Wine & Food Exploration
Fall 2023
Wine Tastings at ARIES Wine and Spirits
Husband and wife team Anthony Russo and Andrea Kish, fine wine buyers and owners of ARIES Wine and Spirits, make wine appreciation and education fun and memorable! You must be 21 and over to register. No refunds for these classes. Courses are held at Aries Wine and Spirits, 128 West Post Road, White Plains. Phone: 914-946-3382. Classes begin promptly at 7 pm; please allow enough time to park and sign in. Each class meets for 1 Tues., 7:00-9:00 pm, and costs $26 (+ $25 sampling fee, payable in CASH, to instructor).
ABC’s of White Wine
This “Anything But Chardonnay” course will cover chardonnay, the world’s most well-known white wine, discussed and tasted in comparison with five other white wine grapes. Grape origin, winemaking style, wine service, storage, and pairing with foods will be covered. Appropriate cheeses will be served as palate cleansers and to demonstrate food and wine compatibilities. CE-WINE 2001, 1 Tues., Oct. 24. #91977
ABC’s of Red Wine
This “Anything But Cabernet” course will cover Cabernet Sauvignon, the world’s most widely grown red wine, discussed and tasted in comparison with five other red wine grapes. Grape origin, winemaking style, wine service, storage, and pairing with foods will be covered. Appropriate cheeses will be served as palate cleansers and to demonstrate food and wine compatibilities. CE-WINE 2000, 1 Tues., Nov. 14. #91978
Exploring Flagship Wines from the Southern Hemisphere
Africa, Australia, New Zealand and South America have all established themselves as world class wine producers and put some unique grape varieties in the forefront. Tonight we will taste six of these wines. Will they all be red or will some be white? You will have to attend the class to find out! As usual, we will have some typical regional foods for pairing with our tasting. CE-WINE 2017, 1 Tues., Dec. 5. #92137
Baking & Cooking
Remote: Apple Season Recipes
With apple season in full swing, learn new recipes featuring the quintessential fall ingredient. During this cooking demonstration and tip-filled class, you will discover how to infuse flavors from the orchard throughout your cooking. We will be covering a variety of recipes that incorporate apples including a chicken dish, side dishes, dessert, and more. CE-COOK 2078, 1 Tues., Oct. 17, 6:30-8:00 PM, $25. V Young. #92133
IN-PERSON: Buttercream Decorating Techniques
Learn the basic art of decorating with buttercream. In this workshop, learn how to prepare icing to obtain the right consistency for decorating, how to color icing, and how to fill a decorating bag. Discover the basic art of cupcake and cake decorating through basic baking tips and tricks. Transform simple and ordinary piping techniques into extraordinary designs. In the first class, students will bring eight cupcakes to decorate and for the second class, students will bring a cake to decorate. At SUNY Westchester Valhalla: CE-COOK 2060, 2 Sat., $65 (+ $40 materials fee, payable to instructor). L Nicholas
Sec A: Sept. 9-16, TEC 114, 10:00 am-1:00 pm. #91932
Sec. B: Oct. 7-14, KNC-4, 4:00-7:00 pm. #91933
IN-PERSON: Fondant Decorating Techniques
Learn the art of decorating with fondant. Learn how to work with fondant and color fondant, cover a cake, and make fondant decorations. Students will bring a cake to decorate and a container to carry home their completed cake project. At SUNY Westchester Valhalla: CE-COOK 2061, 1 Sat., Dec. 16, $26 (+ $40 materials fee, payable to instructor). L Nicholas.
