Our hands-on cooking classes teach you the many culinary secrets under the tutelage of the Manor’s team of professionally trained chefs, sample the tempting dishes prepared during each of our vacation cooking school curriculum.

Your epicurean escape will include:

• Two nights accommodations
• Candlelight gourmet dinner each evening
• Full gourmet breakfast each morning
• Afternoon tea each day
• Cooking Classes each morning
• Recipe book and culinary gift
• Packages starting at $650
  

The Global Gourd: Pumpkin Beyond Pie
November 2010
Often thought of as a North American original, pumpkins are one of the world’s most durable and prolific foods. They are cultivated on every continent, and have found a place in the cuisines of Europe, Asia and the Americas. This course will explore several uses for this local favorite that incorporate global influences and explore the versatility of pumpkin.

Dishes: Pumpkin Soup with Red Curry and Coconut Milk; Winter Squash & Potato Gratin; Pumpkin Risotto with Toasted Asiago and Bitter Greens; Pumpkin & Chile Flan

Hors d’Oeuvres for Entertaining
January 2011
Everyone loves to entertain, but it can be exhausting and stressful. This cooking-school weekend will focus on several kinds of appetizers, hot and cold, that can be done ahead, but will still make a lasting impression on your guests!

Dishes: Fromage Fort; Fig-Olive Tapanade; White Bean and Bacon Crostini; Smoked Salmon Mousse with Dill Aspic; Pecan-Crusted Chicken Skewers with Peach-Jalapeno Jam; Steak Satay; Venison Meatballs with Grilled Pear

Slow Cookin’: Do-Ahead Dinner for a Romantic Evening In
February 2011
Inspired by Bobbie Gentry’s sultry ballad, the subject of this weekend’s class will focus on dishes for two that make for a perfect romantic evening in. These refined comfort foods are suited to linens and candlelight, or fireside noshing. Best of all, they can all be prepared in advance, leaving your evening unencumbered and worry-free.

Dishes: Artisan Cheese Sampler with Apple Chutney and Red Wine Carmel; Oysters on the Half Shell with Classic Cocktail Sauce; Red Wine & Cinnamon Pot Roast with Simmered Vegetables; Rich Chocolate Crème Brulée

Vegan Cooking from New England
March 2011
A vegan diet is one that excludes meat, dairy, eggs, and all other forms of animal products. This is a healthful approach to cooking that often re-interprets classic (meat-laden) dishes in fascinating new ways. This course will explore several examples of classic New England Regional dishes approached from a vegan prospective.

Dishes: Boston Brown Bread; Traditional Baked Beans with Grill-Smoked Tofu; Portabella Poutine; Vegan Apple Crisp with Maple Syrup Granita

Season to Taste
May 2011
Often, when a meal ingredient especially wows a guest they’ll want to know what is unique about it. Usually the answer is merely that it has been seasoned properly. Especially among “cheffy” cookbooks, the directive “season to taste” is as common as it is maddeningly imprecise. This is because professional chefs season intuitively, a skill no book can teach. Students in this course will work along side The Manor’s culinary experts, preparing several classic dishes with a focus on seasoning and tasting. Novice cooks should come away with a transformed approach to cooking, and veteran cooks will also learn to refine and transform their approach to seasoning with a variety of ingredients.

Dishes: Super-Silky Mashed Potatoes; Real Delmonico Steak & Argentine Chimichurri; Glazed Carrots; Super-Simple Green Salad; Classic Beignets