The following article was submitted by local chef, Andrew Dunbar.
Cooking at home is one of the best things that a person can do.
It’s a great way to help with any health issues that you might have. Let’s be honest—most restaurants food tastes so good because their offerings are loaded with about two weeks-worth of butter and salt. Not to mention that home cooking allows you to eat for a much cheaper cost per plate. I believe that the recipe that we’ll be working with during next week’s first installment of a new online cooking class that I’m doing in partnership with Manitowoc Public Library comes out to about $6.50 per plate. Not bad, right?
Not to mention that home cooking is also a great outlet for taking back a bit of control in a world where not enough people have an abundance of it at their disposal. Having full control over your food is something that every person of any age should be able to accomplish.
Some of you are probably saying right about now, “Yeah, but you’re a chef! I don’t know how to do any of that chef stuff!” And while you might be right to a degree, we’re going to make that a false statement once we’re done with the first installment of “At Home with Andrew,” livestreaming on MPL’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/manitowoclibrary) and their YouTube channel. That’s right—during this LIVE cooking class, I’m opening up my home to you and all those that want to watch. We’ll be working a dish—one that is actually very simple to achieve—that has both a very high Plate Appeal and a very high Flavor Profile.
We’ll be preparing a mushroom and leek stuffed tomato with hanger steak and chimichurri. I know, I know! I used a lot of culinary-sounding words there, but I promise it’s much easier to make than it sounds.
This meal has a little bit of something for everybody. Don’t like meat? Leave it off. Don’t like tomato? Smother your steak in the mushroom mix. This whole experience isn’t about making this meal exactly the way I do—It’s about taking your culinary skills to a new level. It’s about learning to prepare food the way that you like it!
So, please join me online on Thursday, June 22, from 6-7:30 PM so that we can cook together. Gather your friends, family, and your loved ones around your monitor or Smart TV because food is something to share and love with others. Dinner is important at my house because that’s when we all get to sync back up after our crazy days and following days spent apart. That’s when we get to hear the details of a kid’s school day or find out about the customers that the parents helped out.
Use the skills that will be taught in “At Home with Andrew” to not only make great food, but to create great memories. Because without memories attached, food is just something that you eat for sustenance. But, when it’s a night filled with laughs, friends, wine, and amazing food, well, that’s a meal worth remembering.
Tune into “At Home with Andrew” on Thursday, June 22, at 6 PM on either Facebook or YouTube to learn a few new skills—and to get down to the business of making mealtime memories!
