Last chance to register for Taste of Georgia before tuition increase

On September 11, we will be introducing Champaign-Urbana to the unique cuisine of Georgia, a former Soviet state nestled between Europe and Asia. Georgian cuisine is beloved by Russians as well as curious and adventurous foodies all over the world. This is your last chance to register for this class at the discounted price of $40 per seat. Urbana Park District's "early bird" tuition ends two weeks before the start of each class, so please reserve your seat by Wednesday, August 27 at midnight because prices will increase by $10 on August 28.

My first taste of Georgian cuisine was in a restaurant in Moscow. Our Russian friends took us to their favorite Georgian restaurant, and what we ate was like nothing else we've tried before. Almost like a mashup of Middle Eastern, Persian, and Asian traditions, Georgian dishes are complex, full of flavor, and mouthwateringly good. Since that first experience, we have sought out Georgian cuisine wherever we traveled. We got lucky and found Nani in Baden-Baden, Germany, which was where I first tried Tarkhun, a tarragon-infused herbal soda. Then we lucked into Bevri in Palo Alto, which was a trendy and upscale spot that was packed with happy in-the-know diners with deep pockets. After this experience, I decided to teach myself how to make a few Georgian dishes at home, and now I am ready to share these recipes with you:

• Pkhali (minced vegetables with walnut sauce)
• Khinkali (Georgian soup dumplings)
• Kharcho (beef stew)

This class is part of my PRINCIPLES OF ETHNIC COOKING series, which will be followed by Oaxacan Flavors on October 2, and Nuovo Italian on October 30 with guest chef Kayla Lammy. Full menu and details for the entire series is here: www.cooking-with-paul.com/upd-2025-fall.html

More information about my cooking classes and pop-up events can always be found on my website, where you'll also find over 200 recipes from my classes (no ads!). You can also subscribe to my email newsletter or follow me on Instagram or Facebook and like my posts. Bon appétit!