A Week Of Teaching

I love to do in-home food educational experiences with clients! Over the years I've done lots of variations: a ladies lunch and learn, group themed cooking parties, and sometimes just cooking alongside clients to help them become more comfortable with techniques and gain experience.

Last week I had two such opportunities. The first, teaching pasta making with a long-time client and their second-grade daughter. We began by making the pasta dough.

We then cut some of it and made a carbonara from scratch. We used the remaining dough to make sausage and ricotta filled raviolis. Then we all sat down for lunch and had a great time catching up and chatting over the food we'd just created!

On Friday night, I had a request to teach a family how to make French tarts. I brought two recipes and all the ingredients. The whole family pitched in and had a great time. I taught them how to make pastry dough from scratch, how to roll it to fit properly, and how to prepare the fresh fruit we would use. We made a filled tart with fresh fruit and cream. The second was a fresh apple tart. 

In-home cooking instruction is one of my favorite things to do and I'm so thankful that my job has so many legs to it that presents opportunities like this.

Yes, I do have the best job ever!

USPCA Conference and Vacation

I'm back home in Atlanta after being away for almost two weeks. My trip began with the 2014 United States Personal Chef Conference in Long Beach, CA. Four days filled with educational classes, inspirational guest speakers, networking with fellow chefs, and spending quality time with dear chef friends.  Highlights of educational classes included food styling, learning to make green corn tamales, and learning more about using my sous vide machine.  Great conference!

Then I was off to Salt Lake for the start of a week-long vacation with my son. We saw Salt Lake City, and visited the Bonneville Salt Flats....this had been on my bucket list, so checked that one off!

After Salt Lake, we headed to Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. Amazing! If you haven't been, I highly recommend both of these beautiful spots. In Yellowstone, saw tons of buffalo and other wildlife, then relaxed amidst the beauty of the Grand Tetons. We enjoyed many long walks and a lot of time just admiring Mother Nature.
So, back in the thick of my business....cooking for clients this week and a dinner party Saturday night, with a calendar quickly filling for the next couple of months.  It's always nice to get away but equally as nice coming home.