#cookwithchris

It's almost summer, which means that it's time to plan your next outdoor soiree! What better way to impress your guests than with a few fancy shellfish recipes? At this class, we will be teaching and serving some of our favorite ways to prepare our favorite kinds of shellfish. 

Guests will enjoy:

A selection of oysters on the half shell with shallot mignonette

Razor Clam Ceviche with deep fried celeriac chips

Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes baked, made with little more than jumbo lump crab meat. This is what a crab cake should be. Every functional adult needs this recipe.

Vietnamese Fried Oyster Bahn Mi sandwich - perfect for picnics by the sea side.

Baked Stuffed Giant Sea Clams - the real deal. 

Peekytoe Crab Two Ways - first, crab claw cocktail with a lemon beurre blanc, second, stuffed deviled peekytoe crab.

Uni Sushi - don't be weirded out, sea urchin roe is a delicacy.

Portuguese Littleneck Clams with chorizo and kale, served with grilled garlic toast

Parisian-Style Steamed Wild Maine Mussels with fresh tarragon and mustard, served with crispy baguette

 The best part is, shellfish are super good for you, and super sustainable. It's a total win-win. 

Class will take place on Monday, May 06, 2013 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM in our kitchen at 177 Main St, Maynard MA 01754.

Class is limited to 10 people. Reservations are allocated on a first come, first serve basis. $75 per person.

Reservations can be made by calling our market at (978) 897-9165 or by emailing us at [email protected]. A credit card number is required to reserve your spot.

During the Mongol Empire's hegemony over Asia, Europeans enjoyed the fancy luxuries afforded to them by safe travel along the "Silk Road", an overland trade route connecting Europe with India and China. Everyone swaddled themselves in fancy silks, enjoyed meals prepared with exotic spices and grew tremendously fond of tea (and, uh, opiates). The party was over in 1453 when Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks and travel along the Silk Road became preeetty unsafe. The Amazing Race to find an alternate trade route was ON! Most people tried to sail around the tip of Africa, but a bright young sprout by the name of Christopher Columbus decided he was going to go West to get East. 

There's a reason Columbus and everyone else was so eager to get to India; now, we're giving you the chance to taste it for yourself.

Are you READY to learn the secrets of Indian cuisine? We're bringing in Chef Jaswant Singh from Savoring Indian Cuisine to teach the class that Indian food isn't just curry. Have you been to his restaurant? First, check out their Facebook page to see if they're running any specials, then head on down to 155 Main Street in Maynard MA for the Indian experience of your life. 

I'd like to tell you a bit about Chef Jaswant. This man has more charm than the famed Shahrukh Kahn, can out-perform the celebrated Sachin Tendulkar, has more smarts than child-wundersurgeon Akrit Jaswal, and is THE BEST Indian chef we've ever seen. He has a wonderful story of how he came to live in the US, and a lifetime of knowledge to share with the class. He will teach the class how to make your own spice blends, including curry powder from scratch (you know, starting with the curry leaves and such), he will teach sauces, he will teach appetizers, and he'll teach everyone how to make family-friendly crowd pleasers using healthy ingredients that you'll find yourself returning to again and again. 

THE MENU

Fish Pakora

Vegetable Samosa

Chapiti Bread

Salmon Karahi

Chicken Lagan

Mixed Vegetable Curry

Lamb Biryani

The tricky part is going to be paying attention while enjoying all of these dishes (if you're one of those highly-effective people who can do two things at once, I'm jealous). Chef Jaswant made it very clear to me that he intends to ensure that people learn every dish as thoroughly as possible so that they can re-create it at home. He said that he will answer questions and demonstrate techniques long into the night - this is because he is more patient than Mahatma Gandhi.

As usual, we will be sampling wine and beer - I love talking beer, so we'll be pairing some carefully-selected brews with these dishes. Come ready to learn, ready to eat, and ready to make new friends!

Below is a picture of the amazing masala chai Chef Jaswant made for me while we discussed the menu. My life is awesome. 

Class will take place on Monday, April 29, 2013 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM in our kitchen at 175 Main St, Maynard MA 01754.

Class is limited to 10 people. Reservations are allocated on a first come, first serve basis. $75 per person.

Reservations can be made by calling our market at (978) 897-9165 or by emailing us at [email protected]. A credit card number is required to reserve your spot.

What's next in our cooking series? Well, we've got a guest chef, his name is Ithapol, and he's going to be showing us the secrets of Southeast Asian cooking! What's the menu like, you may ask? It's so good, I wrote a song about it.  

