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Old Orchard Beach/Saco Adult and Community Education



Culinary Arts

Simple Northern Italian Cooking Section II

$65

with Moira Rascati

Calendar Apr 2, 2024 at 6 pm, runs for 1 week

Second session added due to popular demand!

Hearty dinners are a strong tradition in northern Italian cuisine. Discover a few straightforward recipes, such as grilled pepper salad, pasta with tomato basil sauce, shrimp with veggies and noodles and pork with garlic and rosemary sauce. Finish with a light and fluffy Marsala custard. Bring an apron and a sharp French knife.

Moira Rascati, a graduate of Culinary Institute of America in NY, has been a professional chef for 40+ years and at Joseph's by the Sea in Old Orchard Beach for more than 30. She is currently an instructor at SMCC in their culinary arts and nutrition programs.

Sippable Spring Wines

$45

with Gene A Barber

Calendar Apr 11, 2024 at 6 pm, runs for 1 week

Join wine expert Gene Barber to broaden your perspective. The urge for simple, fresh and transparent wines grows as the temperature rises. Discover how to choose the best white, red, rosé and sparkling wines. Discuss possible pairings and the best serving to improve your events. Start your spring off with something tasty! Vic & Whit's is offering four wines to taste along with some light, healthful appetizers. Register through OOB/Saco Adult Ed only. Free on-street parking available. Proof of registration required.

Gene Barber, a wholesale rep for Devenish wines, started his first wine-tasting club in 1974 and has been an avid student since. He deals primarily in low-yield, low-production sustainable, organic and natural wines.

Will run

Beyond the Tea Bag

$29

with Marianne E Russo

Calendar Apr 23, 2024 at 6 pm, runs for 1 week

Is loose leaf tea really worth the effort? Let’s do some comparisons and you be the judge. Learn a little about tea and where it comes from. How is tea from a bag different from loose-leaf tea? What’s all the fuss about? Explore how to make your best cup of tea, what you need for loose leaf preparation as well as other useful equipment. We will do side by side comparisons of several tea bag and loose leaf samples. Registration closes at noon on 4/22. Tuition includes materials.

Marianne Russo is a certified tea specialist with 20 years as the founder and owner of Nellie’s Tea Company. She studied under experts, including Pearl Dexter of Tea, A Magazine, and John Harney of Harney & Sons Fine Teas. She has traveled to China and Japan's tea fields and factories, the World Tea Expo and tea rooms in the US and abroad.

Making Flatbreads I Section I

$45

with Mary Elizabeth Bailey

Calendar Apr 24, 2024 at 6 pm, runs for 1 week

Back by popular demand!

Once you taste these homemade, fresh hot flatbreads, you won’t want to buy store-bought ever again! We’ll make pita bread, corn and flour tortillas, and a soft potato flatbread. Make and taste them with hummus, butter, cheese, jam and sandwich fillings. These recipes pair well with sweet and savory items, and best of all, they are easy to make. Recipes provided. Please bring an apron, mixing bowl, spoon and baggies for leftovers.

Mary Bailey, pastry chef and past owner/chef of Thyme and Honey Bakery in Biddeford, is passionate about baking bread and teaching people how to incorporate homemade bread into their daily lives.

Full Course

Culinary Knife Skills Section I

$39

with Moira Rascati

Calendar Apr 30, 2024 at 6 pm, runs for 1 week

Learn the basics of knife sharpening! Cooking that is both inventive and effective requires a sharp knife. Improve the speed and precision of your knifework. The anatomy of a knife, appropriate handling skills and the variety and quality of blades available will be discussed.

Moira will demonstrate the use of a sharpening steel and stone as well as show you a variety of cuts, including dice, Julienne, herb methods and basic boning. Discover the three knives essential to every kitchen. Bring a sharpening steel and/or stone, if you have one, along with a notebook and notepad, baggies for what you chop and a knife you want sharpened. There will be plenty of time and resources to practice and hone your new skill.

Moira Rascati, a graduate of Culinary Institute of America in NY, has been a professional chef for 40+ years and at Joseph's by the Sea in Old Orchard Beach for more than 30. She is currently an instructor at SMCC in their culinary arts and nutrition programs.

Full Course

Making Flatbreads I Section II

$45

with Mary Elizabeth Bailey

Calendar May 8, 2024 at 6 pm, runs for 1 week

Back by popular demand!

Once you taste these homemade, fresh hot flatbreads, you won’t want to buy store-bought ever again! We’ll make pita bread, corn and flour tortillas, and a soft potato flatbread. Make and taste them with hummus, butter, cheese, jam and sandwich fillings. These recipes pair well with sweet and savory items, and best of all, they are easy to make. Recipes provided. Please bring an apron, mixing bowl, spoon and baggies for leftovers.

Mary Bailey, pastry chef and past owner/chef of Thyme and Honey Bakery in Biddeford, is passionate about baking bread and teaching people how to incorporate homemade bread into their daily lives.

Full Course

Cream Puffs & Eclairs

$69

with Mary Elizabeth Bailey

Calendar May 15, 2024 at 6 pm, runs for 1 week

What do eclairs, cream puffs, profiteroles and gougères all have in common? They are all made with the same kind of dough! Pâte à choux is a versatile and easy-to-make pastry component that can be used in both sweet and savory applications. In this class, we will tackle how to make pâte à choux, how to pipe it (depending on how we want to use it), bake it, and fill it. Learn different ways to use this pastry dough and elevate your appetizer and dessert game. There will be plenty of options for filling and tasting. Please bring an apron and baggies for leftovers. Recipes provided.

Mary Bailey, pastry chef and past owner/chef of Thyme and Honey Bakery in Biddeford, is passionate about baking bread and teaching people how to incorporate homemade bread into their daily lives.

Biddeford Foodie Walking Tour
Registration Unavailable

Biddeford Foodie Walking Tour

$65

with Kristen Bartlett

Calendar Jun 2, 2024 at 2 pm, runs for 1 week

Maine's hottest foodie town offers delicious dining experiences at various establishments like Palace Diner, Fish & Whistle, Nibblesford and Sweetcream Dairy. Tour the town while exploring some of the best spots, learn to order wisely and explore tips for enhancing your dining experience. Expect to stop at 5-8 eateries for samples and learn about more hot spots that make our local foodie scene thrive! Tuition includes food samples at 5-8 stops, map with handout of local eateries, Eat Biddeford pins and Bid-fid stickers! Please note that dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in most instances, as the restaurants decide which samples they will provide.

Note: Tour-goers will be notified of weather postponements by 11 AM in the case of extreme weather. Light rain will not cause cancellations.

Rain date: 6/9.

Required: Proof of registration required. Please wear comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing, bring a bag and money for any extra purchases.

Kristen Bartlett, owner of Alley Oop Apothecary, established in 2020, practices many forms of art and has studied drawing, oil painting, graphic design, and photography. Additionally, she has been passionately immersed in the foodie and holistic worlds most of her working life and brings decades of experience and knowledge about both food and local producers of food through her former work as a local producer forager for Whole Foods Market.





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