Savory Flavors With the Extreme Team

Safety:

The number one rule in cooking is to keep everything clean. Wash your hands thoroughly, as well as the food and tools used to cook it. Remember to wear closed-toed shoes– not just to protect your toes from sharp objects like knives falling on your foot, but also hot water that could be spilled.

Other sanitary precautions: tie long hair back, and wear the aprons and hats. Remember to always watch your hands when cutting, using the stove, slicing, blending, or putting anything in or taking it out the oven. Other than that, cooking is a fun-filled activity that’s great for all ages.

The Sizzle:

“Slice, simmer, baste, coat, toss, improvise and sprinkle.” Guest chef Steve Mannino used all of these words frequently during his demonstration. Mannino is executive chef and partner of Rustico Restaurant and Bar in Alexandria.

We learned how to slice onions–for some unknown reason, a number of people got very emotional about this step–simmer some bruschetta, baste chicken, coat salad in a very simple and light dressing, sprinkle just the right amount of chili cocoa on the frozen hot chocolate, and how to improvise in the kitchen.

We learned that a recipe doesn’t always have to be measured for the perfect taste, since each time a professional chef makes a dish, it is generally done by taste. One of the things we learned that night was which food tastes blend nicely together, starting with a very simple appetizer.

We were told to lightly brown a thin slice of brochette, and then place it on top of a cube of watermelon. We then put a basil leaf on top of the broschetta, sprinkled shredded Parmesan cheese over it–and promptly popped the entire thing into our mouths. I was honestly very surprised that this simple blend of flavors tasted so good.

Menino showed us various dishes, including a light bread salad, basted chicken lathered in barbecue sauce, a side with fiber, and frozen hot chocolate served for dessert. Everything was simple and delicious

Programs:

“Cookology” is a summer camp offering cooking classes for all ages. Owner Maria Kopsidas is a wonderful person to know, and explained what the classes were all about. We participated in the “date night event” that they host every Friday night. Cookology features guest chefs (like Menino), and other nights offers cuisine inspired by places like the Caribbean, Malaysia and Thailand.

Classes range from $40-$50 per person, and are well worth the cost, which includes all the food, instruction and hands-on training to make the meal. If you’re of age, wine is included to enhance the experience of the event.