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Portland
Hipcooks Newsletter


Newsletter for: December 2, 2010

 

 
 
Ho Ho Ho Hipcooks!
 
Hip Hip Hooray for 2010 - Thanks to you all for such a tasty year!  I wish you the warmest for this holiday season.

Since you've got a Holiday list a mile long, I'll keep this newsletter short and sweet:

Hipcooks Classes are posted! Here's the link to scheudles for Hipcooks EastLA, WestLA, Portland and Seattle
 
We're ringing in the new year with these top picks:

The Healthy, Fresh & Zingy 1, 2, and 3. Ring in the New Year with a happier, healthier You!  The HF&Z series takes you through 3 wonderful 3-course dinners, packed with color and flavor, as delicious as they are good for you. The classes all feature fish as the main course and otherwise are gluten-free and easily dairy-free. The Healthy Fresh and Zingy Trifecta. Take one, collect all three!

Hot Soup Focus Group.  Another healthy one for you to warm your soul. This class features on of our most rigorous knife-skill lessons. Come and learn how to cut like a samurai, and eat wonderful soups all winter long!


The holidays are coming: recommendations for great gifts.  Here's our Top 5 list:

  1. Homemade Holiday Cookies & Treats: learn how to make 'em in our Holiday Elves cooking class! EastLA, WestLA, and Seattle
  2. Handmade Beauty products:  Handmade soaps are beautiful, smell yummy and are an economical gift.  Learn how to make them, and lotions, scrubs and fabulous potions at the Hipcooks Beauty Class! WestLA and Portland 
  3. A gorgeous Cutting Board.  We've got a limited supply of shippable Hipcooks boards at our online store
  4. Give a Gift Certificate for a Cooking Class.  We've got gift certificates. They are super-cute. They are redeemable at all locations, they never expire. You can even get a PDF version if you wait until the last minute to order. But you're on top of your game, right?  ; )
  5. Give a Private Cooking Class.  Be it a company-bash or a dinner with friends, a Hipcooks private class is a sure-fire way for a fun & delicious event.
 
Recipes of the Month
I've got two for you.  An instructional video of our Spicy, Toasted and Caramelized Nuts.  A great holiday gift!  See our Facebook page for the video link!
 
And for you Luddites : ), a written recipe (also great for gift-giving)
Chocolate Earl Grey Truffles

2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and softened
2 teaspoons loose Earl Grey tea leaves, Loose tea leaves tend to be of higher quality than tea bags, giving the truffles a fresher, more distinct flavor.
6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
1 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder for rolling, or tempered dark chocolate for dipping

Bring cream and butter to a boil in a small heavy saucepan and stir in tea leaves. Remove from heat and let steep 5 minutes. Don’t oversteep or it will become bitter.

Meanwhile, finely grind chocolate in a food processor and transfer to a bowl. Pour cream through a fine-mesh sieve onto chocolate, pressing on and discarding tea leaves, then whisk until smooth. Chill ganache, covered, until firm, about 2 hours.  Mmmmm.  Earl Grey.

Spoon level teaspoons of ganache onto a baking sheet. Put cocoa in a bowl and dust your palms lightlywith it. Roll each piece of ganache into a ball. Drop several balls at a time into bowl of cocoa and turn in cocoa to coat. Transfer as coated to an airtight container, separating layers with wax paper. If you prefer to dip in truffle into chopped nuts, then chop pecans or almonds and roll the truffle.
 


Eat Well, Be Well.  And Happy Holidays!
Monika

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