Cooking success is in the bag
By SONJA GLEATONT&D Staff Writer Monday, March 26, 2007
Barbara Hamrick, Judy Furtick and Kristi Owen of Orangeburg and Michele Turberville of St. Matthews will serve as cooking assistants at the Taste of Home Cooking School on Tuesday, March 27.
These energetic ladies will do the food prepping; the slicing, chopping, peeling and measuring of ingredients that will be used to prepare the 11 tasty recipes on stage during the cooking demonstration.
"The upcoming cooking school is all about great food and real people who take pride in what they cook and have fun doing it," said Michelle Roberts, Taste of Home's culinary specialist.
Roberts' cooking assistants certainly fit that description, and can only be described as passionate cooks who appreciate culinary dishes from all over the world.
"I love cooking, and enjoyed working with Clemson Extension Service 4-H programs for 21 years," Judy Furtick said. "I am also a big fan of the Taste of Home Cooking School demonstrations."
Sponsored by The Times and Democrat and Reid's grocery store, the Taste of Home Cooking School will be held at the Cinema Rooms of Orangeburg Mall. The doors will open at 5 p.m. and the cooking demonstration will begin at 7 p.m.
Roberts emphasized the importance of cooking demonstrations, updated recipes and cooking tips in today's modern world.
"Cooking trends are ever changing," Roberts said. "Leisurely dining is making a comeback. Taking time to appreciate every bite and enjoy both the food and the social experience is catching on as a healthy trend."
As ticketholders enter the door Tuesday, they will be given a complimentary gift bag filled with goodies from national and local sponsors.
Included will be a new Classic Cooking Taste of Home Cooking School magazine that includes recipes for the dishes that will be prepared on stage and a spring issue of "Birds and Blooms" magazine. There will be recipe and coupon booklets, nutritional information, grocery list pads and seasoning packets from McCormick.
"Awakening to savor the flavors of food has renewed interest in seasoning." Roberts said, "Bland is definitely out and highly seasoned is in. Taste of Home Cooking is ready to savor spring with 11 flavorful, fast-to-fix recipes."
Also included in the gift bags will be an opportunity to win one of the 10 best seats in the house, compliments of North Furniture Company. One lucky person will get to take a comfortable chair home after the show. There will also be door prize drawings during the event.
The fun and food will not be limited to the stage production in the Palmetto Room. Beginning at 5 p.m., attendees will be able to visit a variety of crafts and food booths in the Carolina Room. From shrimp and grits to New Orleans Bread Pudding, there will be many delicious foods to sample at reasonable prices.
At the end of the cooking demonstration, the dishes prepared by Roberts will also be awarded as door prizes.
Cooking assistants Barbara, Judy, Kristi and Michelle invite all good cooks to the Taste of Home Cooking School for a fun-filled learning event.
"If you love to cook, or want to be a better cook, don't miss this event," Roberts said.
For more information call Carla Hall at 533-5528 or Missy Hutto at 533-5504.
* What: Taste of Home Cooking School
* When: Tuesday
* Where: Cinema Rooms at Orangeburg Mall
* Sponsors: The Times and Democrat and Reid's grocery store
Taste of Home Cooking School vendors include:
Food vendors:
* Edie's Bakery -- Dessert sandwiches, Red Velvet cookies and chocolate-dipped
strawberries
* Coca-Cola -- Refreshing colas
* DPU -- Bottled water
* Papa John's -- Pizza slices
* Reid's -- Assorted sandwiches and chips
* Buck Ridge Plantation -- Shrimp and grits
* Parish House Tea Room -- Chicken and tuna salad sandwiches, New Orleans bread pudding & raspberry lemonade
Other vendors:
* Black River Marine -- Fillet knives, gas cookers and pots and wild game
spices
* Mary Nell's -- Vera Bradley bags and totes, gourmet foods, fine gifts
* Bombadil's -- Vegetable plants, assorted annuals and perennials
* Mimi's -- White Trash Snack food, samples of Vineyard Frost cocktail mixers
* Main Street Garden and Gifts -- hand-painted serving platters and wine
glasses, dip mixes, home decor items
* Gifts 'n Things -- Featuring monogrammed china
* Taste of Home Entertaining -- Items for cooking and home entertaining
Times and Democrat Staff Writer Sonja Gleaton can be reached by email at sgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.
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