Needham Community Education

Dumplings, simple dough wrapped around a variety of fillings, are the ultimate comfort food and are staples in kitchens around the globe. In this hands-on cooking class, Chef Thi of Powisset Farm will guide you through the steps to make your own perfect pillows of joy at home, including handmade wrappers, fillings, and dipping sauces, in both pan-fried and steamed versions. You will learn to make three kinds of fillings, seasonal vegetarian, pork, and shrimp; as well as two dipping sauces, garlic soy chili oil and tamarind cilantro.

This Women's History Month, join us for a farm-grown celebration of one of history's most iconic female chefs, Julia Child, and her cuisine. This hands-on class, with Chef Thi of Powisset Farm, will introduce you to some of Julia Child’s most beloved and popular recipes. We will make Local Cheese Gougères, Beef Bourguignon, and Gateau a l'Orange. You will learn how to incorporate Julia Child’s legacy into your own cooking. After class, we will sit down to enjoy the meal we prepared. “Bon Appetit!”

Join us for a spirited evening of fine bourbon and Southern charm. Celebrate the excitement of the races while indulging in a curated selection of bourbons. Get ready to sip, savor, and learn as our whiskey expert guides you through a tasting of exceptional bourbons which will include Gordon’s hand-picked private barrel selections. Each flight will be paired with delectable bites inspired by classic Southern cuisine prepared by Baker’s Best. Whether you’re a bourbon aficionado or just starting your journey, this event promises a delightful evening filled with Southern flavor! Note: A $20 whiskey fee is payable in class.

Dim Sum is a popular style of Cantonese cuisines that include small dishes that highlight different flavor profiles and cooking techniques. In this online interactive program, we will make cha shu chicken pastry, braised chicken with mushrooms, and vegetables with ginger garlic sauce. This will be a delicious meal to enjoy with your family or friends following the class. An ingredient list can be found here.

Are you the one who loves Indian food but is afraid to try it at home? Do the foreign spices and not so familiar list of beans and legumes intimidate you? If so, skip the takeout, put your apron on, and get ready to tackle some EASY Indian recipes. This class will incorporate traditional techniques and ingredients to teach some quick and easy dishes without sacrificing the taste. We will learn to make Potato and Tomato curry, a simple everyday curry, enticing rich and poor tables equally, Masoor Dal, (red lentils cooked with onion, ginger, garlic, and spices), and Spinach rice (Basmati rice cooked with spinach and tomatoes, peanuts, ghee, garam masala, brown sugar, and spices). We will end with a simple, easy to put together dessert of mango pulp and ice-cream with cardamom and shaved pistachios. This is homemade comfort food that will leave you craving for more. Note: A $20 ingredients fee is payable to the instructor in class.

Come experience regional and traditional varieties of Indian food, prepared over three evenings, followed by a tour of local Indian markets. The course aims to introduce the participants to a variety of Indian foods and an array of exotic spices. Day 1 – North India The most popular food outside of India comes from the North. Muslim emperors invaded and conquered established kingdoms in the North, and in the process introduced local Indians to the rich cuisine they brought with them. Indians adapted it but made it spicier than the original version. We will make a Vegetable Biryani and Saag Paneer–two very special dishes from the North. Day 2 – West India West India consisted of farmers and families associated with agriculture. The food culture of the state of Gujarat was built around festivals of new harvest, birth of Lord Krishna, seeding and planting, and folk music and dancing. The food of Gujarat is always vegetarian, distinguished by addition of sugar in most of their cooking. The predominant taste of Gujarati food is sweet and sour. We will make Khichdi (rice and dal, cooked together with a generous amount of ghee), Potato and Tomato Curry with a thick gravy, spiced with chili powder and garam masala, and Sheera (a sweet offering to Lord Krishna, cooked with cream of wheat, almonds, milk, butter and sugar, flavored with cardamom). Day 3 – South India The tip of South India is surrounded by 3 great bodies of water: Indian ocean, Arabian sea, and Bay of Bengal. So, it is no surprise that coconut and rice loom large in Southern Indian cooking. South Indian food, very popular in India, is just beginning to make its way into the Western world. We will be making the most famous dish from the South called Dosai (thin and crispy crepes made from rice and urad dal). Authentic Dosai take 3 days to prepare. We will soak the rice and beans on the first day, we will grind them into batter on the second day and let it ferment through the third day. These will be served with a spicy lentil and vegetable soup called Samba. We will also prepare a filling of onion and potatoes, cooked with chilies, ginger and a generous amount of lemon juice. Day 4- Market Tour Now that you have learned a variety of regional food and associated spices, we will visit a local Indian market in Waltham. You will be able to familiarize yourselves with how the spices are sold. We will learn storing and preservation techniques. We will also learn the medicinal values of different spices and how to incorporate them into daily cooking. Following the market tour, we will enjoy lunch together at a Waltham Indian restaurant (lunch cost not included in the course fee). Let’s get cooking!! Note: Note: A $60 ingredients fee is payable to the instructor in the first class.

