Cooking Class - Simple and Sophisticated Italian

The cooking that Melissa did for our party was out of this world. My husband and I were having another couple over for dinner to watch the Oscars, and instead of just some simple drinks and appetizers that we usually do, we thought it would be a fun thing to make a night out of it. Melissa made that night one to remember. There were 2 food allergies that she gracefully worked around. One person was a vegetarian, who ate fish, and the second is allergic to gluten. The opening of the show started with hors d'oeuvres. A selection of 3 different cheeses and cheddar crackers that she made (gluten free) with some olives. And what better to start a party but with a glass of Champagne, which she paired with it. By the time Best Makeup finished we had moved on to the second course. The most exquisite brandade I have ever eaten showed up on the table with crostinis that she made. Piping hot, gooey, salty, with a cheesy sweetness that left nothing to be desired. My husband, who does not particularly care for fish, was asking if there was more in the kitchen to be had when the crock was empty. This went with a sauvignon blanc. What came next took my breath away. As we spared no expense for this occasion, the main dish was halibut with braised endive and fingerling potatoes that had been confit in duck fat. Accompanying this was lush gewurztraminer, a white wine that I had never heard of. With the category of Best Picture about to be announced, a tiny ramekin of a decadent chocolate pot du creme arrived with this concoction of "spicy air" foam on top of it. An ice wine pinot noir capped everything off. After the conclusion of the show, we felt that the four of us had already been to the best after party that could ever be had. The experience is something that we will all be talking about for years to come.

I really enjoyed Chef Melissa's class especially because she taught me how to modify meals based on the dietary restrictions without compromising flavor and/or no need to make completely different meal because of it. I am slowly shifting focus to a vegetarian diet because I have been hearing many health benefits. Chef Melissa made it so easy to jump into these dishes so that I can start cooking at home. I highly recommend taking Chef Melissa's classes!