Food for Thought: Cooking boot camp might be worth trip

By Loretto J. Hulse, Herald staff writer

Ever take a vacation and enjoy a meal so much you tried to reproduce it at home? Were the results disappointing?

Take a culinary vacation and not only will you bring back recipes and tips from the chef but new culinary skills too.

British Columbia's Fairburn Farm -- 45 minutes from Victoria -- is offering a series of five-day culinary boot camps in May, June, September and October. The boot camps, run by Chef Mara Jernigan, include a mix of hands-on kitchen work, gourmet meals, even some free time. There will also be daytrips to nearby cheese producers, wineries and farmers markets.

Each "camp" is limited to eight students. Cost is $1,995 (Canadian) and includes three meals per day, recipes, beverages and some preserves to take home.

The boot camps are scheduled May 12-17, June 2-6, Sept. 22-27 and Sept. 29-Oct. 4.

For more information, go to www.fairburnfarm.bc.ca.

Cheese classes

Curious how cheese is made? If you're heading for the Leavenworth area anytime between now and October sign up for one of the classes offered by Alpine Lakes Cheese Kitchen in Peshastin.

Catha Link, the creamery's cheese maker, will give introductory, hands-on cheese making classes every Saturday. Cheese tasting is included. Cost is $75 per person.

Alpine Lakes is a farmstead, artisinal facility producing aged raw sheep milk cheeses.

Peshastin is a small community off Highway 2 just a few minutes east of Leavenworth.

For more information, call 509-548-5786 or go to www.alpinelakescheese.com.

Let it slide

To help sticky ingredients like peanut butter slide out of measuring cups, first spray the inside of the cup with nonstick cooking spray.

New read

The book: The Family Kitchen Garden: How to Plant, Grow, and Cook Together by Karen Liebreich, Jutta Wagner and Annette Wendland.

Cost: $25

Best for: Parents who want to get their kids outside and for families looking for simple ways to lead a healthier life through gardening, harvesting and enjoying fresh veggies and fruits.

Get more: Read more reviews and literature news in Sunday's Desert Living.

*Loretto J. Hulse: 582-1513; lhulse@tricityherald.com. To receive a recipe via e-mail each Tuesday register at tricityherald.com and click on newsletters. If you already are registered, click on edit account and newsletters to select Recipe of the Week.

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Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2009

Food for Thought: Cooking boot camp might be worth trip

By Loretto J. Hulse, Herald staff writer