Hello Marcia!
Marcia, you are a great teacher. Patient, honest, funny and very knowledgeable. You lived up to your advertisement of making everyone feeling comfortable no matter their skill level or number of (silly) questions! I left feeling inspired and excited about trying out what I learned (my husband loved the chicken and onion soups!!!). I can’t wait to come back for my next class!!!
While it was comforting to see that even the experts experience “incidents” in the kitchen (ie the hollandaise sauce and quiche), it was even more comforting and impressive to see how you handled it and came up with the solution (mine would have gone in the trash definitely). When you explained, I realize you knew what to do because you understood the “science” behind the problem (ie the Alton Brown aspect). I don’t know if you offer such a “science behind the food” class (otherwise known as what to do when disaster strikes in the kitchen), but I would love to attend one if you do.
The facilities themselves are very nice and functional, not to mention charming. What a great setting for a cooking class—in the carriage house with the snow falling outside.
Thanks for such a wonderful experience. I would, and will, certainly recommend friends and family to Laurel Run.
Best Wishes
Lisa Kaplan
COOKING WITH FRIENDS
Teresa and I joined our friends George and Catherine last night at Laurel Run Cooking School for a Cooking with Friends in Napa Valley class. What great fun! Marcia DePalma runs a beautiful little cooking school out of the carriage house of her home in Vermillion. She’s been doing cooking demonstrations for years, and has been successful enough to expand her school to take over most of the carriage house, which used to be primarily the domain of the tractors and lawn implements.
Cooking With Friends was her class last night. Up to twenty-four people cook a full meal together under her direction. She’s immediately warm and friendly with you, and all night long she’s always there. It’s like you’ve been friends all your lives. No pretension or formality. Just warmth, fun, and fabulous food.
Here’s our Evening in Napa Valley menu from last night:
Bruschetta with Pesto, Tomato and Parmesan
Rosemary Duxelles on Crostini
Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomato Strudel with Mesclun Greens and Cucumber Coins
Butternut Shrimp Bisque
Orange Champagne Roasted Chicken
Potato Chive Puree
Oven Roasted Asparagus
Berry Martini
Teresa and I made the Duxelles, while George and Catherine tackled the Strudel.
You bring your own wine, if you want to drink (and we did!), and you bump around among each other, talking, laughing, and tasting. Then, you all sit down and enjoy course after course of your delightful creations. Marcia has other cooks there to help with the prep and cleanup who are as wonderful as she is. And her husband, Dan, sneaks down after work to chat and dine with you.
Absolutely marvelous!
