Class Alert! Master Polenta, Mixing Cocktails and Regional French Cooking

By Tamara Palmer Mon., Dec. 31 2012 at 10:10 AM

Categories: Classes, Palmer

Flickr/peachyogurt

Learn how to perfect polenta at 18 Reasons in January.

Polenta: The Delicious Economy of The Italian Kitchen

Where: 18 Reasons, 3674 18th St. (at Dolores), 241-9760
When: Jan. 6 at 4 p.m., Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m., and Jan. 20 at 4 p.m.
Cost: $110 (purchase in advance via Brown Paper Tickets)

The rundown: This is a three-part, hands-on polenta primer taught by Viola Buitoni. She'll offer recipes and techniques for perfecting polenta as well as how to incorporate it into desserts and into clever leftovers.

Mixology 101: Everything You Need to Mix and Enjoy Cocktails

Where: The Boothby Center for the Beverage Arts, 1161 Mission (at Seventh St.),
When: Jan. 9, 7-9 p.m.
Cost: $125 (purchase in advance via Eventbrite)

The rundown: Home bartending fundamentals are covered in this course, beginning with the correct construction of what Boothby instructors deem to be classic yet misunderstood cocktails and including the development of observations and language to help you order exactly what you want when out drinking. If this date or price doesn't work for you, don't worry -- this class repeats on the second Wednesday of each month, and there are early bird tickets available for $65 if purchased at least 28 days in advance.

Regional Cooking of France

Where: Tante Marie's Cooking School, 271 Francisco (at Stockton), 788-6699
When: Begins Jan. 10 from 6-10 p.m. and runs for five consecutive weeks after
Cost: $720 (purchase in advance via Tante Marie's)
The rundown: If you want to start out the new year with some new-found cooking school, consider this six-week course taught by Malcolm Jessop that offers a total of 24 hours of intense, hands-on instruction that focuses on a different region of France each week. Dishes include chicken braised in Riesling, Cassoulet de Toulouse, and tartelettes de fromage.

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