Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Meet Our Baker

We're excited to welcome Chef Brad Spates to our team!



Brad studied at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. He's worked with some of the best pastry chefs in the world such as Master Chef Judeth Stains, CIA Award Winning Chef Steve Brown, and Steve Weiss, who was part of the 2000 National Gold Winning Pastry Arts Team and the Executive Pastry Chef of the Trump Taj Mahal and Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Brad has traveled and studied pastries worldwide, including an in-depth study of French, Italian, and classical American Pastry. He specializes in unique forms of design, using classical techniques that are practiced by very few modern chefs, such as pastillage, formed marzipan, pulled and blown sugar, and casting chocolates.

Brad teaches our Baking Fundamentals series on Sundays and Tuesdays. Starting in June he will be instructing a specialty Decorating Series on Sundays and Wednesdays.

Check out some of his fantastic creations:

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Beer Tasting at Cookology this Thursday

It's summer, and that means delicious brews! Chef Ian is hosting a Beer Tasting this Thursday from 7-9pm. He'll be pouring St. Rogue Red Ale, Zywiec Pale Lager, Kingfisher Premium Lager and Erdinger Hefeweizen!


Get to know your beers...

Ale: A type of beer brewed from malted barley using a top-fermenting brewer's yeast. This yeast ferments the beer quickly, giving it a sweet, full bodied and fruity taste. Most ales contain hops, which impart a bitter herbal flavour that helps to balance the sweetness of the malt and preserve the beer. St. Rogue Red Ale is a reddish copper colored beer with a roasty malty flavor, and a hoppy-spruce finish. It pairs well with with Pork and Beef, and Ian will have a delicious appetizer to accompany it.

Lager: The other main type of beer. Lagers are bottom fermenting and is stored for up to three weeks before being served. Lagers are less fruity and spicy than most ales.

Hefewiezen: A wheat beer. Wheat beers often also contain a significant proportion of malted barley and are top-fermented. Hefeweizens can vary greatly in flavor. Erdinger is a darker hefeweizen with a roasty, nutty taste.

Have any favorite beers? Tell us what kind in the comments.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Cookology in the Fairfax Times

Fairfax Times food writer Alexandra Greeley came by to chat with our chefs and get a feel for what our classes are like. Here's an excerpt from the interview with Chef Ian:

“This is entertainment as well as experienced instruction,” he said. After classes, students sit down to eat what they’ve just learned to cook, and it all turns into a casual gabfest. “It’s great for date nights,” he added.

Beside teaching folks how to cook, Cookology has become an all-in-one destination, featuring regular wine dinners, birthday parties for adults and children, summer cooking camps, and workshops for youngsters 6 and older. Also, with workshops for adults, Cookology aims to provide an alternative for those staying close to home during their annual vacation.


Read the full article

Monday, May 11, 2009

Elliot in the Morning at Cookology!


DC 101's Elliot in the Morning came by Cookology with his good friend, Chef Steve Mannino this past Saturday.

We wheeled in a big grill and Steve and Elliot put on a grilling demo! Steve is one of DC's premier chefs. He's worked with chef Todd English and was the former executive chef of Olives in DC, and also cooks for rock stars Dave Grohl and Chris Cornell! Here he is with Chef Ian making a charred tomato salsa for our hungry and eager students.



Together Steve and Elliot created a delicious summer menu:

Charred Tomato Salsa with Tortilla Chips
Grilled Camembert with Honeyed Walnuts
Grilled Romaine Caesar with Fennel and Parmesan Croutons
Maple Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Horseradish Potato Salad
Grilled Peaches with Orange Zabilogne


Check out the guys in action:





Thanks to Steve and Elliot for putting on such a great class!

Want to be the first to know about events like these? Sign up for our newsletter and get priority registration access and insider discounts!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

We Were in Daily Candy!




Cookology in Daily Candy

Still looking for the perfect Mother's Day gift? Treat her to a Gourmet Brunch and Champagne Tasting at Cookology! Chef Ian is preparing a delicious four-course menu and Mary Watson will be on hand to pour perfectly paired sparkling wines. Sign up now!

Weekly Wrap Up



Check out the highlights from last week!


Ordinary to Outstanding!
Last Wednesday, Chef Ian taught a class on how to make ordinary meals outstanding! Students learned to created fresh, simple Sauteed Red Snapper with Lemon Aioli, then they gave the meal a gourmet twist: Potato Crusted Red Snapper with Avocado Aioli and Creme Fraiche. After they made their meal they enjoyed it with a glass of wine!


STEAK. Mmmm...
Thursday was our Steakhouse Favorites class! Students learned how to recreate their steakhouse standbys in their own kitchen to save money (and calories!). They made all the classics: Wedge Salad with Bleu Cheese, Pepper Crusted Beef Fillets with Gorgonzola Butter, Roasted Forest Mushroom and Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes with Truffle Oil and Mini Creme Brulees! Talk about a decadent meal! Check out one of our students whisking her way to perfect mashed potatoes:


Want to learn to cook an succulent steak dinner with all the sides? Morton's Steak House is hosting Date Night on MAY 29! Sign up now!

Cuban Night
Students escaped last weekend's dreary weather and came to heat up the kitchen for Cuban Night! They learned to make Plantain Crusted Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers with Lime Sour Cream, Spicy Black Bean and Pork Stew with Chayote Slaw and Chocolate Pecan Rum Truffles with Guava Puree. Delicious!


Our next theme night is coming up soon! Don't miss our Southern Cookin' Dinner Party on May 23!

Don't forget the kids!
Kids can cook, too! We have classes for toddlers to teens. Check out these shots of little ones in the kitchen with Chef Tabi!


Our Baking Series is on the rise

Our Baking Series kicked off this Sunday! Cookology's new resident baker Brad Spates taught a session on Classic American Pastry where he showed students how to create Perfect Brownies (not too cakey, not too fudgey!) and the key to making and decorating custom sugar cookies. Check out some of their creations below.



It's not too late to sign up for the series! We're offering the remaining four sessions at a prorated price! You can sign up for the Sunday Morning Series or the Tuesday Evening Series for only $130!

You can also sign up for individual classes:



Ready to try Cookology? We're sure to have a class that fits your interests and schedule. Check out our schedule online and see what's coming up next week!

Until next time, Happy Cooking!