The Chopping Block, We'll Get You Cooking

Cheers to our Wine Sale

It's time to stock the cellar! And if you don't have a cellar (who does, really?), fill up your wine racks without spending a bundle. Our award-winning and affordable wine list goes on sale this month, along with all of our new wine accessories. Save 10% off all retail wine purchases in May.

Need to taste before you buy? Each Friday, our knowledgeable wine vendors will be pouring their personal favorites and speaking on the different varieties that make up our food-friendly collection. Stop by the Mart for a sip!

Fridays in May
4pm-6pm Merchandise Mart

After April Snow, Gardens Finally Grow

Lincoln Square
Community Garden

Now that April is behind us, let's hope the crazy weather we've had this spring is too. At our plot in the Lincoln Square Community Garden, we've finally got fennel, sweet peas, breakfast radishes, candy cane beets, golden beets, lemonade blueberries and Swiss chard in the ground.

We are bringing the farm to you in our new Farm to Table class. Hazzard Free Farm, located in Pecatonica, Illinois, will provide all of the produce for this class such as asparagus for Asparagus Bisque with Crispy Bacon-Potato Garnish. This cooking class is in tune with the season!

Shelley at Green City Market
Photo Credit: Chicago Food Scene

Shelley helped kick off the outdoor farmers' market season last Saturday with a demonstration at Green City Market. She made a croustade with Prairie Fruits Farms Goat Cheese, sauteed radishes, Three Sisters' pecans, kale flowers and micro mustard greens from Growing Power. This sharp appetizer does what it's supposed to: make you hungry!

Experience the Lincoln Square Farmer's Market with our professional chef as your guide in our Farmers' Market Tour and Cooking Class in June. We'll purchase the best seasonal produce and bring our über-fresh ingredients back to our kitchen for an improvisational cooking class.

Check out all of our just-released June cooking classes.

Brewed by Monks, Adored by Beer Fans

Trappist beers are often regarded as the best-tasting beers of the world. They are brewed by monks in only seven places within Belgium and the Netherlands. Hopleaf's Beer Expert, Michael Roper, will take you on an educational, historic and delicious tour of Trappist beers in next month's beer tasting class.

A Trappist Monk Tests Beer
Photo Credit:The Guardian

Trappist Beer Tasting
Monday, June 24 7pm at the Mart

If a cocktail is more your style, let our chefs show off their shaker skills in Summer Cocktails & Appetizers. You'll taste perfect pairings like Watermelon Mint Mojito with Chimichurri Flank Steak Crostini.

We pay tribute to the classic morning beverage with a menu full of dishes that will wake up your taste buds like Arugula and Strawberry Salad with Brioche Croutons and Lemon Vinaigrette in Bloody Mary Brunch.

You Don't Need the Wheat in Sweets

Our new Chef Spotlight classes highlight our chefs' talents, passions and personal favorite recipes.

Chef Melissa's Niece Elana

This month, we're featuring delicious Gluten-Free Desserts from Chef Melissa Novak. In her ten years of experience creating and testing her own gluten-free baking recipes, she has developed some amazing, foolproof goodies such as Strawberry-Lavender Shortcake with Vanilla Cream, which will be featured in this class.

Melissa often has her niece, Elana, taste test her creations and as you can see, this batch of cookie dough passed the test. Read more about Melissa and Elana's baking experiments in her latest blog.

This class is offered multiple times at both of our locations, so please search our class calendar for the best fit for your schedule.

Meat Madness

Meat lovers are getting their fill with our new pork-centric classes coming up in May. Sausage making, whole animal butchery and bacon: no matter your flesh faves, there's now a class for you:

Just Encase: Sausage-Making Basics
Bacon Lovers Brunch

The Sun is Out, Grilling is In

We're sprucing up our Lincoln Square patio to get ready for the return of our Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet sponsored Grilling Classes this month.

We're thrilled for our new lineup including The Thrill of the Grill featuring technique-driven dishes like Grilled Jerk-Rubbed Chicken Breasts. Take our Grilling Workshop to learn how to grill different dishes like Grilled Pizza with Asparagus and Goat Cheese for your outdoor parties this summer.

Don't get stressed by seasonal entertaining. We'll give you tips for easy yet impressive dishes like Drunken Pineapple, Blueberries and Mint with Grilled Pound Cake in Grillin' n' Chillin'. Chill out on our outdoor patio and indulge in a grilled Mediterranean feast featuring Rosemary Grilled Pork Chops with Roasted Peppers, Capers and Pine Nuts in Rendezvous under the Stars.

Need to vary your protein prowess? Our chefs have all of the basics covered in Beef on the Grill, Seafood on the Grill and Chicken on the Grill.

Whatever your protein (or vegetarian option) of choice, get grilling this summer!

Please note that some of the above classes are offered on multiple days, so please visit our class calendar to find specific days and times that fit your schedule.

Your Handy Boot Camp Reference Guide

Summer camp isn't just for the kids. From vegetables to sweets to a five-day intensive immersion course, there's camps for every adult cook, no matter your skill level.

Upcoming Boot Camps:

Working with Fish in Boot Camp

Sauce Boot Camp
Sunday, May 26 at the Mart

Culinary Boot Camp 1
Monday, June 17 thru Friday, June 21 at the Mart

Grilling Boot Camp
Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, June 30 at Lincoln Square

Our Donut & Cupcake Boot Camps are offered at multiple times at both of our locations, so peruse our calendars for the class that best fits your schedule.