Hey, I just met you/ and this is crazy/ But I am hungry/ so Bahn Mi maybe  

1.) Fresh Summer Rolls

2.) Thai Curry Mussels

3.) Bahn Mi Sandwiches - with pork belly confit and shrimp

4.) Duck & Scallop Pad Thai

5.) Thai Seafood Bouillabaisse

6.) Grilled whole fish with Chili Garlic Sauce  

This menu is a celebration of ocean bounty and healthy summer cooking - it's almost bikini season, everyone. Let's eat fresh. 

Class is limited to 15 people. Reservations are allocated on a first come, first serve basis. $75 per person.

Reservations can be made by calling our market at (978) 897-9165 or by emailing us at [email protected]. A credit card number is required to reserve your spot.

Are you the type of lady who likes to show up the fellas? Are you the kind of guy who says, "Poker night at my house, I'm making ribs?" and then BUYS THEM SOMEWHERE?? Are you more Libertarian than Ron Swanson?  If you said, "YEAH THATS ME!" to any of the above,  we've got the cooking class for you! On MONDAY, APRIL 15, Chris will teach the group some very important life skills that everyone who values self-reliance should know.

1.) SMOKING - Our ancestors didn't have these fancy Sub-Zeros to keep their Meat at Optimal Temperature all the time, but they had some spoil-preventing tricks up their sleeves. Not only does smoking help your food last longer, it also imparts unbelievable flavor and texture that can elevate nearly anything to the next level. Chris is an accomplished smoker, having toured smokehouses all over the US and Scotland. You may have already sampled his Applewood Smoked Salmon. Have you tried his Smoked Swordfish? Smoked Toro? Smoked Ribs? Smoked Pulled Pork? If you think you know BBQ, pay very close attention. Chris doesn't often reveal his secret smoking methods. 

2.) GRILLING - The ability to perfectly grill any food that you come across is a Manly Skill which every contributing member of society should know. Chris can grill anyone under the table, and will teach the class techniques for achieving the perfect grilled fish, demonstrating both whole fish (the kind that you'd catch & gut with your hunting knife right there on the dock/river bank) and filets/steaks (the kind you'd cut from the aforementioned fish, provided you had some extra time). He will also grill the ribs that he previously smoked himself. 

3.) CURING - Here at Quarterdeck, we cure our own bacon. We then put it on salads. See? We've got a sensitive side too! We're going to teach you how to cure your own bacon. Trust us, it's worth the effort to never mess with one of those Oscar Mayer packages ever again. We're also going to show The Secret to Perfect Gravlax (cured salmon).

We're going to be serving beer alongside these Man Treats, but there will be wine available for anyone who is willing to do a few push ups.

Class will take place on Monday, April 15 2013 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM in our kitchen at 175 Main St, Maynard MA 01754.

Class is limited to 10 people. Reservations are allocated on a first come, first serve basis. $75 per person.

Reservations can be made by calling our market at (978) 897-9165 or by emailing us at [email protected]. A credit card number is required to reserve your spot.

NB: Reservations made through email are not complete until you have received a confirmation email. Cancellations must be made by the Friday before the event, otherwise card on file will be charged the full amount. Hope to sea you there!

SO EXCITED to announce that Guest Chef Alonzo from El Huipil restaurant is returning to our kitchen for a SECOND installment of his sold-out Mexican cooking class!

If you haven't been to his restaurant yet - you must eat there IMMEDIATELY. Located at 51-R Main St in Maynard MA (right Aubuchon Hardware), I can promise that his mole will change your life. Alonzo is modest and humble, but his kitchen has produced this year's winner in the Taste of Maynard's Best Entree category. 

The menu is still being finalized, but when I spoke with Alonzo yesterday, he alluded to seafood tamales. 

Will Chris bring back his now-infamous Ginger Margarita? Will we learn the secret to Alonzo's perfect fish tacos? Is he ever going to start retailing mole at his store? Find out the answers to these burning questions AND MORE on Monday, April 8 2013! Call (978) 897-9165 to reserve your spot today!

Class will take place on Monday, April 8 2013 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM in our kitchen at 177 Main St, Maynard MA 01754.

Class is limited to 10 people. Reservations are allocated on a first come, first serve basis. $75 per person.

Reservations can be made by calling our market at (978) 897-9165 or by emailing us at [email protected]. A credit card number is required to reserve your spot.

NB: Reservations made through email are not complete until you have received a confirmation email. Cancellations must be made by the Friday before the event, otherwise card on file will be charged the full amount. Hope to sea you there!