Memories From Our 2019 Kids and Teens Fall After School Cooking Program

At Passion for Spices™, we recently launched our Kids and Teens After School Cooking Program, where kids and teens can come learn about classic cooking techniques, and foods of the world. It is perfect for weeknight meals, snacks, or any special occasions. This is a five session program where each session has its own theme. In our cooking classes, we emphasize on quality, seasonal, and farm-fresh ingredients, as well as hands-on learning practices which are taught by experienced culinary educators.

For the Fall Sessions, we had:

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Session 1: Soup-a-Rama

Gazpacho
Chicken, Coconut, and Galangal Soup

Gazpacho

Chicken, Coconut, and Galangal Soup

On the first day, we focused on teaching classic soups. The kids and teens learned the techniques of making classic soups from the regions of Spain and Thailand.

They learned many techniques including chopping ginger, garlic, and other herbs and spices which were incorporated into the soups. For the Thai soup, the chef showcased the lemongrass herb and how to prepare it.

The kids enjoyed the Classic Soups on a cold winter night with Garlic Bread made from scratch. The kids enjoyed all the new flavors and it was a perfect meal made from scratch.

Session 2: Weeknight Meals Made Easy

Ratatouille Gratin
Farro Pilaf

Full Course

Our After School Group

Farro Pilaf

In the second session, the young chefs learned to make simple weeknight meals. The Ratatouille Gratin had multiple seasonal vegetables such as squash, eggplant, and leaks. For the Farro Pilaf, the chef discussed the Farro grain, where it comes from, how it is prepared, and the health benefits of Farro.

Session 3: Fall Bread Making Workshop

Pumpkin Bread
Sweet Potato Biscuits

Pumpkin Bread

Sweet Potato Biscuits

In the third session, the young chefs learned how to bake classic dishes including Pumpkin Bread and Sweet Potato Biscuits.

The Sweet Potato Biscuit dough was made using freshly roasted sweet potato. The biscuits were delicious and the young chefs were confident that they could make it on their own at home.

The Pumpkin Bread was flavored with a hint of Passion for Spices™ Kashmiri Garam Masala, which gave it the perfect flavor for fall. Everyone loved the pumpkin bread, and the aroma of the fresh baked bread made everyone happy.

Session 4: Pasta Making Workshop

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Butter Sauce
Spinach Ravioli

In the fourth session, we taught the young chefs about how to make classic pasta from scratch. This included making the dough, using the food processor, and forming the pasta shapes.

For the Spinach Ravioli, they added the spinach puree for the extra green color and filled the raviolis with fresh ricotta.

The Sweet Potato Gnocchi was made from scratch by adding the roasted sweet potato. Then they learned how to knead and incorporate the potato to make a soft dough. The chef added just some regular potato to make it easily moldable. The pasta was served with Sage Butter Sauce, where the sage was fresh from our garden.

Session 5: Healthy Snacks on the Go

Multigrain Cereal Bar
Whole Grain Muffin

In the final session, the young chefs learned how to make fresh spiced Graham Muffins using our Kashmiri Garam Masala, and Strawberry Oatmeal Bars.

The young chefs enjoyed the Fall After School Program, and it gave them a productive and enjoyable way to spend their time.

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We are excited about our Winter After School Kids and Teens Cooking Program coming up soon. The first session will be on December 11th, and the Passion for Spices™ Team is looking forward to welcoming the young chefs again.

Winter After School Cooking Class Menu

We will be showcasing many classic and authentic recipes from around the world, and made sure to incorporate some holiday spirit into our menu as well.

December 11th: Easy One Pot Meals for the Winter
Chicken Pot Pie
Classic Bread Pudding

December 18th: Classic Christmas Feast
Classic Whole Roasted Cornish Hen with Chestnut Dressing
Scalloped Potatoes
Classic Christmas Cookies

January 8th: Weeknight Comfort Food
Slow-Braised Chicken with Celeriac and Lemon
Roasted Winter Root Vegetables

January 15h: Easy Hearty Meals
Turkey Loaf
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

January 22nd: Classic Italian
Classic Winter Stew
Winter Green Salad

This Holiday Season, Give the Gift of Cooking

This holiday season, give the gift of cooking that brings friends and family together for a memorable experience. Our cooking classes are perfect for private groups, corporate holiday parties, and for family and friends.

Passion for Spices Cooking School offers perfect gift ideas for you and yours. Our gift card can be used for our authentic cooking classes, organic spices perfect for everyday cooking, or May Fridel’s Cookbook. See below the choices of classes we offer.

