Terrain Cafe & Amis Trattoria Teach Seasonal & Sustainable Cooking Class Series

Join the culinary professionals that lead the kitchens of Westport restaurants Terrain Cafe and Amis at Stamford Museum & Nature Center as they show you the joys of sourcing and cooking with the best in seasonal and sustainable ingredients. From salads and appetizers to entrees, pastas and desserts, this six-part series (January 27 through March 9.) takes you through the methodology of creating show-stopping dishes as you also learn how to source the best ingredients right in your own backyard. Sign up here.

Dedicated to the community, both Terrain Cafe and Amis work with local farmers, purveyors and producers to create inspired dishes that highlight the flavors for which the Northeast are so well known. You’ll learn how to source, prep and create a six-course meal inspired by Mediterranean and New American flavors that’s sure to wow your friends and family. You’ll also explore how to transform under utilized leftover ingredients in future dishes – such as creating sauces from citrus rinds and beet tops or a flavorful stock from leftover chicken bones.

No previous experience is necessary as each member of the team will teach you the skills you need to feel confident in the kitchen.

Create a diverse range of dishes to comprise a full menu, like a winter salad featuring seasonal fruits and local cheese, an Italian-inspired citrus salad appetizer, whole roasted chicken with sage-honey, roasted pears and sweet potatoes, New Bedford scallops accompanied by bueree blanch, and asparagus three ways, hand-rolled pink peppercorn tonnarelli pasta and a spiced persimmon and honey tart.

Each course will highlight the local ingredients used in the dishes being created while students learn the importance of sustainable practices in the kitchen and how they affect the world around us.

Curriculum

Gluten Free substitutes/alternatives will be discussed for each recipe

January 27 – Winter Salad
Regional Executive Chef, Jes Bengtson

Create a winter salad with grapes, pears, blue cheese and candied nuts as you learn about the most flavorful winter greens and local CT cheese.

February 3 – Winter Citrus Appetizer
Terrain Sous Chef, Caitlin McGowan

Learn to make citrus salad accented by a charred leek vinaigrette. You’ll learn how to pair the flavors of winter citrus with a zesty dressing made with leftover rinds and use beet tops to make a pesto to complete the dish.

February 10 – Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Amis Sous Chef, Sarah Mercurio

Roast a whole chicken with sage-infused honey, pears and sweet potatoes. Explore how to make minimal waste in the kitchen by using the leftover bones to create a flavorful stock for rich soups.

February 24 – Spiced Persimmon and Honey Tart
Regional Pastry Chef, Marina White

Work with Regional Pastry Chef Marina White to bake a dessert filled with the fruits and spices of the season. You’ll make a spiced persimmon and honey tart with a walnut shortbread crust as you learn about local honey and the importance of bees in our ecosystem.

March 2 - New Bedford Scallops
Terrain Sous Chef, Chris Bodley

Terrain Sous Chef Chris Bodley sources New Bedford Scallops to create a unique seafood dish that features beuree blanch. You’ll also learn how to utilize asparagus in three different techniques to pair with these local beauties.

March 9 - Pink Peppercorn Tonarelli
Regional Executive Chef, Jes Bengtson

Learn to roll with the best as Regional Executive Chef Jes Bengtson teaches the class how to handroll pasta to create a special twist on the classic cacio e pepe.