A Filipino Fiesta: The Remix

filipino

They say that if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. This past March, COOK hosted a Filipino Feast with Chef Lou Boquila of Audrey Claire, who was joined by local food writer Drew Lazor. Also in attendance were Jillian Encarnacion and Resa Mueller of Twenty Manning Grill (and of Filipino heritage), who created the evening’s cocktails. And in case you were wondering, no, there were no Filipiña Coladas…

The evening was a sold-out success so in the why-mess-with-a-good-thing spirit, we invited the gang back for a Filipino Fiesta Redux, which occurred last night. A bonus of the evening: Lou and Jillian both provided our guests with the evening’s recipes. So rather than provide you with a blow-by-blow recap of the evening, we’re sharing the recipes with you. With that, bon appétit to your inner Filipino! Continue reading →

July classes that rock!

COOK’s July class schedule features one of the most interesting line-up of classes that we have ever offered. Here are a few of the diverse demos we have going on next month that are not-to-be-missed:

Wed 7/3, 7pm: Regional Southern BBQ Styles with Justin Swain of REX 1516

There is a reason everyone in the south eats BBQ: because it’s delicious. But it’s by no means the same from state to state. Each Southern locale has its own particular variety of barbecue, particularly concerning the sauce. North Carolina sauces vary by region; eastern North Carolina uses a vinegar-based sauce, the center of the state enjoys something called “Lexington-style” barbecue, which uses a combination of ketchup and vinegar as their base, and western North Carolina uses a heavier ketchup base. South Carolina is the only state that includes all four recognized barbecue sauces, including mustard-based, vinegar-based, and light and heavy tomato-based. Memphis barbecue is best known for tomato- and vinegar-based sauces. And that’s just the tip of the barbecue iceberg!

Next month, Chef Justin Swain of South Street’s southern food mecca, Rex 1516, will take guests on a journey through the various regions and styles of southern BBQ. Any and every BBQ enthusiast in Philly needs to be at this finger-lickin’ good class!

 

Sat 7/13, 7pm: Modern Hawaiian Fare with Kiki Aranita and Chris Vacca of Poi Dog Snack Shop 

If you know Philly’s booming street food scene, then you, no doubt, know about Poi Dog. The Vendy Award-nominated food truck is the brainchild of former Classics instructors, Kiki Aranita and Chris Vacca, who have brought Hawaiian cuisine to the streets of Philadelphia with gusto. And this is not your average food cart! The pair offers some of the most delicious and underrated fare around and it’s one of the most exciting recent additions to Philly’s food scene in general.

Poi Dog offers a menu of classic island fare with a contemporary spin. At COOK, they will be demo’ing: ahi poke, Saimin with pork belly adobo, Kalua pork plate with lomi lomi salmon and banana lumpia with chocolate haupia dipping sauce. You may not know what half of those things are now but if you come to this class you will be very glad you did!

 

Wed 7/17, 7pm: A Global Hot Dog Adventure with Keith Garabedian of Hot Diggity 

Philadelphia Inquirer restaurant critic, Craig LaBan, called the hot dogs at Hot Diggity “superior” while Food Network personality (and former host of “Double Dare”) Marc Summers proclaimed the Hot Diggity wieners “the best hot dogs” he has ever had! And they should know.  Hot Diggity has made it their mission to bring hot dogs back to the City of Brotherly Love. The city and hot dogs have a rich history together, but the rise of other local favorites has pushed the humble hot dog to the back burner. No more, says Chef-Owner Keith Garabedian!

If you think of Oscar Meyer when you hear the words “hot dog”, think again. At COOK, Keith will give guests a taste of hot dogs and hot dog styles from around the globe. This is a hot dog lover’s dream and the perfect place to learn how to spice up your own hot dog game this summer.

Open Stove XIV: Winner’s Circle

COOK’s Open Stove prides itself on being a stage for Philly’s as-yet-untested kitchen talent, but once in awhile the crew likes to throw some proven winners into the mix to see what the heck’s going to happen. They’ve achieved this in the past by pitting executive chefs against each other in an unpredictable battle usually reserved for sous chefs and line cooks. For the 14th installment in the series, however, COOK tapped two reigning Open Stove champions — Zahav‘s Yehuda Sichel (above, left) and Sola BYOB‘s Steve Stryjewski — to see who’d get the better of their fellow victor.

Continue reading →

COOK MASTERS PROGRAM: Butchery with Chef Andrew Wood of Russet

russetpiggy

This little piggy went to COOK… and so did a bunch of his chicken friends.

Yesterday, Andrew Wood, Chef-Owner of Center City’s Russet, brought his butchery A-game to COOK for a Masters Program tutorial in butchery. Continue reading →

Dads Are Rad: Father’s Day Shopping at COOK

dad

Father’s Day is one week away. Don’t have a gift yet? Have no fear, COOK is open every day from noon to 5 p.m. for all your shopping needs. Don’t give dad another lame tie — check after the jump for our top five favorite gift suggestions for dad! Continue reading →

FAQ: How do I get into COOK?

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One of the most common questions we get here at COOK is, “How do I get into a class?” The question is often followed by, “It seems like you’re always sold out!” While there are always SOME seats available to select classes, getting into the class of your (first) choice does indeed require some planning. So with July’s schedule coming out tomorrow at 2pm, we’d like to take the opportunity to offer some class registration tips. Continue reading →

The COOK Book Nook: Vol. 1

Did you know that we sell cookbooks at COOK? I can proudly say that we’ve got one of the most exciting food-text collections in all of Philly. We stock hundreds of titles both contemporary and classic, covering just about every subject you can imagine: meat, fish, baking, cocktails, vegan/vegetarian, gluten-free, Filipino, Israeli, French…I could go on all day. I love all our picks, but there are always a few selections I’m particularly fond of in any given week. Peek after the jump to see what I’m digging currently. And come by COOK daily between the hours of noon and 5 p.m. to browse and buy!  Continue reading →

Did you know you can eat barnacles??

Razor Clam Soup with Radish, Firefly Squid & Ramps

To all of you returning from a long (cold) weekend at the shore, welcome back! Last week, COOK ushered in summer with a pre-Memorial Day seafood feast. Jon Cichon of Lacroix managed to “WOW” us once more–this time with his “Treasures of the Sea” menu. And yes, he served barnacles like the ones you can find on the bottom of you dad’s boat. They’re included in this photo recap of Jon’s class. Continue reading →

June Seats Still Available!

seats

What do Austrian wines, Cajun cooking and gluten-free cooking have in common? Nothing…Except for the fact that they are topics of upcoming June classes that YOU can still attend. If you’re thinking, “I’d love to go to COOK but classes sell out so quickly,” we have three opportunities for you. Continue reading →

A Memorable Memorial Day Recipe: Chilled Watermelon Soup

watermelon

Last minute Memorial Day menu planning? Not sure what others are bringing to the picnic? Don’t know if there are vegetarians/vegans attending? Sick of burgers and potato salad? We have a solution.

At COOK, we see and, if we’re lucky, taste some amazing food. So it’s a bonus when the guest chef shares a recipe so that we (and you) can enjoy a dish again and again. One such dish was a Chilled Watermelon Soup, courtesy of Brian Ricci of Kennett. Brian offered this course as a cooling palette cleanser at his recent “Curry in a Hurry” class. If you, like me, are on the fence when it comes to chilled soups, this may make you a convert. Continue reading →