Take pleasure in The Cooking College at The Osthoff Resort, Elkhart Lake, WI ~ DownshiftingPRO
As a journey author, I imagine one of the stimulating actions you are able to do is to take a cooking class. The primary press journey I ever took was once I was invited to Barcelona. We began at Santa Caterina Market after which returned to the cooking college to prepare dinner a conventional Spanish meal. I’ve subsequently taken cooking lessons in New Orleans, San Sebastian, and right here in London, Ontario, at Rising Cooks.
Nestled within the coronary heart of The Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, The Osthoff Resort Cooking College presents a singular and pleasant culinary expertise that has develop into one of many resort’s hottest actions. Led by the proficient and charismatic Chef Rodney, this cooking college invitations visitors to embark on a journey the place they will be taught to create beautiful dishes whereas having fun with a enjoyable and interactive ambiance.
There’s fairly a choice of cooking lessons that you would be able to take. These are open to the general public, however it’s also possible to reserve a non-public group lesson. Some standard menu selections embrace rustic Italian pasta dishes, elegant French pastries, hearty American consolation meals, and vibrant Mediterranean recipes. Every class usually prepares a number of programs, from appetizers to desserts, offering a complete culinary expertise. Using recent, native substances is emphasised, reflecting The Osthoff Resort’s dedication to sustainability and high quality.
Cooking with Chef Rodney
On a current press journey to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, I loved a cooking class with a handful of different journey writers and journalists. We started our cooking class in a ravishing, massive, state-of-the-art kitchen with sufficient room for a gaggle to get pleasure from a morning of instruction and meals creation. We ended our lesson with a scrumptious lunch—one which all of us cooked collectively!
Chef Rodney instructed us on the subtleties of constructing recent pasta and three totally different sauces. Beginning with good substances, years {of professional} expertise, and a real love for the culinary arts, he makes advanced recipes accessible to cooks of all talent ranges. A few of us have been skilled, whereas others had fewer expertise within the kitchen (that may be me).
Chef Rodney offered clear step-by-step directions for us to comply with. With all of the instruments of the commerce accessible at every station, we started with a easy pasta recipe that we’d use to create three kinds of pasta: cheese-filled Agnolotti, Farfalle (bow-tie-shaped), and Fettuccine.
We have been paired off and every group made their very own pasta and one of many sauces or fillings. One group was accountable for making the stuffing for the cheese-filled Agnolotti. A mixture of ricotta and parmesan cheese, parsley, salt & pepper and parsley. The filling was fairly easy and made 2 cups – sufficient for all of us to share.
The group was additionally tasked with making the accompanying sauces: a fundamental tomato sauce, a meaty Bolognese, and a creamy Alfredo sauce. I additionally walked away with a recipe card with a pesto sauce for future reference. All the recipes have been straight ahead and with the assistance of Chef Rodney, we have been profitable.
Bolognese Sauce
We have been tasked with chopping up 2 lbs of Italian sausage, 2 oz of Pancetta, onions, celery, garlic, carrots, and tomatoes to make the normal meaty Bolognese Sauce. All of the substances have been recent and domestically sourced. There was a lot chopping, stirring, and remaining vigilant as our dishes began to take form.
Different teams needed to make Fundamental Italian Tomato Sauce with Roma tomatoes, pancetta, onions, garlic, carrots, tomato paste, and basil. Apparently, the recipe asks you to take away the pancetta earlier than passing it by way of a meals mill to make it much less chunky. You’ll be able to omit the pancetta if you’re vegetarian or vegan (however I really like the added flavoring).
It appeared that we made sufficient sauce for a small military, however among the journalists have been capable of take residence the leftovers. They have been simple to share with household who have been additionally visiting. With every of our two-bedroom items having a totally geared up kitchen, it was simple to retailer the sauce within the fridge or freezer.
The Pasta
Though making pasta appeared easy, we had just a few amusing hiccups. Essentially the most difficult factor for us was getting it skinny sufficient to run it by way of the pasta machine to make the assorted pasta shapes. We began with 00 flour, salt, olive oil, eggs, and extra egg yolks and blended all these to make the dough. As soon as it had rested, we made certain to have loads of flour to roll out our dough.
We have been so grateful that Chef Rodney helped us run the dough by way of the pasta machine. As soon as the dough was skinny sufficient, making the totally different farfella and fettuccine was fairly easy. One of many different teams made the cheese filling, and we wanted to create these mini-ravioli pockets. We have been stunned by what number of they made and the way simple they have been to prepare dinner. The Alfredo sauce was an ideal match with this pasta!
Having fun with the Fruits of Your Labour
Nothing will make you hungrier than making a scrumptious meal with pals. As soon as all was stated and executed, we sat down for lunch and loved the pasta dishes we made and the sauces to accompany them. We have been additionally provided wine to accompany the meal, which rounded out the entire expertise. Cooking at all times brings a neighborhood nearer, and we every had one thing so as to add to the training expertise and the feast.
A Memorable Culinary Expertise
The Osthoff Resort Cooking College is greater than only a place to be taught cooking strategies; it’s a vacation spot for creating lasting reminiscences. Chef Rodney’s experience and fascinating educating strategies make sure that each class is academic and entertaining. We left with new culinary expertise and a deeper appreciation for the artwork of cooking.
I promise you can be full on the finish of the meal and wish to take the leftovers residence with you. All the sauces have been so good, and the pasta was completely cooked. You’ll go away with the recipes and know you may have discovered one thing new (for me, it was tips on how to use a pasta-making machine). Studying culinary expertise whereas including a brand new dish to your culinary repertoire is value each penny. I extremely advocate taking a cooking class at The Osthoff Resort Cooking College with Chef Rodney.
Elkhart Lake is a superb place to spend per week or a weekend, and I believe treating your husband or boyfriend to a cooking class is a superb addition to a guys’ journey. The cooking college even presents a grilling class for filet or ribeye steak lovers (plus sauces to make it gourmand). Different cooking lessons embrace pasta making, conquering curry, and mastering French or Italian cooking. The most effective half? You don’t need to do any of the dishes!
Culinary experiences it’s possible you’ll wish to examine:
Culinary Tourism is all about meals, wine, and beer. It provides you a extra in-depth expertise of the locations you go to. Taking a cooking class or in search of out a meals tour could make your journey that a lot better. Listed below are just a few concepts for studying extra about culinary tourism.
Margarita Ibbott is a journey and life-style blogger. She blogs about journey in Canada, the USA and Europe giving sensible recommendation by way of restaurant, lodge and attraction critiques. She writes for DownshiftingPRO.com and different on-line media retailers.
