It’s an intimate affair, cooking classes at Cheese Central.
With no more than ten guests, longtime friends and soon-to-be acquaintances gather around the table to an assemblage of fresh ingredients and recipes. With a little effort, expert guidance, and definitely a sip or two of wine, these key components will soon transform into dishes that could soon be family favorites.
“My goal is to help people remember that cooking doesn’t have to be hard to be delicious, and you don’t need processed foods,” explains Cindy Della Monica, owner of Cheese Central. “I’ve been teaching cooking classes since 1977, and I can show you that fresh foods and a short period of time will give you a delicious meal.”
Not long after the artisan cheese shoppe opened in 2011, Cheese Central was rolling out its Cheese 101 course, a class that’s hosted twice a month. “It’s really eye opening,” says Cindy. “Many people have no idea about the cheese making process, and we teach it from the very beginning, from milk to solids.” And while cheese may be the store’s pièce de résistance, the plethora of flavorful classes is ever-evolving.
The hands-on classes allow guests to relish the steps of the cooking process. “Each and every one of our classes, except for Cheese 101 and bread baking, is a full dinner,” says Cindy. And the ingredients involved are items that can be picked up at nearly any local grocery store, further exemplifying that cooking a delicious meal doesn’t have to be a chore.
Alongside Cheese 101, Bread Baking Basics, and Filled Pasta classes, are local chefs from across the Central Valley with techniques and cooking styles of their own to share. In March alone, guests had the honor of learning how to prepare Ukrainian entrees, Sushi rolls, and Irish pub food—with guidance from Chef Sara Blighton, the staffed instructor of Cheese Central’s Grand Central Kitchen.
“As a corporate chef for Apple Computer in Elk Grove, and a graduate of Cordon Bleu, Sara has great techniques and fabulous food,” says Cindy.
Learn a thing or two under her wing, when enrolling in unique classes like How to Cook like an Italian Grandmother. “I enjoy sending my guests home with even the smallest of tips,” says Sara. “Ones that can turn a simple recipe into something you can evolve at home.”
Your Favorite Recipes Await At:
Cheese Central
11 N. School St., Lodi
(209) 368-3033
CheeseCentralLodi.com