Our fall season is almost finished, so it's time to start planning for spring. Here's a preview of the cooking classes we have planned for you next semester at Urbana Park District. Mark your calendar for December 3  if you want to be first to sign up for these spring cooking classes: On  February 12, 2026 , we will be celebrating Vietnamese Lunar New Year with guest chef  Thu Nguyen , a first-generation immigrant and " boat person " who forged a deep connection to her Vietnamese roots through food, family, and cultural engagement. Her passion for culinary arts blossomed in her twenties while living in Europe. Her journeys across more than 20 countries further enriched her palate and deepened her appreciation for authentic flavors. On March 5, 2026 , I will be presenting my version of Indian Delights where w e'll learn how to make a Garam Masala spice mix from scratch, then use this delightful seasoning to infuse a homemade Indian Goat Curr...

  This is Kayla Lammy, a University of Illinois grad student who is also my cooking partner and guest chef for our first ever "cooking workshop" and feast on Saturday, October 4, 2025. Our group chopped, grated, mixed, sauteed, boiled, baked, and grilled for 3 hours to prepare the ultimate German Oktoberfest banquet. Thanks to guest chef Kayla Lammy for developing the recipes and leading the workshop. Here's the final menu of what we put on our buffet table:  Kaltes Buffet (cold buffet): Black Forest ham, Braunscheiger (liver sausage), Landjaeger (smoked meat sticks), salami, Gebrannte Mandeln (candied almonds), Waffelröllchen (wafer rolls), Café Kranze (shortbread cookies), Kartoffelstäbchen (potato sticks) Homemade soft pretzels with Obatzda (beer cheese dip) German sausage platter with Kayla's venison bratwurst, weisswurst, knockwurst, sauerkraut, horseradish sauce, mustard, pickles, bread Spaetz...

  Harkening back to ancient Roman times, olive oil, garlic, cheese, and herbs have been combined around the Mediterranean region to become the essence of classic Italian cuisine. The best Italian dishes are the simplest ones, using the freshest seasonal ingredients and focusing on enhancing natural flavors. Modern Italian cuisine is more focused on regional specialties and often shows influences from neighboring countries. But the core philosophy of simplicity and sourcing fresh, local, seasonal ingredients remains the same. Tonight's vegetarian recipes were developed to highlight the seasonal flavors of fall with an emphasis on nutrition and taste: Butternut Squash Ravioli with Ricotta Cheese Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Dried Cranberries and Sunflower Seeds Dirty Chai Tiramisu Kayla Lammy will be our guest chef for this cooking class. Kayla is currently a second-year master’s student in the Food Science and Human Nutrition department at the Univer...