Calendar of Vermont Cooking Classes, Table Talks, Wine Pairing Dinners, Harvest Celebrations, VT Holiday Getaways at Inn at Baldwin Creek & Mary’s Restaurant near Burlington and Middlebury, VT

"Island Cuisine": Sunday: June 1 or June 8 or July 13 or July 20; 12:30-4:00; Summer’s Caribbean influenced class will slow your world down with relaxing island food and drink. We navigate the perfect course for authentic Caribbean classics using tropical fruit and local ingredients. Sample a Caribbean colada, conch fritters, island hot sauces, jerk seared tuna with mango salad, and tamarind pork; finish with honey braised pineapple and mint ice cream.; $75 per person includes class and lunch

Table Talk: "Vermont at the Plate: Tracing Vermont's Food History": Friday June 13; 6:15 Dinner - 7:30 Talk; Cookbook author, food journalist and Vermont Life food editor, Marialisa Calta of Calais, Vermont traces Vermont's culinary history - from salt pork and milk gravy to braised pork bellies. Come hear how Vermont transformed itself into a "foodie state".
www.marialisacalta.com
Special Guided Tour of our Hoop Houses with Chef Doug Mack before the Table Talk: 5:15. Free, but reservations necessary.; $25 Dinner / $10 Dessert / Talk is FREE

"Thrill of the Grill": Sunday: June 15 or June 22 or August 3; 12:30-4:00; This alfresco class meets on the patio - at the grill, of course! (weather permitting!) Learn how to grill, smoke, skewer, and make a marinade. We’ll start with shrimp, beef and bread Spiedini, then on to marinated lamb with tabbouleh and minted aioli and grilled vegetables. And for dessert – grilled peaches with balsamic glaze and blue cheese!; $75 per person includes class and lunch

"Summer Solstice Garden Party" Wine Pairing Dinner: Friday June 27; 6:30; Join us to celebrate the summer solstice! Enjoy the longest day fade into night under the stars for this special wine pairing dinner. Five-course dinner, each course paired with a perfect summer wine. A culinary celebration of summer's bounty.
Joerg Klauck, owner of Vermont Wine Merchants joins us to informally discuss the wines. Seating is limited, so please reserve early.; $59 per person plus tax and gratuity

"Seafood Secrets": Sunday: June 29 or July 6 or August 10 or August 17; 12:30-4:00; Discover some delicious seafood recipes that are quick and easy, yet perfect for casual entertaining. We’ll discuss culinary seafood secrets and practice boning whole fish. And we’ll make calamari Neapolitan-style, seared sea scallops with lemon, capers and tomato, paillards of swordfish with grapefruit and leeks, and red snapper with rosemary, new potatoes and garlic confit.; $75 per person includes class and lunch

Table Talk: "Sunday's Making Tofu: Preserving Family Legacy, Healthy Lifestyle & the Environment": Friday July 11; 6:15 Dinner - 7:30 Talk; Linda Furiya discusses her latest book, 'Bento Box in the Heartland' and how watching her father make homemade tofu on Sunday mornings as a child in rural Indiana has influenced her writing, lifestyle and view of the world. And author, San Francisco food columnist, and cooking instructor, Linda has lived in San Francisco, Beijing and Shanghai before settling in Shelburne, Vermont.
www.lindafuriya.com; $25 Dinner / $10 Dessert / Talk is FREE

Table Talk: "Season Extension as a Pathway to Sustainability": Friday August 8; 6:15 Dinner-7:30 Talk; Chef-turned farmer, Joe Buley, owner of Screamin' ridge Farm in Montpelier talks about 'farming the backside of the calendar'. Inspired by the season extension work of organic farmer and author Elliot Coleman, Joe quadruples his growing season by cultivating 12 months of the year on seven acres. A part-time chef instructor at New England Culinary Institute, Joe also participates in the Farm-to-School program at the Rumney Elementary School.
www.screaminridgefarm.com; $25 Dinner / $10 Dessert / Talk is FREE