As you explore the streets of Tel Aviv or any town in Israel, you'll discover a wide range of satisfying and affordable street food rooted in Middle Eastern history and culture and the culinary traditions brought by Jewish immigrants from around the world. In this class, our Israeli-born instructor will teach you how to make homemade versions of these beloved street foods, sharing cooking tips to help you recreate these iconic flavors at home. The menu features a hummus-based main dish, a Jerusalem bagel with za'atar, chicken shawarma, and chocolate rugelach. Some dishes will be demonstrated, while others will be hands-on. All prepared food will be served during the class or packed to take home.

Spring has sprung and we are celebrating Mother’s Day! In this class, your instructor will teach you how to watercolor paint with food coloring on royal icing cookies. These unique cookies will make any mother smile. Each student will receive 9 pre-baked cookies ready to be decorated. Some of the designs will include: flowers, leaves, mason jar. You will be provided with a box for bringing your cookies home. Note: This class can be a little messy so please bring your own apron. A $20 materials fee is payable to the instructor in class.

On a cold winter afternoon, let's learn how to prepare delicious Singapore laksa (a spicy noodle soup). We will start with making laksa paste from scratch and then incorporate the paste in our Singapore Laksa soup recipe, with chicken, shrimps, and/or tofu. If you want to make vegan laksa, you'll just skip the egg. Nothing can beat homemade laksa for taking the chill out of a brisk winter day!

The pepper world has been exploding, whether for cooking, to prepare hot sauces, or in a myriad of pepper related products such as relishes and jams. We will embark on a capsaicin-fueled Tour de Force, from the common jalapeno, chipotle and Tabasco pepper to the heart racing Ghost and Carolina Reaper – and many in between. A true evening of botany meeting food science and chemistry! To balance out these strong flavors, we will enjoy a wide range of beer cheeses from both the US and Europe, such as Vermont Farmstead’s Cheddy Topper and Sip of Sunshine cheddars to the UK’s Red Dragon featuring mustard seed and Welsh brown ale, and Belgium’s Chimay Rouge. The course will be taught by National Mustard Museum board member and botany major Ken Zuckerman, so expect to sample some surprisingly good pepper mustards as well. The common theme that will tangentially unite all these products is fermentation, whether producing vinegar, cheese or beer. As vinegar is such a crucial ingredient in hot sauces (and mustards) we will be delving into its intricacies as well, especially as it relates to barrel aging. Prepare for one hot and taste bud tingling evening!

Create some beautiful sweet treats for your Valentine. Your instructor will teach you how to make the perfect royal icing consistency to fill and outline Valentine’s Day-themed cookies. You will also learn the technique of wet-on-wet and dry-on-dry for the perfect looking treat. Each student will receive 9 pre-baked cookies ready to be decorated. You will be provided with a box for bringing your cookies home. Note: This class can be a little messy so please bring your own apron. A $20 materials fee is payable to the instructor in class.