Highly Recommended is a weekly spotlight on some of food writer Keith Pandolfi’s favorite finds as he eats his way across Greater Cincinnati. Come back every Tuesday for more, and dig into his recent food writing at Cincinnati.com.
As someone who writes about food for a living, you might think my cooking skills are up to snuff. Not so, I realized, when I took a class at Tablespoon Cooking Co. this past Friday. The class was part of my wife, Amy’s, holiday work party. Her boss had rented out the entire classroom for a private event that allowed everyone, spouses included, to prepare a feast that included paella, patatas bravas, sauteed shrimp with shell-infused garlic oil, croquettes and bacon-wrapped dates in a professional (and quite beautiful) kitchen.
I decided to keep things simple, slicing potatoes for the patatas bravas and making the aioli for the croquettes. While the latter was simple – Duke’s mayonnaise infused with garlic, paprika and lemon – it was nice having my instructor, Jessie Heikenfeld, let me know when I’d added just the right amount of lemon and salt. (Lesson: I go far too light on both). Heikenfeld, along with all of the instructors I met that night, has an easygoing demeanor, which gave me a sense of confidence as well as a healthy dose of encouragement.
Tablespoon is owned by Jordan Hamons, a classically trained chef with a degree from the Midwest Culinary Institute. Upcoming classes provide instruction on how to make a Buche de Noel (yule log) for the holidays and a pasta class where you’ll make cacio e pepe-stuffed ravioli with brown butter garlic sauce. Tablespoon also offers pastry classes, knife-skill classes and special weekend mimosa brunches. You can also purchase cooking accessories that, along with a class or two, make for a great gift.
For more information, visit tablespooncookingco.com.