In-Person Cooking Class Part Two
Do a deep dive into Russian culture as we sample a wide range of seasonal delights from a country with a fascinating history and even more fascinating cuisine. This class is part 2 of a two-part Taste of Russia class series taught by Co-op instructor, Paul Young.
Maslenitsa (a.k.a. Russian Mardi Gras) is a pre-Lent festival with pagan roots that celebrate the end of winter while ushering the spring. In Russia, this means sleigh rides, organized fistfights, dancing bears, and of course feasting. Sometimes called "pancake week," blinis (Russian crêpes) are the main item on the menu. At this dinner event, we'll be preparing a smorgasbord of traditional Russian festival foods paired with vodka shots and wine pairings. Here's what to expect on this festive night:
- Borscht (Beet Soup)
- Kholodets (Jellied Fish)
- Golubtsy (Cabbage Rolls)
- Blinis (Stuffed Crêpes)
In all of Paul's classes, students will have the opportunity to watch demos and participate in the preparation of our dinner party. Do come hungry and thirsty because we’ll be cooking and tasting at the same time. Each class in this series is also a multi-course dinner party with wine and cocktail pairings. Students will leave each session with easy-to-follow recipes of all the dishes on the menu. These recipes have all been adapted for the typical home cook and contain many tips & tricks to help minimize your time in the kitchen while staying true to the spirit of the original flavor profiles.
All menu items below will use locally-sourced ingredients but are subject to change based on availability of fresh ingredients at local markets.
Part 1 of Taste of Russia: Summer Picnic at the Dasha is an in-person class that will be held the previous week on Tuesday, February 27th from 6:00-8:30pm. See registration here.
$65/person
Limited seating available - only 12 seats per class. Ticket includes class plus tasting menu. Must be 21+ to partake in alcoholic beverage tasting. No refunds due to limited space, but a waiting list will be made available once tickets are sold out. Class will be hosted in Common Ground's Flatlander Classroom, located past the registers.
Paul Young is a self-taught cook, educator and graphic designer with over 30 years of experience in the marketing communications industry. His favorite pastime is trying new dishes in restaurants and then attempting to recreate them at home. He's a curious foodie and an adventurous international culinary explorer who has traveled to 25 different countries (so far). He has also been a regular contributor to Smile Politely since 2007.
Since retiring as a graphic design professor at Parkland College in 2019, Paul has been cooking at home a lot more and has found himself reconnecting with his passion for seeking new culinary experiences and exotic flavors from around the world. With these upcoming cooking classes, he hopes to share his experiences and discoveries by recreating some of the best tasting ethnic dishes he's enjoyed from his travels around the world. For printable recipe cards and more information about Paul's cooking classes, please go to www.cooking-with-paul.com