Sec. A: 10:00 am-12:00 noon, KNC-4. #91934
Sec. B: 4:00-6:00 pm, KNC-5. #91935
IN-PERSON: Fun with Spices
Want to learn how to weave the healthy benefits and seductive flavor of spices into your culinary repertoire? This class is for you! Discover about common spices, how to work with them, their health benefits, and the importance of layering flavor. Students will also learn to make five different spice blends from around the world and discuss how to use these in recipes. $35 materials fee per person, includes spices, storage supplies and cookbook. At SUNY Westchester Valhalla: CE-COOK 2070, 2 Sat., Sept. 16 & 23, 10:00 am-12:30 pm, KNC-2, $60 (+$35 for recipe book and materials for class, payable to instructor). R Bhattacharya. #92060
IN-PERSON: Indian Cooking Made Fun and Simple
Love Indian food and want to learn how to cook it in an easy and practical manner? You are in luck! This series of classes will take you through a complete journey in Indian cooking, covering everything from stocking up an essential spice pantry to cooking your favorite dishes and incorporating healthy seasonal produce. This virtual class is designed for all levels and will accommodate most dietary restrictions. At SUNY Westchester Valhalla: CE-COOK 2064, 4 Sat., Sept. 8-29, 5:30-8:00 pm, KNC-3, $130 (+$20 for required cookbook, payable to instructor). R Bhattacharya. #92061
Remote: Vibrant Soups
Winter ingredients transform into cozy and warming soups. Learn to make two soups, an Italian pasta e fagioli (pasta and beans) and roasted vegetable soup while exploring customization, flavor combinations, and all the tips necessary for creating delicious winter meals based around these satisfying recipes that can be made vegan or vegetarian. (Ingredient list and recipe provided in advance for those who wish to cook along.) CE-COOK 2076, 1 Tues., Nov. 14, 6:30-8:00 pm, $20. V Young. #91886
IN-PERSON: Looking Under (and Beyond) the Label
Does it matter that you can’t pronounce most of the ingredients listed in your meals or your kids’ snacks? What exactly are “natural” flavors? Why are there over 60 names for sugar? Confused about which cooking oils are good to use? You’re not alone. In this eye-opening course, we’ll dissect the food labels of our favorite products to learn what we’re really feeding ourselves and our family. We will uncover why we crave certain foods, learn about chemical ingredients and how they affect us, and dig deep into the quality of our food and the food industry. Come with an open mind and a willingness to participate. At SUNY Westchester Valhalla: CE-HLTH 2103VA, 3 Thurs., Oct. 12-26, 10:30-11:30 am, KNC-3, $40. S Wood. #91862
Spring 2024
Wine Tastings at ARIES Wine and Spirits
Husband and wife team Anthony Russo and Andrea Kish, fine wine buyers and owners of ARIES Wine and Spirits, make wine appreciation and education fun and memorable! You must be 21 and over to register. No refunds for these classes. Courses are held at Aries Wine and Spirits, 128 West Post Road, White Plains. Phone: 914-946-3382. Classes begin promptly at 7 pm; please allow enough time to park and sign in. Each class meets for 1 Tues., 7:00-9:00 pm, and costs $30 (+ $25 sampling fee, payable in CASH, to instructor).
ABC’s of White Wine
This “Anything But Chardonnay” course will cover chardonnay, the world’s most well-known white wine, discussed and tasted in comparison with five other white wine grapes. Grape origin, winemaking style, wine service, storage, and pairing with foods will be covered. Appropriate cheeses will be served as palate cleansers and to demonstrate food and wine compatibilities. CE-WINE 2001, 1 Tues., Apr. 2. #27028
ABC’s of Red Wine
This “Anything But Cabernet” course will cover Cabernet Sauvignon, the world’s most widely grown red wine, discussed and tasted in comparison with five other red wine grapes. Grape origin, winemaking style, wine service, storage, and pairing with foods will be covered. Appropriate cheeses will be served as palate cleansers and to demonstrate food and wine compatibilities. CE-WINE 2000, 1 Tues., Apr. 23. #27029
Rosé in May
Rosé Wines are “hot” but will keep you cool when your heart says “red” but the weather says “white”. Explore rose wines from places where you may not know rose wines are made, and from grapes that you never thought roses would be made from. Of course, we will also sample a Provence rose to use as a comparison. Light and seasonal summertime munchies will be served to demonstrate the surprisingly large variety of foods that are delicious with these wines. CE-WINE 2014, May 7. #27030
BAKING & COOKING
Spring Side Dishes
Side dishes make every meal more memorable. In this class, we will transform them using the fresh flavors of spring. Incorporate seasonal vegetables, tender herbs, and other delicious ingredients into side dishes perfect for everyday meals or spring entertaining. Ingredient list will be sent ahead of time for those who wish to cook along. CE-COOK 2080, 1 Tues., Mar. 26, 6:30-8:00 pm, $25. V. Young. #27270
Vegetable Paella Dinner
Seasonal vegetables are the perfect ingredients for a garden-inspired paella. In this class we will make a seasonal version of the classic Spanish rice dish and learn a variety of ways to adapt this dish. Ingredient list will be sent ahead of time for those who wish to cook along. CE-COOK 2081, 1 Wed., Apr. 17, 6:30-8:00 pm, $25. V. Young. #27271
Looking Under (and Beyond) the Label
In this eye-opening course, we’ll dissect the food labels of our favorite products to learn what we’re really feeding ourselves and our family. We will uncover why we crave certain foods, learn about chemical ingredients and how they affect us, and dig deep into the quality of our food and the food industry. Come with an open mind and a willingness to participate. At SUNY Westchester Valhalla: CE-HLTH 2103VA, 3 Thurs., Oct. 12-26, 10:30-11:30 am, KNC-3, $40. S Wood. #91862