Thursday, April 30, 2009

Pro4mance Nutrition


The warm weather has us all thinking about summer, and that means one thing: bathing suit season! Instead of jumping on the band wagon of the latest fad diet, we've been doing our research on health and wellness, and how it leads to a strong, fit body.

Soon you can learn to achieve true wellness from the experts behind Pro4mance Nutrition, a local company that specializes in health and wellness products. The company was founded in 2007 by Curtis and Sharon Millar; Curtis has been a sports massage therapist for 17 years with the Washington Capitals (Go Caps!), and Sharon is a Registered Nurse. Both Curtis & Sharon are Certified Natural Health Professionals. They will be joining us at Cookology to teach a class about nutrition, and how eating well can lead to a happy, healthy self!

Pro4mance offers a wide range of products, from weight management aids to helpers for digestive support, skin care, anti-aging and pain relief. They'll discuss how nutrition can help with all of these issues (and more) at the workshop.

We'll be announcing the class date and time soon, so stay tuned. Our newsletter subscribers get early access registration and discounts to our special events, so if you're not already a subscriber, click here to sign up now!

For more information on Pro4mance or to shop their online catalog, visit their website.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

The Weekly Wrap Up



Check out the highlights from last week!



Eat, Drink and Be Merry!
Last week we set up a dedicated wine area in our store! We're now your one stop shop for all things wine!


Here are some upcoming opportunities to check out our newest addition:

• FLIGHT NIGHT
Fridays we have FLIGHT NIGHT with our sommelier, Mary Watson. Mary is a 22-time Wine Spectator Award winner and expert on all things vino! She hand selects flights (a grouping of three tastings), and always has something new and exciting to offer from both local and international vintners. Flights are only $12! Stop by any time between 6-9pm for this weekend kick-off happy hour! Last Friday over 30 showed up. Our next Flight Night is THIS FRIDAY...don't miss it!

• WINE DINNERS
Mary hosts monthly Food & Wine Pairing dinners. Last month's Spanish dinner was a huge successful. Guests raved about Chef Ian's succulent six-course menu and were wowed by Mary's perfect pairings! This month's wine dinner is scheduled for MAY 16. We're exploring the flavorful fare of California. Click here to view the menu and register online!

• MOTHER'S DAY CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH
This year, treat the mom in your life to a relaxing afternoon of good food and drink! Chef Ian is creating a decadent four-course menu (including Challah French Toast and Pecan Apple Torte!) and Mary is pairing sparkling champagne with each course! Mary has said if she could only drink one type of beverage for the rest of her life it would be champagne...you won't want to miss her awesome selections! Reserve your spot now!

Don't forget you can stop in any time for wines by the glass!

Any wine you try is available for purchase by the bottle in our store.

We have the lowest prices in Loudoun, plus case discounts!

Cooking with Friends!
Thursday was our first BFF night! This group enjoyed a night of food, drinks and fun as they created a delicious Italian appetizer menu, then relaxed in our dining room with some wine. Our next BFF night is coming up MAY 21! Sign up now!


Brunch: the perfect meal!
Brunch is the best of both worlds! On Saturday, Chef Ian taught a class on how to create brunch classics like Eggs Benedict and Stuffed French Toast. Check out our Chefs in action:

Craving a delicious brunch? Don't miss our Mother's Day Champagne Brunch on May 10.

Happy Birthday from Cookology!
One of our favorite things about weekends is hosting parties! Kids gather around our big table (decorated with balloons and streamers, of course!) and get their hands dirty making tasty appetizers, entrees and desserts! We even provide the cake! Want to schedule a party? E-mail Chef Tabi at cheftabi@cookologyonline.com!


The Sweet Spot

Our new resident baker, Brad Spates, held a Spring cupcake decorating workshop on Sunday. He taught us how to make sinful Dark Chocolate Cupcakes, then we practiced our decorating techniques, including ganache and fondant! Check out some of our creations:



Brad's 5 Part Baking Series begins this weekend! You can sign up for the Sunday Morning Series, the Tuesday Evening Series or purchase classes individually:


Remember, we have more than 80 unique classes and events every month! Check out our schedule online and see what's coming up next week!

Until next time, Happy Cooking!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Cookology on WTOP




Man About Town Bob Madigan from WTOP came by the store to chat with us about our Summer Cooking Camps for kids.

Interested in signing up your child or teen? We have six sessions covering everything from World Cuisines and Summer BBQ Favorites to Baking & Pastry. Each session runs a 1/2 day for one week and is targeted for 6-9 or 10-18 year olds.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Chantal Cookware at Cookology


In addition to our cooking classes, we also sell top of the line cookware!

The Chantal Copper Fusion line is one of our favorites, for several reasons.

1. It is one of the healthiest cookware lines on the market thanks to its enamel cooking surface. When cooking on enamel you can be assured that no chemicals are being released into your food (as they are with nonstick coatings that contains PTFEs and PFOAs).

2. The cookware is manufactured in Germany, and has a durable and versatile non-reactive enamel surface. Unlike aluminum or stainless steel, there is no metal transfer so you can cook, store and serve in one pan (this means being able to go from the fridge to the oven or stove to the table). This inner enamel is highly stick resistant. You will still need to use butter or oil to prevent sticking, but you can be assured that the enamel cooking surface is much more stick resistant than a traditional Stainless Steel cooking surface.

3. The core is copper, the best conductor of heat, and is fused between 2 layers of carbon steel. The copper heats the pan quickly while the carbon steel holds the heat well. As a result the pan is perfect for searing and creating that perfect “display” side to any piece of meat. And don't worry, it has stay cool handles that are made of durable stainless and easy to hold. The larger pieces have a helper handle.

4. Just when you thought it couldn't get any better... the pans are dishwasher safe!


Check out this video of Tre Wilcox, Season 3 Top Chef contestant, cooking with Chantal and sharing his own tips and tricks!


Spring Retail Sale coming soon!

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Food for Thought


"Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance."
Benjamin Franklin

Join us this Saturday, April 18 for a Spanish Food and Wine Pairing Dinner. Six courses created by Chef Ian and wines paired by sommelier Mary Watson.

Steamed Mussel and Red Pepper Skewer with Saffron Aioli

White Bean Soup with Serrano Ham Cracklings

Oven Dried Tomato and Almond Empanadas with Manchego Cream

Roast Cod with Bell Pepper Broth and Fried Artichokes


Red Wine Braised Lamb Shank with Smoked Paprika Potatoes and Cabrales Butter

Chocolate Custard with Citrus Cream and Cava Granita