This past week was quite a fun run. Monday brought us to the Worcester County Food Bank for a fundraising, Chef Table event with 11 area restaurants honoring the career of Barbara Houle, editor of the food pages at the Worcester Telegram & Gazzette for nearly 40 years. Barbara has been diligent is supporting the numerous Chef’s cooks, food producers, farmers, Food Bank and so much more through her inspired weekly columns in the T & G. She has recently stepped back a bit and will still write her Table Hopping column on Thursdays. Piccolo’s, Romaine’s, Something Sweet by Michelle, Sweet, The Castle, Coral Seafood, BaBa Sushi, Sonoma, Pepper’s Catering, Block 5 & the Niche group and the Educated Grape all went over the top with their offerings in tribute to Barbara. Ask me about Audrey Kurlan-Marcy’s creative Houly award. It was terrific.

table setting at event

First thing on Tuesday, fellow Pepper’s Culinarians John Wadkins and Keith Desy loaded up the van for Mass Vet’s and the first day of our month long cooking class. We started with some food trivia and cookbook giveaway to break the ice a bit and then got right in to Sanitation, Nutrition and Knife Skills. Dexter-Russell Cutlery from Southbridge graciously donated 2 dozen knives and we had the Vet’s do prep for the following day’s Omelet, Frittata 7 Strata class as well as make batch of Salsa Fresca, Guacamole and fresh lime & sea salt chips to finish the day. Great fun. Wednesday brought us back for fresh banana bread demo along with the egg dishes and by popular demand; we’ll start the upcoming week with a Hollandaise Sauce demo. It’s all been quite a bit of work but the rewards and thanks from all whom we were in front of this week was quite special and is working as a great team building with my fellow Pepper’s.

More to come as this week’s class will have the guys learning how to braise meats and Tuesdays tastes will include having the guys braise red cabbage with apples to go with the braised sauerbraten of beef.