New Leaf will is offering cooking classes on sweet appetizers and tantalizing five course meals. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Brewer.
Get Cooking Are you as addicted to New Leaf as I am? Outstanding fresh coffee, vigorous green health drinks bursting with minerals that slap your immune system into shape, custom-made sandwiches and that life-saving dinner alternative, turkey chili. All this plus a butcher section and a bracing selection of local premium wines? It’s safe to say New Leaf offers everything (except perhaps a parking lot large enough for cars powered by gasoline).
The next step for me is to try one of the cooking classes. The Westside store has a spacious, gleaming state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen just crying out for foodies and cooks to get busy. Here are a few upcoming workshops.
Out of fresh ideas for party appetizers? Looking for suggestions beyond prosciutto and figs? This might help: Chef Scott Delk of Delk Bees Honey will be on hand Thursday evening, Mar. 22, 6–8pm to whip up Sweet and Spicy Meatballs, Spinach and Basil Honey Cream Cheese Tortilla Wheels, fresh Baby Carrots sautéed with Ginger Honey, grilled Black Pepper Steak on a stick and more. Cost is $10.
And if you like to get in there in person, then consider joining Chef Jennifer Brewer for a hands-on cooking class that will work through an award-winning cookbook by Mark Reinfeld and Bo Rinald, The Reinfeld/Rinald Vegan World Fusion Cuisine Cookbook. Chef Brewer will guide participants through five courses, including Blue Corn-Crusted Tempeh with Two Dipping Sauces, Spanikopita with Spinach and Mushroom Sauce and Peanut Butter Fudge Kava Brownies with Ice Cream. The class is Friday, Mar. 23, 6–8:30pm. The $45 cost includes includes a copy of the cookbook and a glass of wine to sip while you lick your fingers.
Classes take place at New Leaf Community Markets, 1101 Fair Ave., Santa Cruz. Preregistration is required: www.newleaf.com or call 831.466.9060 ext 126.
The Bitter Truth After a month of mixing, steeping, crushing and waiting, my home-made artisanal orange bitters is ready for consumption. I gotta say it tastes exactly like the stuff Mr. Angostura makes. Very authentic. You can follow the entire process on my website, http://christinawaters.com.
Hot Plates At my house, I always grill an extra natural/organic pork chop when we do dinner of pork chops, braised kale and roasted yams. The next day I chop it up into itty bitty morsels and add it to my favorite marinara sauce. It “porks up” the sauce for our spaghetti and Italian sausage Sunday night dinner. Sort of a quickie Bolognese, if you will.
Send tips about food, wine and new dining discoveries to Christina Waters at [email protected]. Read her blog at http://christinawaters.com.
