Monday, February 25, 2013

Ooh La La Crepes! | Cooking Class with Chef Diane

Last October I went to the NYC Wine and Food Festival as part of my blogging gig with ShopRite. Did I mention that? If not, please forgive me for the missing blog post. It was our first time leaving 10 week-old Max overnight and I was frazzled. We did, however have a fantastic time and that experience warrants its own blog post.

Anyway, Chef Dianne Pollick, who has a personal chef service and who works as one of ShopRite's Culinary Workshop instructors also attended the NYCWFF. Somehow we didn't meet that day, but she followed up with me and invited me to attend one of her classes at a store in Delaware. Last fall I attended not one, but two of her classes and I had such a great time that we decided to book a private class for my new moms group.

If you live in the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast region, it's likely that your local ShopRite store hosts cooking classes on a weekly basis. You can find the current class schedule at your local store or online at the ShopRite web page. In my area a two-hour course costs $20. The classes are hands-on and there's plenty of time to ask questions and learn new techniques. You get to eat everything you create and you come home with a handful of recipe cards so you can re-create everything at home. The classes in Northern Delaware are taught by Chef Dianne and she's pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.



This past Saturday we enjoyed a lesson on crepes.

It was extra special because all of the attendees were from my new moms group. We spent a few hours away from our infants and got to socialize, enjoy a meal and learn some new recipes. Each woman in the group is a mother to at least one child and all of us have children under seven months old. Needless to say, we had a great time getting out, even if it was to a cooking class in comfortable clothes.


I love these classes because they are hands-on. Each person in our group of eight got to help prep ingredients and we all got to take turns making crepes. I made at least ten crepes and I now feel confident enough with my technique to make them at home.





We did savory crepes like crab florentine...



And roasted asparagus with goat cheese...


And you know we had to have dessert, so we also made a blueberry ricotta crepe, which would be even more awesome if made with marscapone cheese...


As much as I love to cook, I had never made crepes prior to this class. I love crepes and I order them when they are on the menu, but I really appreciate knowing how to make my own.

I learned that crepes are simple to make once you learn the technique and that they can easily be frozen. You use the same base recipe for both sweet and savory crepes, so they are versatile. I plan to make my own recipe for fillings that work for my family and I promise to share it right here on the blog.

If you live in Delaware, the Brandywine and Riverfront ShopRite stores offer classes and you also have the option to book a private class for a group of 8 to 10. If you live in another area, contact your store's customer service desk for available classes.

Just a note, this is NOT a sponsored post. I'm just sharing my experience with Chef Dianne and ShopRite's Culinary Workshop. I was not compensated for sharing my experience. I am just a woman who loves crepes.

Want to hear more about ShopRite's Culinary Workshop? Click here to read a review of my experience at an earlier class with Chef Dianne.

4 comments:

  1. That sounds like tons of fun! I remember my Southern Cooking class with Kleber and we had such a great time! I would love to do something like that again :) And good for you stepping out to do something you love! I know new moms have a hard time doing that sometimes. Glad you found a support system of other moms just like yourself.

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  2. Where's the recipe for the crepes? They look so good!

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    Replies
    1. The crepes deserve their own post... coming soon!

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  3. WOW. Crepes are some of my favorite food. Yum! Amazing pictures. Now I am hungry.

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