Another cooking class at Country Village Cafe went very well and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I heard quite a few other folks did too. I had some great help from my friends in the kitchen and they all said they had a great time. Thanks to all who lent a hand, I am still learning how to navigate through all of this, and it's a lot easier with supportive friends and family. We fed more than 40 people plant based treats, including some grocery store customers who stopped by to view the activity in the cafe. It's usually closed on Saturdays so the activity was a little curious. Which reminds me, a few years ago I looked at the closed cafe one Saturday and told Patti I should try to run it on Saturdays. I thought a breakfast or lunch special, not a full menu, might be fun. Hmmm, there I was feeding a full cafe. I loved it!
Country Village was also celebrating 35 years in business by hosting "Customer Appreciation Days". We contributed by keeping a sample tray of plant based goodies filled throughout the day.
Twenty five students attended, some of them very new to plant based eating. I did my best to get new tastes and textures introduced to the interested. I cooked this time. I just love my portable burners. It's like a stovetop in my pocket.
This time the guests found cheezy kale chips, savory pepitos, and a crudite of brightly colored vegetables and papaya seed ranch on the tables waiting for them. Yes, papaya seed ranch. I learned something new also. While out picking vegetables at Willow Grove Gardens, Ruth picked some purple caulflower and sprial broccoflower and put it in my box. I know a lot of people might want to try these out of the ordinary vegetables so I picked up my Complete Idiot's Guide to Eating Raw cookbook in search of a nice raw ranch dressing. I found a papaya seed ranch, very easy, not many ingredients. I never knew you could eat the papaya seeds. I immediately cut one opened and ate a spoonful of the tender seeds. Wow, they're great! They have a flowery, yet spicy, taste. Sort of like a nasturtiam flower. I'll make more of this dressing, I loved it and so did the students.
We tasted:
Raw Creamy Broccoli Soup
Curried Winter Squash & Apple Soup
Fettuccini Alfredo
Forbidden Black Rice & Polenta Casserole
and Gluten Free and Oil Free Pumpkin Spice Cake
Enjoy the class, I know we did. Country Village employees made a list of interested shoppers while we held the class. Looks like I get to do another.
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