Latest news from COOK Culture

Food, music and custard pie

7 May 2012

If you like to cook, chances are you also enjoy listening to music. When you’re in the kitchen, music can be inspiring, energizing and uplifting. For myself, whether I’m making soup, preparing dinner, baking or canning - music helps to clear the mind, keep spirits high and my energy up for all the tasks at hand.  Staying positive and relaxed becomes especially important when making a time-consuming dish or a complicated recipe.

Cheese Making 101

21 April 2012

If you were to count… how many different kinds of cheeses would you say you have in your fridge right now? My fridge isn’t fully stocked at the moment, and I still have four kinds cheese on hand. While cheese is a common culinary pleasure and a regular stable in many people’s diets, not many of us know how to make it. Here at Cook Culture, instructor Linda Michaluk is trying to change that one class, one person at a time.

Finally we can say spring is here

12 April 2012

Here on the west coast, we’ve seen everything from high winds with heavy rain to beautiful sunny days over the past month. Like the old saying goes, March has come in like a lion and out like a lamb, and thankfully we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief that spring has arrived.

The days are getting longer, cherry blossom trees are in full bloom and there’s lots of local produce coming into season to cook with. We can begin replacing those winter comfort meals with market fresh dishes using halibut, stinging nettle, chives, spinach, radishes, rhubarb and moral mushrooms.

Khalil Akhtar teaching at Cook Culture

31 March 2012

We are excited to let you know about the newest member of our team. It's Khalil Akhtar, best known for his day job with the CBC’s Radio One “On The Island” but soon to be known as one of the best Authentic Indian Cuisine instructors anywhere! (No pressure, Khalil!)

For more information on Khalil and details of his first class please check out his BIO here

Adventures in Marmalade

13 March 2012

I’ve wanted make my own marmalade for a few years now. It’s one of those foods that bring back fond childhood memories of weekend mornings, gathered around the kitchen table to enjoy homemade scones with jams and marmalade made by grandma. Until now, making marmalade always seemed a little more daunting and complicated than say homemade applesauce or chutney. And it is, but only a little.