"Explore Argentina and Latin America": Sunday September 7 or Sunday September 14; 12:30-4:00; Travel the culinary trails of “other America”, the southern South American countries -especially Argentina. We’ll tour the region sampling baked beef empanadas, parrilladas – thick, grilled steaks with a tomato, onion and pepper relish (salsa criolla) and chimichurri, and Paraguayan corn bread. This often simple South American food is intensely flavorful. Come explore with us.; $75 per person includes class and lunch

Table Talk: "Champlain Orchards-Moving Beyond Apples": Friday Sept 12; 6:15 Dinner, 7:30 Talk; To supply the growing demand for wholesome local food grown by a farmer you know, Champlain Orchards is attempting to diversify crops, create value-added enterprises, and extend the availability of their products. Bill Suhr, owner/orchardist, describes horticultural and business practices that are being implemented to respond to the farm-to-school and localvore movements. www.champlainorchards.com; $25 Dinner / $10 Dessert / Talk is FREE

Table Talk: "The Vermont Grapevine": Fri Oct 10; 6:15 Dinner, 7:30 Talk; Lincoln Peak Vineyard owner and winemaker Chris Granstrom has been growing grapes, strawberries and apples for over 25 years in New Haven. He discusses Vermont's emerging grape and wine industry, the new grape varieties that make vineyards possible in our region and the tasty wines that can be made from them.
www.lincolnpeakvineyard.com; $25 Dinner / $10 Dessert / Talk is FREE

"French Bistro" Benefit Class: Saturday November 8; 12:30-4:00; BENEFIT COOKING CLASS FOR UNITED WAY OF ADDISON COUNTY
'French bistro' may conjure up romantic images and fancy French desserts, but bistro cooking is actually very rustic, down to earth food; sophisticated yet simple. A bistro setting is friends relaxing around the table with good food and local wine. In this class the good food includes country-style pate, duck confit salad, beef Burgundy and a lemon tart.
All proceeds from this class are donated to United Way to help support our neighbors and community.; $125 per person includes class and lunch

"French Bistro": Sunday November 9; 12:30-4:00; 'French bistro' may conjure up romantic images and fancy French desserts, but bistro cooking is actually very rustic, down to earth food; sophisticated yet simple. A bistro setting is friends relaxing around the table with good food and local wine. In this class the good food includes country-style pate, duck confit salad, beef Burgundy and a lemon tart. Paris seems to be calling!; $75 per person includes class and lunch

Table Talk: "Need for Diversity in Small Vermont Farms": Friday Nov 14; 6:15 Dinner, 7:30 Talk; Owner of Maple Wind Farm in Huntington, Bruce Hennessey and his wife Beth Whiting have used diversification as a means to remain viable as a small Vermont farm. Come learn how they developed "On the Loose Adventure Camp" and their Women's Winter Camp to promote environmental awareness and eco-tourism while continuing to raise grass-fed beef and pork for local restaurants and businesses.
www.otloose.com; $25 Dinner / $10 Dessert / Talk is FREE

"Spice Up the Holidays": Saturday or Sunday November 15 & 16; 12:30-4:00; Come learn new ideas to spice up the usual fare of the season. Our focus is on innovative, seasonal side dishes to pair with your turkey or lamb, but we'll also have some great hors d'oeuvres ready for those impromptu holiday guests. Be prepared for the holidays with a whole new set of recipes.; $75 per person includes class and lunch

"Food Tour of Italy": Saturday or Sunday December 6 & 7; 12:30-4:00; Another recent fall trip to Italy and Terra Madre offers Chef Mack an expanded palette of flavors from the Piedmont, Tuscan and Fruili regions. Recipes for this class include warm fig tart with prosciutto, radicchio and mushroom risotto, chicken Milanese, and to finish off - panna cotta with raspberry coulis.; $75 per person includes class and lunch

Table Talk: "Root Cellar Revival": Friday Dec 12; 6:15 Dinner, 7:30 Talk; Root cellar specialist Chris Chaisson of Whole Farms Services in Williston, talks about using root cellars as a means to cut energy bills, increase winter food security, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and encourage local food consumption. Join him to learn about the history of root cellars, their uses and types and the storage of winter food.; $25 Dinner / $10 Dessert / Talk is FREE

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