Cook the Book: Istanbul and Beyond

$165 per person

Instructor

Robyn Eckhardt

Our Cook the Book classes celebrate some of our favorite chefs and restaurants through their cookbooks. We select a signature dish from their cookbook, adapt it for the home kitchen, and build a menu around it to bring the book to life. These events are less instruction-based than our other cooking classes and make for an enjoyable night out.

What You'll Learn

By the end of the class, you will:

  • Understand how to properly use tomato and pepper pastes in Turkish cuisine
  • Master the Turkish method of ‘kneading’ ingredients and flavors into al dente bulgur
  • Know how to strain your own yogurt and incorporate it into Turkish dishes

About This Class

When we think ‘Turkish food’ we often think kebabs, doner, stuffed grape leaves and baklava. Yet Turkey is a land of distinct regional cuisines influenced by topography, climate and history. In her cookbook ‘Istanbul and Beyond’ Robyn Eckhardt dives into the cuisines of Istanbul and Turkey’s eastern half, sharing little-known dishes from home and restaurant cooks, bakers, farmers and fishermen.

This class centers on exuberantly spiced dishes from Turkey’s southeastern and Mediterranean provinces. We’ll start by pounding lamb chops flat and slathering them in a zesty marinade for a dish from Sanliurfa province. While the chops marinate we’ll prepare two cool dishes: a Syrian-influenced bulgur salad with tomato and pepper pastes, herbs and pomegranate molasses, and a dip cum side dish of yogurt and wheat berries with browned onions served with roasted eggplant and chiles. We’ll finish on a sweet note with a simple dessert from  the far eastern province of Van: buttery sautéed apricots with walnuts.

Menu

Pounded Marinated Lamb Chops, Bulgur and Herb Salad with Pomegranate Molasses, Wheat Berry and Yogurt Dip with Browned Onions, Butter-Sauteed Apricots with Walnuts

Details

  • Wine included
  • Full meal served in class
  • Work in teams
  • Ages 18+

FAQ

What is the format of a typical cooking class?

The average duration of our cooking classes is 4 hours, and they are broken down into three segments: Introductory lecture or demo, hands-on cooking, and eating.

The class will begin with a short discussion or demo from your instructor. After, you can expect to work either on a team or individually to prepare the class menu. As a group, your class will prepare the selected menu in its entirety. In most classes, not every student will make every dish.

Learning happens throughout the class, and your instructor will often call out key techniques as they happen in each recipe.

Most classes conclude by sitting down as a group to eat what you’ve prepared, followed by a discussion of each recipe. You will leave with a copy of the recipe packet and a working knowledge of every dish that was made so you can recreate them at home.

When should I arrive for my class?

Doors open 15 minutes before the class start time.

What do I need to bring with me to class?

You do not need to bring anything with you to class, unless otherwise noted in the class description. The kitchens at SFCS are fully equipped and aprons, recipes, equipment, food and wine are all provided for you. 

Do I need to eat before class?

In most classes, you will be sitting down to eat a complete meal that you have prepared along with your classmates. Since this typically occurs towards the end of the class period, an appetizer or small plate is usually prepared early on in class. However, you’re welcome to additionally have a snack before you arrive or bring one with you.

Please note, for our Baking & Pastry classes, a light meal will be provided for you.

What should I wear to class?

We suggest wearing casual clothing you can easily move around in, and highly recommend wearing comfortable closed-toe shoes. Long hair should be pulled back.

More FAQ

Cancellation Policy

Any cancellation up to two weeks prior to your class start date will be refunded 100%. Cancellations up to 5 days before your class start date will qualify for an online credit to be applied to another class. No refunds or credits will be issued for cancellations received less than 5 days before your class start date, however, you may always send a friend in your place if you’re unable to attend.
Please note: Cancellation requests made the day of class are not eligible for a refund or credit, no exceptions. 
View our full cancellation policy

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