By Victor Block
When Marie Crawford decided to enhance her culinary skills, she found that no cooking classes were offered in or near to her western Maine locale. That being the case, she signed up to take a course at the Maine Tasting Center in Wiscasset. There she learned to create recipes containing traditional foods such as locally grown blueberries and Needham — a sweet, chocolate-coated confection with a filling made from potatoes, sugar and coconut. She also learned to cook with seaweed.
Marie turned her gastronomic gallivant into a sightseeing excursion. She visited the Lincoln County Museum and Old Jail, dropped by the historic Castle Tucker mansion and checked out nearby Fort Edgecomb, which includes one of the nation's best-preserved blockhouse fortifications, built in 1809.
Similar opportunities to combine a culinary learning experience with stimulating sightseeing abound throughout the United States. After a search to find cooking classes that are of interest, people often then seek out things to see and do nearby.
Professional chefs conduct classes at the Action Kitchen in Boston. Guests help to prepare a meal using regional ingredients, then enjoy what they have created. At the end of the exercise, participants receive a recipe book to take home.
Cosmopolitan Plated is based in Washington, D.C., and also offers its interactive lessons throughout the United States. Participants prepare and serve a meal chosen from a variety of themes and menu selections.
Among culinary courses at Bossier Parish Community College in Louisiana are basic food skills, development and preparation principles. The region's relationship with food traces back to the 1830s, when the Elysian Groves Plantation grew corn, sweet potatoes and other crops that were shipped to markets in the South and East.
Mealtime in Texas often means brisket, chicken-fried steak and pecan pie. At the Spread Oaks Ranch in Markham selections include vegetables fresh from the gardens and greenhouse as well as learning to pair wines with food. When they're not preparing or enjoying edibles, guests can select from a long list of activities that include fresh- and saltwater fishing, hunting birds and stalking deer, wild hogs and alligators.
Agriculture has long shaped Idaho's identity, and the state's food culture reflects a deep connection to locally grown ingredients and seasonal produce. Students at North Idaho College in Coeur d'Alene can study classical cooking techniques, nutrition and baking fundamentals.
Similar classes — Culinary Essentials, Nutrition, Bakeshop I and II — are offered at the Danville Area Community College in Illinois. They're augmented by courses in salads, sandwiches, farm-to-fork and other topics, all taught by master chefs in a state-of-the-art kitchen.
The choices at Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana are equally varied and are available at nine locations. In addition to overall culinary arts classes, they include baking and pastry, dietary administration and beverage management.
Hands-on experience is a focus of study at Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood, Washington, that blends classic cooking techniques with regional flavors. Students gain experience working in local kitchens, including the College Cafe.
Opportunities to perfect your pastry prowess, broil brisket and try out regional recipes are just a few of the many approaches to upgrading one's culinary talents. Combining that learning experience with a sightseeing sojourn can offer benefits well beyond the plate — and palate.
WHEN YOU GO
For a comprehensive list of U.S. cooking schools: culinaryschools.org/us.
mainetastingcenter.com
cosmopolitanplated.com
bossiercity.org
spreadoaksranch.com
nic.edu
dacc.edu
ivytech.edu
edmonds.edu
Victor Block is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
Participants enjoy enhancing their culinary skills in cooking classes across the country. Photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com.
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