Come join me at the teaching kitchen upstairs at the Emile Henry boutique in the center of Lyon, for a a hands-on cooking class. It started with a series of talks for a group of students from Dartmouth College here on exchange in Lyon, and over time has developed into a class that packs a good deal of valuable information that can open your mind to a whole new outlook on herbs in cooking.

For Spring and Summer 2011, I am offering an English language herb workshop or what is called an atelier, for beginners and experienced cooks alike. In preparation for this class, I have collected a selection of approximately 15 fresh herbs in season from Lyon's best producers. I walk you through the herbs one by one, crushing, smelling, and tasting, with dicussion on how these herbs are used in French cooking, and notes on their seasons how to choose them. I will show you how to prepare your own fresh fines herbes mix, walk you through the prep of a court bouillon which you will have a chance to taste and discuss, guide you in preparing several variations on the bouquet garni, and show you how to infuse an aromatic herb in your own sirop maison for use in creative cocktails and desserts. In this class, we will prepare a French dish based on that week's herbs and the group's skill level, and share it together with local wine at the end. This class is limited to 4-6 participants.

The workshop lasts 3 hours and is generally held the first Thursday of each month. Tuition for the atelier is €48/person. The next herb atelier will be held on

Thursday, 12 May, 2011

2:00 PM to 5:00 PM

To reserve a place in a class,

or if you have a group and would like to schedule a custom class,

Contact me.