September Cooking Classes

Whew! After whirlwind trips to England and Canada, I'm back at home and ready to take some classes. The first priority, of course, is food, so here's a look at cooking classes on the September schedule.

• Kiss Z Cook is launching another round of its Foundation Series I, an eight-week class covering knife skills, garde manger, sauces/stocks, soups, starches and proteins. The class is held on consecutive Thursday evenings starting Sept. 2. At $480, it's pricey but worthwhile. Also on the September schedule: pasta, Italian bread, prep cooking, creative vegetarian and more.
• Chef JJ's is offering hearty grilling classes focused on pizza, steak, desserts and breads, and fish. Has anyone been to one of Chef JJ's classes? I really need to get over there!
• Clark's Appliance has classes on tailgating (including a recipe for "the ultimate cheese ball") and the cuisine of Northern Italy.

I usually include Frasier's Gourmet Foods on this list, but all of its September classes are already sold out, including Cooking 101 and a class on rolled fondant. Sign up now for October classes on vegan cooking and party desserts.

While we're talking about food, keep in mind that it all starts with the farmers. Kelly Funk, owner of Seldom Seen Farm, was struck by lightening in July while working in her fields, and her recovery is expected to be long and slow. Slow Food Indy is collecting donations to help the family cover her many expenses. If you'd like to contribute, donate here.