Great Escape: Garden City Culinary Classes

Does the dreaded “What’s for dinner?” question have you running for cover? Your weekly dinner menu got you down?

Each week, we’ll tell you about one great idea, right here in your community, to give you a much deserved break, make your life a little easier or simply have some fun.

For culinary rescue, grab some friends or the hubby and book a cooking class at Sugar & Spice Culinary Arts in Garden City's West end. Classes offer hands-on experience and demonstrations of culinary tools and techniques.

Proprietor Vivian Flood covers all bases with workshops on pantry staples to soups and sauces. A sample spring dinner demonstration features a caramelized onion and goat cheese tart; lamb chops; roasted potatoes; pea shoots with shallots and berry cobbler. Students can then enjoy their meal in their cozy French country kitchen.

Garden City’s Viking Cooking School located on Franklin Avenue offers a wide array of classes such as ethnic cuisines, basic techniques of cooking, baking, vegetarian, party menus and more. On the cutting edge of all things culinary, they are constantly developing new seasonal menus and unique offerings such as a “Superfoods Workshop" featuring foods that are high in nutrients and rich in antioxidants.

"Girls Night Out" and "Date Night" classes offer hands-on learning, creative menus and a twist on dining out. Guest chef demonstrations are also popular. Gerard Molloy, culinary director, advised that contestants from the popular cooking shows Chopped and Top Chef will be visiting this spring.

For further information about class offerings at Sugar & Spice Culinary Arts visit www.ssculinaryarts.com or call 516-488-1008. To contact the Viking Cooking School or enroll online visit www.vikingcookingschool.com or call 516-877-1010.