Scheduled Cooking Classes
Internationally award-winning cuisine
Join Chef Michael in his Camden Maine kitchen for a cooking class weekend, covering a wide range of topics from regional and ethnic cuisines to seasonal and holiday offerings. Classes are informative, entertaining, and of course, filled with delicious food. Weekend packages are $305/$485 and include two nights lodging, breakfast each morning, afternoon cookies and tea, a gourmet candlelit dinner for two and enrollment for one in the cooking class. Additional enrollment into the cooking class is $45 per person. Classes are held on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-3 in the afternoon. See schedule of classes below for specific class dates and topics.
Pasta, Pasta, Pasta
Learn how to make pasta in your own kitchen. Techniques include making the dough, coloring and flavoring different pastas, rolling out and cutting various shapes of pasta, filling pastas such as raviolis and tortellini and cooking pasta. Specific dishes include: Spaghetti with a Creamy Prosciutto and Roasted Pepper Sauce, Pappardelle with Grilled Tiger Shrimp, Pesto and Oven Roasted Tomatoes, Sweet Potato Ravioli with a Pine Nut and Sage Butter Sauce, and Three-Cheese Tortellini with Chicken and Pesto.
Holiday Hors d'Oeuvres
Having a holiday party? Re-create these hors d'Oeuvres that Michael has created for the holiday season. We will start with Key Lime Martinis and follow with: Funchi Rounds with Maine Lobster, Spicy Beef Toasts with a Smoked Tomato Confit, Black Pepper Almonds, and Onion-Sage and Olive Tartlets.
Dim Sum Cooking
We will prepare a variety of dim sum, starting with three fillings: Thai Pork, Turkey and Shiitake and Shrimp. Then we will make three varied dipping sauces: Thai-Lime, Garlic-Chili and finally a Ginger-Sesame Dipping Sauce. Then it's time to wrap the filling into various shapes for steamed dumplings and fried dumplings. Next we will make potsticker dough and form and cook potstickers. The final recipe will be crisp Shrimp Toast.
Romantic Dinner for Two
Just in time for Valentine's Day! Michael will walk you through a full gourmet meal that you can prepare at home for that special someone. These recipes are created especially for a special occasion celebrated by two. The menu starts with a special Valentine Red-Raspberry Mojito followed by a Stilton Cheese and Shrimp Tartlet with Toasted Pine Nuts and Bosc Pears and then a soup of Portabella Mushroom with a Sherry Cream. For the main course we will Grill-Smoked a Hanger Steak and serve it with a Chimi Churri Sauce and finish with Tangerine Crème Caramels with Plumped Apricots.
Artisan Chocolate Making
We are excited to announce that Artisan Chocolatier Kate Shaffer of Black Dinah Chocolatiers is returning the the Hartstone Inn to teach a class on making chocolates. If you are not familiar with her chocolates, you are in for a real treat. Kate’s beautiful hand-crafted chocolates are made here in Maine (on the small island of Isle au Haut) and are inspired by fresh, local ingredients and her love of flavors from the tiny corners of the world. The class will cover: which chocolate to use, chocolate tasting, an explanation of chocolate vocabulary, how to work with chocolate in the home kitchen, storing chocolate, making ganache and understanding emulsions, finishing (packaging and storing) chocolates. Visit the Black Dinah Chocolatiers online shop on her website for details on her chocolates. I guarantee you will be very impressed with her product and presentation.
Spanish Tapas
Tapas are the traditional little dishes of Spain; full flavored Spanish
hors d’oeuvres that are easy to make and fun to eat. The menu includes: Spicy Olives, Beets in Romesco Sauce,
Fried-Spiced Almonds,
Manchego Cheese with Quince Paste (Membrillo),
Green Olive Paste Canapé,
Banderillas,
Spanish Meatballs in Almond Sauce, and
Tortilla Espanola (Traditional Spanish omelet with potato and onions).
Caribbean Cooking
Chef Michael was named Caribbean Chef of the year in 1996. Join in preparing some of his favorite dishes and creations using Tropical Fruits and local ingredients. We will start with a Caribbean Papaya-Kahlua Colada and follow with: Batakons and Plantain Chips, Caribbean Hot Sauces with Tropical Fruits, Scabechi (Aruban Pickled Fish), Keshi Yena with Roti Bread, and Jerk Seared Tuna with a Mango Salad.
Thai Cuisine
Mary Jo and I recently returned from a trip to Thailand and are anxious to share some of our culinary experiences. The menu will contain some of Michael's favorites including: Grilled Thai Beef Salad with Spicy Cucumbers, Coconut Shrimp Soup with Curry, Red Curry of Roasted Duck with Pineapple and Mushrooms and to finish things off Coconut-Fried Bananas with Lychees and Papaya.
From the Spring Garden
Spring in Maine is a pretty big deal. Hopefully the snow is gone and our gardens are beginning to produce some Spring bounty. I will take advantage of this local produce and have created a menu that reflects the season. Seared Sea Scallops with Spring Pea Cream and Smoked Salmon, Baby Spring Greens with a Strawberry-Chive Dressing and Radishes, Grilled Salmon Niçoise with Fiddlehead Ferns and Spring Asparagus, Spring Rhubarb Crème Brûlée with a Lemon Madeleine.
Meet the Chef Chef for a Day Recipes
