Looking for a night out filled with great food and community? Join us for an interactive session, designing an eye-catching, casually elegant grazing board suitable for any friends and family gathering! Our favorite cheeses, cured meats, jams, crisps, nuts, fruits and more! We will discuss selection, preparation, displays and cutting techniques. This will not be a meal, but you will sample our favorite selections! Materials fee of $20 (cash please) to be paid to instructor at class.

Get hands-on with Needhams, an iconic Maine candy made from our state's top crop - potatoes! Learn the story behind this tasty treat, while whipping up a batch of your own with potatoes grown right here in Maine. In addition to learning the original and classic recipe, participants will learn easy ways to customize their potato candy with non-traditional mix-ins and flavors. Each student will leave with potato candy recipes and their own batch of handmade Needhams to share with family and friends for Valentine’s day! Taught by Liz Gross, Presented by Maine Tasting Center.

Soups and Stews

There is nothing like a bowl of soup to warm you up and soothe your soul. In this hands-on cooking class, Learn techniques and recipes for soups and stews that are big on flavor and nutrition and easy on the wallet.

Need an accommodation? We will make reasonable modifications and accommodations to ensure that people with disabilities have equal opportunity to participate in all classes and events. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation to participate fully in a class or event, please notify us at (207) 872-4102 at least 48 hours prior to the start of the class or event.

Thursday, 2/13

4 – 6 p.m.

Home Economics Rooms

Cost: $25

Instructors: Brenna Nelson, RD and Anna Froman, ND

Link to register through Maine General:

https://www.mainegeneral.org/classes-events/detail/?eventId=bedf928b-c7ae-ef11-a86f-000d3a611ea2

Make your own dark chocolate cake from scratch and while it bakes, we’ll make dark chocolate mousse for filler and frosting. The final touch will involve making assorted chocolate decorations to complete the cake. Materials fee of $30.00 is due by cash or check, payable to the instructor, at the start of class. All baking classes with Steve Watts are hands-on and students take home their finished products.

Skip the pizza delivery and serve up some fantastic homemade pizza! Join Chef Mary and learn to make pizza dough and a savory sauce from scratch! Yes, frozen dough is convenient, but there is nothing like homemade dough for unbeatable flavor and texture. Discover how a few simple, easy-to-find ingredients can quickly turn into a scrumptious meal. Add your favorite toppings to make a one-of-a-kind flavor experience! This dough is great for pizza, calzones, and stromboli. This is a demonstration class, however, students are welcome to either watch or put on an apron and get their hands dirty. Recipes provided. Bring an apron, baggies for leftovers, and your appetite!

Mary Bailey, pastry chef and past owner/chef of Thyme and Honey Bakery in Biddeford, is passionate about baking bread and teaching people how to incorporate homemade bread into their daily lives.

You could buy a $4 bottle of kombucha, or you could make your own for pennies. It's simply sweetened black or green tea with a culture added. We'll make a primary ferment in class. A secondary one will be demonstrated so you can make it at home once your primary has developed. We'll discuss kombucha's fascinating history, troubleshooting, glassware and SCOBYs (provided). This hybrid class will include the microbiology and the ferment creation. Instructor Emma Holder, Masters in Micro/Immuno, McGill '93.

You could buy a $4 bottle of kombucha, or you could make your own for pennies. It's simply sweetened black or green tea with a culture added. Make a primary ferment in class. A secondary ferment will be demonstrated so you can make it at home once your primary has developed. Discuss kombucha's fascinating history, how to troubleshoot, glassware, and SCOBYs. This hybrid class (live or via Zoom) will include information on microbiology and ferment creation. Registration closes at noon on 2/19. Zoom link, materials list, in-person address provided by instructor.

Emma Holder attended McGill University, earning a BSc in 1991 and a Masters in 1993 in microbiology and immunology. Her passion is to connect with people and provide enjoyable learning experiences to create healthy, happy lifestyles.

Have you ever wanted to try canning, but were unsure how to get started? Or perhaps you are concerned about food safety, and wondering how to ensure that your canned food is both delicious and safe. Well, this is the class for you! Join Allison Carroll Duffy, Master Food Preserver and cookbook author, for this hands-on workshop covering all that you need to know to get started canning your own food. We'll cover the basics of safe home canning, including proper procedures, techniques, and use of tools and equipment. Then we’ll learn hands-on--working together as a group and going step-by-step--to make and can a big batch of jam. We’ll use the boiling water bath method, which is the same method you’ll use for making many other canned goods you might want to make at home, including pickles, salsas, chutneys, and fruit. While this class will focus primarily on the boiling water bath method of canning, pressure canning will also be discussed. At the end of the class, there will be plenty of jam to taste, and each participant will go home with a jar of jam to enjoy…as well as all the know-how you need to start canning confidently at home!