles. These living cultures enhance the nutritional profile of the ingredients while retaining vitamins…

Register by SUN May 23 Pressure cooking, by its very nature, is a faster and healthier way to prepare foods. Nutrients are preserved at much higher rates than other, conventional cooking methods, flavours are intensified and, again, cooking time can be reduced by up to 70%. Throw in the fact that you are using less energy, wasting less water and how can you go wrong? Unfortunately, many of us have scary memories of our grandmother’s stove-top pressure cookers, hissing, spitting…

Register by THU May 27 With Spring in full bloom, and summer just around the corner, it’s time to get ready to eat fresh and vibrant again. Join Chef Doris Fin, for this fun, flavourful hands-on “cooking” class where you will learn to make delicious, healthy treats that celebrate the nutrition of fresh, raw ingredients. Known for her plant-based philosophy, Chef Doris will walk you through transforming familiar favourites into plant-based, vegan, gluten and refined sugar-free dishes that will energize…

Every culture has their comfort-food dumplings, and warm, hearty Polish pierogies are right up there with the best of them. In this fun, hands-on workshop, Maria Rozynska of Just Be Cooking leads you through the process of kneading & rolling, filling & shaping, and boiling & frying homemade pierogies from scratch. You’ll start the class with a warm borscht broth, then dive into learning how to make several fillings including: classic dry cottage cheese & potato, savoury sauerkraut, mushroom and…

Pressure cooking is an exceptionally fast and healthy way to prepare food. Nutrients are preserved, flavours are intensified and cooking times reduced by up to 70%. Throw in the fact that you use less energy and waste less water, how can you go wrong? Popular food blogger, photographer and stylist Carole Nelson Browne shows you how to take full advantage of this amazing kitchen time-saver. 

Join artisanal baker Leo Baduria for this fun, hands-on workshop. Participants will learn the recipes and techniques for making traditional flatbreads found in Italy and France, such as Focaccia, Fougasse aux Olives, Pizza Margherita and Tarte Flambée. You will learn how to make dough from scratch, how to handle it from kneading and resting to stretching and shaping, as well as tips on timing and temperature for baking. You'll get to enjoy the delicious breads made in class or take them home -----…

Knowing how to choose, use and care for knives is one of the most essential parts of any cook’s skill set. Join Chef Sonya Gammal for a solid primer on knife skills and kitchen fundamentals. In addition to learning about the knives themselves, participants will get ample opportunity to practice a range of different hands-on knife skills as part of the preparation of a delicious meal. Chef Sonya will guide you through foundational skills such as: selecting, storing and handling knives, sharpening and honing, knife safety and tips, techniques for dealing with common ingredients like onions & garlic, classic vegetable and herb cuts such as julienne, brunoise, and chiffonade, and the easiest way to break down a whole chicken into 8 standard cuts.

Babka is a sweet, twisted, yeast-dough bread with Eastern European roots. Typically served as a dessert and the perfect accompaniment to coffee, babka has transcended its humble roots and become a trendy staple in gourmet bakeries around the world. Classic babka is either chocolate or cinnamon-filled but can be made using any filling you can imagine, savoury or sweet. In this class, participants will learn to make the yeasted dough essential to babka recipe, and then the shaping, folding and…