Hurricane ruin your weekend plans? Try a SWEET escape!

Can't get out of town for the long weekend? You can still enjoy a night of friends, food, wine and fun at our BFF Night - SWEET ESCAPE on Saturday night!

During the class you and your friends will nosh on delicious, decadent dessert dishes paired with a tasting flight of wines. You can sit back, relax, and enjoy as Brad demonstrates each dessert, explains how he made each dish, ways you can recreate a version of it at home - plus he'll answer your questions about cooking, food, wine, and more.

A fun night out for friends who love food, with a fantastic menu featuring Chef Brad's signature Molleux au Chocolat (read: MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKE!).

7-9pm; $39 per person includes demo, desserts, and wine tasting flight.

MENU

Red Wine and Port Poached Pears with Triple Spice and Vanilla Bean Caramel

Molleux Au Chocolat with Double Whipped Creme Anglaise and Sparkling Raspberries

Brie and Bleu Cheese Sweet Mousse with Sweet Braised Cherries

Can't make it Saturday? We've got two hands-on cooking sessions this Labor Day!

A Day at the Beach - beach inspired eats for families

Tailgating with a Twist - adult grilling class; you'll learn how to make gourmet versions of your football party faves

More food and fun for friends next weekend in our BURGERS & BEERS class with Chef Spates:

In this session our pro chef will create three gourmet, handmade burgers, then serve them with his favorite paired brews. He'll also discuss how to make fantastic and flavorful burgers at home: tricks of the trade, tips for buying the best ingredients, and more.

Saturday, Sept. 11 from 7-9pm; $49 per person includes demo, 3 gourmet courses, and beer pairings.

MENU

Herbed Burgers with Arugula and Olive Tapenade

Chili Lamb Burgers with Apple Slaw

Turkey Burgers with Fried Onions and Chipotle Ketchup

Sip sangria and indulge in incredible Italian wines!

Sip in some summer with our upcoming WINE EDU classes.

Summer Sangrias with Mary Watson

TOMORROW NIGHT! 7:30-9pm

Nothing says summer like a refreshing glass of sangria!

In this class you'll taste different kinds of sangria from Mary's "SANGRIA BAR", plus learn how to easily make it at home. You'll also learn the basics of pairing food with sangria from Mary with small plates created by professional chef Brad Spates.

Want to get on the list for August's EXCLUSIVE wine tasting event with Mary? E-MAIL US!

Cooking with Wine

Saturday, August 14th from 7-9pm

Raise a glass to great food and wine!

Join Cookology and Il Pioppo for a special cooking class devoted to the art of cooking with fine wine. In this 2-hour session you'll learn to make 3 gourmet courses, each using a perfectly paired selection of Italian wine.

Italian Wine Tasting: Organic & Biodynamic Wines

Friday, August 20th from 7:30-9pm

Join us for a special tasting session of phenomenal Italian wines!

Italian wine specialist Bridget Sasso of Il Pioppo will lead you through an engaging tasting of Italy's best wines.

Bridget works exclusively with small, family owned vineyards with limited production. Her requirement in the selections is that the owners of the property touch their land each day. Each producer is an organic, biodynamic or conventional grower. Nothing unnatural touches their earth or their plants. In addition to the tasting Bridget will share stories about the families and their vineyards, and how they make their wine. A truly unique tasting experience.

$45 includes instruction, wine tasting, plus paired hors d’oeurves prepared by our professional chefs.

Bridget and Chef Brad at last month's tasting.

Brad prepared a Three Cheese Ravioli with Lamb Sausage Ragu, a Chilled and Grilled Hangar Steak with Arugula and Beef Butter, and a Seared Tuna and Heirloom Tomato Salad.

COMING IN SEPTEMBER: Wine & Herbs with Mary Watson! Mary worked extensively with wine and herbs using plants from her garden at Landsdowne Resort.

Wine Club with Mary Watson starts in JUNE!

Love wine?

Be part of an exclusive club with sommelier Mary Watson!

STARTS NEXT MONTH!

MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES:

· Two premium bottles every month handpicked by Mary

· Exclusive MEMBERS ONLY tasting events every month with Mary

· 10% off monthly wine dinners

· 10% off all in-store wine purchases

ONLY $45 per month!

E-mail us or call us at (703) 433.1909 and give us your name and contact info to register!

HOW IT WORKS: We'll get your payment info at the first tasting event, and your card will be charged securely through PayPal once a month. You'll be added to our wine club mailing list and receive tasting invites, special store coupons and sales, and more!

Weekly Wrap Up

Check out the latest and greatest from our kitchen.

Father's Day at Cookology
Dads and their little ones had a blast making their own pizzas at our special Father's Day Daddy & Me, while the big kids whipped up spicy tacos and guacamole.


Do your kids love to cook? Stop by between 2-4pm on July 4th for another make your own pizza party! Pastry chef Brad Spates will also be on hand helping kids create and decorate their own gourmet cupcakes.

Team Building and Private Events
Last week we hosted a private cooking class for the Loudoun County Visitors Association. The teams got hands-on in the kitchen with Chef Ian to create Bruschetta with Vine Ripe Tomatoes and Basil, Pepper Crusted Filets, and delicious Peanut Butter Pie.

Interested in booking a private event for family, friends or coworkers? Prices start at just $50 per person, including wine and instruction from our trained chefs and sommeliers. E-mail us at info@cookologyonline.com for more information.

French Wine Dinner with Mary Watson
Last week's French Wine Dinner was the best yet. Guests raved about Ian's incredible menu:

Fried Brie Cheese with Sliced Green Apples and Red Grape Reduction
Red Snapper en Papillote with Braised Fennel, Grapefruit Supremes and Herb Butter
Bacon Wrapped Quail Rubbed with Quince Paste Served over a Leek Creme Fraiche
Duck and Sausage Cassoulet with Roasted Tomato Rouille and Lemon Thyme
Puff Pastry Wrapped Beef Tenderloin, Roasted Mushrooms and Foie Gras Pate with Port Beurre Blanc
Frozen Raspberry Souffle with Praline Truffles and Candied Hazelnuts

Haven't had a chance to experience one of Mary and Ian's dinners? There's still space available for this Saturday's Food & Sake Pairing Dinner! Six courses, seven sakes:

Seaweed and Smoked Clam Salad with Sesame Vinaigrette
Nori-Tempura Fried Ahi Tuna with Spicy Lemon Sauce
Sake Steamed Black Mussels with Grilled Shitake Mushrooms
Crispy Chicken Strips with Sweet Red Miso Sauce and Charred Scallions
Balsamic Soy Marinated Beef Tenderloin Nigiri with Scallion Pesto
Poached Pear with Lemon-Honey Cream

Mary is the perfect guide for exploring the unknown world of Japanese spirits. Over the last 20 years she's been perfecting her palate with wines of all kinds, and the results are some of the most sublime taste combinations we've ever experienced. A chocolaty mousse turns to velvet in your mouth with the sip of a Spanish Monastrell, and a simple wheat cracker becomes fresh and crisp with a juicy Sauvignon Blanc. She even pairs Twinkies, Gummy Worms and popcorn!

The key, she says, is keeping an open mind. Mary believes everyone's palate is different, and with the right wine, a simply grilled chicken breast will be as exhilarating as a seven layer chocolate cake. She conducts all of her tastings with this passion and curiosity in mind, and students walk away with a greater appreciation for tasting techniques, and a new craving to explore the world of food and wine. We hope to see you there! Check out Mary's videos on tasting and pairing.

Want weekly updates and information about classes and special events conveniently delivered to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter mailing list.

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