Holiday Classes for Your Holiday Season

Adult Cooking Classes

Kids and Teens After School Cooking Program

Winter Season Kids and Teens After School Cooking Program Virtual

Organic Spices

Keralan Curry

Kashmiri Garam Masala

Indian Cuisine Diabetes Cookbook

Click to see more.

Make a Turkey to Brag About

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of the year to show your gratitude for your Family, friends, and collegues who you have in life. Passion For Spices™ Team is grateful for all of our clients who joined us in our Cooking School. We are also aapreciative for our wonderful team that makes Passion For Spices™ special. It gives us joy to spread the culinary knowledge and showcase foods of the world as we teach all levels of cooking skills, promote healthy heating and share family time (Tech Free) together.
Here is a complimentary Thanksgiving menu curated by Passion for Spices™. The recipes are easy to make, delicious and will stand out on your dinner table!

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Thankful for Passion for Spices™ Cooking School

We are very thankful for the growth of our cooking school. We welcome everyone from beginners to experts to join us, as you experiment with real food, and enhance your cooking skills. We are exited to have expanded our cooking school to include Kids Classes, Adult Classes, Corporate Events, and Private Events.

We want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

This holiday season, we are grateful for introducing some specials for celebrating the holidays with friends and family.

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Thankful for Our Organic Spice Line

Keralan Curry

Kashmiri Garam Masala

Our spice blends are crafted using the highest quality of spices complete with anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories to help boost the immune system for optimal health. These blends were also produced using a sustainable and eco-friendly process which creates its flavorful finish.

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Give the Gift of Spices For the Holiday Season

Passion for Spices Gift Card

A unique gift that can be used to register for a cooking class, buy spices, and book a private cooking event!

Shop Gift Cards

A Surprise Birthday Party: Indian Style Feast

We recently had a fabulous private cooking event where we hosted a special birthday party. The theme was a Classic Indian Style Feast, and we curated a menu based on the birthday girl’s favorites.

The menu that we came up with, included Tandoori Shrimp, Roasted Corn Tikki with Mint Chutney, Spinach Tahiri, Lamb Rogan Josh, and Cucumber Raita.

Lemon Flavored Panna Cotta with Fresh Blackberries

Lamb Rogan Josh Prep Station

Spinach Tahiri Topped with Lamb Rogan Josh

Serving Roasted Corn Tikki with Mint Chutney

The guests arrived early to give the birthday girl a pleasant surprise for her special day. She was so touched by her husband’s choice of celebrating her birthday by cooking with friends. The menu choice made it even better to her, since Indian cuisine is her favorite type of food.

The party started with Butternut Squash Soup Shots and a Tandoori Shrimp appetizer, which was paired with a German Riesling wine. Afterwards, the group was invited into the kitchen where the chef explained the menu and divided them into teams to make the full course of the Indian Feast together. May Fridel gave them a lesson on how to use spices, including how to roast cumin and how to mix up spices to make a masala. The Lemon Flavored Panna Cotta Topped with Blackberries was a perfect palate cleanser, and was a great dessert to finish the meal. All in all, it was a joyful evening, and it created a special memory for the birthday girl.

Soup Shots with Shrimp

Making the Roasted Corn Tikki

To join our cooking classes, book your own event, or sign up for one of our cooking classes here:

Sukkot the Harvest Festival: A Beautiful Tradition of Ancient Jewish Culture

In this holy time of the year for Judaism, Sukkot is a seven day agricultural holiday celebrated to honor the harvest season and commemorate the protection given to the children of Israel that fled Egypt. The name of the holiday comes from the hut-like structures that the children of Israel stayed in on their journey back to Israel. One major tradition over this holiday is to build a hut and stay in it for the first day of this holiday while not doing any work. Another major tradition is to get four kinds of vegetation: one citron, one palm frond, three myrtle twigs, and two willow twigs. These different materials are supposed to represent the different personalities of people following the Jewish faith, and how they live in unity together. To honor the “Harvest Festival” it is also common to get freshly grown fruits and vegetables to make traditional Jewish dishes like kreplach (stuffed dumplings), chicken soup, and kugels. At Passion for Spices, we want to showcase this classic cultural tradition in our upcoming Celebration of Jewish Traditions class, where Chef Sam Kadko will be teaching the following menu:

Celebration of jewish traditions

Classic Stuffed Cabbage with Organic Grass Fed Ground Beef
Sephardic Whole Roasted Organic Chicken with Apricots and Spices
Honey Cake with Orange Sabayon

Please check out our fall seasonal Adult Cooking Classes and very popular Kids and Teens After School Program to continue learning to cook authentic and classic dishes from all around the world.