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Wickedfood Cooking School, SUNNINGHILL

Information & bookings (011) 234-3252 sunninghill@wickedfood.co.za

Hi all

In this weeks newsletter we look at 3 different food events happening in Joburg right now. The Soweto Mushroom Festival, the Oktober Bierfest in Montecasino and the ever popular RMB WineX Wine Festival where you Drink wine and be fabulous. We also look into ways of creating a greener kitchen. A green kitchen will have a positive impact on both your family and the environment. Something to keep in mind: this is not an all-or-nothing proposition. If you can even integrate one or two of these ideas into a remodel or kitchen upgrade, you’re having a positive impact. We also highlight ‘Bacteria in the home’  in this weeks Food Tip.

Find us on Facebook and Twitter – just search for Wickedfood and you will find us. We update the blog on a daily basis and publish it through Facebook and Twitter.

 

Wickedfood Cooking School News

 

Our  individual cooking class programmes are up on the internet. Click the link for the appropriate month – October or November

Week 1 – 31 October to 06 November

 

Tuesday 01 November at 6pm – Informal festive entertaining (R390pp). Entertaining during Christmas time does not have to be laborious, our informal festive cooking class takes the stress out of Christmas. Dishes include seafood salad, orange glazed poussins, roast pork, and mini mixed fruit strudels.

 

Sunday 06 November at 4pm – Spicy Thai (R380pp). Thai cuisine places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components. Thai cuisine is also known for being quite spicy as well as balancing the four fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: sour, sweet, salty, and (optional) bitter. Learn how to balance these tastes in our Thai cooking class. Dishes include Minced pork northern style, Spicy chicken soup, Deep-fried fish in a garlic sauce, Sweet and sour vegetables, Stir-fried noodles and Sweet rice pudding

 

Week 2 – 07 to 13 November

 

Monday 07 November at 6pm – Classic French cooking(R370pp). This French cookery Class is a perfect introduction to French cuisine, which includes cheese soufflé, potato and leek soup, coq au vin, potato gratin, and tarte tatin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green ideas for your Home:

The Green Home: Kitchen Ideas

Benefits of a Green Kitchen
A green kitchen will have a positive impact on both your family and the environment. The materials that go into a green kitchen are more ecoloically friendly than traditional materials. Special attention is paid to creating less waste in a green kitchen renovation. Green design typically integrates other Earth-friendly features, such as spaces for recycling, collecting compost, and maybe even growing a few fresh herbs. Finally, a green renovation pays special attention to the health of your family. Issues like indoor air quality, reduction of allergens and other chemicals, and increasing your exposure to natural dayliight are all part of the plan. It’s about a healthier Earth, and a healthier you.
Please keep in mind: this is not an all-or-nothing proposition. If you can even integrate one or two of these ideas into a remodel or kitchen upgrade, you’re having a positive impact.

Features of a Green Kitchen
Here are some of the aspects of a green kitchen:
1. Real wood cabinets, or cabinets made from natural materials such as wheatboard or strawboard.
Cabinets made with materials such as particle board or plywood are made using binders and adhesives that offgas harmful chemicals in your home. These chemicals, including formaldehyde, have been shown by the EPA to cause and worsen conditions such as asthma and allergies. In addition, formaldehyde is a known carcinogen. Real wood doesn’t offgas, and, if it’s finished with natural waxes or no VOC paints or stains, you won’t have to worry about chemicals from the finish either. Ideally, the wood for your kitchen cabinets should be from an eco-friendly source—either certified as having been sustainably grown and harvested, or reclaimed from other sources.

2. Natural flooring.
Look for natural materials such as bamboo, cork, natural linoleum, or reclaimed or sustainable wood, and finish them with natural oils or sealers. Again, traditional materials such as vinyl offgas in our homes, negatively affecting our health and indoor air quality. Other materials, such as granite and marble, are fine for air quality but are not sustainable options.

3. Natural countertops.
Many of the same issues found in flooring are issues with countertops as well.

4. Energy Efficient Appliances and Lighting
Try to buy the most efficient appliances you can afford. If you can only choose one item to splurge on, purchase an energy efficient refrigerator. Look for the Energy Star label. You can also visit the Energy Star website to compare several different brands and models of refrigerators. According to Energy Star, refriger

ation accounts for up to 10% of our total home energy use. If we can make this area more efficient, it will go a long way toward reducing our environmental impact. Of course, be sure to use compact fluorescent or LED lights throughout your kitchen as well.

5. Pay attention to your windows.
A large part of the green home movement is about improving our health through improving our homes. One way to do that is to make wise window choices. Make sure that your kitchen windows are operable, so that you can get fresh air into your home. Also make sure that your windows let in plenty of natural sunlight. Sunlight not only reduces our need for electric lights during the day, but it has been shown to have a positive impact on our health as well, reducing afflictions such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

6. Reduce waste.
From the start of your renovation through to the day-to-day use of your green kitchen, try to reduce waste as much as possible. During renovation, look for places to donate or recycle your old appliances, cabinets, and building materials. The less we send to the landfills, the better. Along the same line of thinking, green kitchens focus on making recycling and composting easy. A dedicated area for recycling, as well as being sure you have an area for collecting compostable kitchen scraps, are both great ideas for a green kitchen. It can be as complex or simple as you’d like. Simple solutions include an area set aside for a recycling bin system and a crock or pail stored on your countertop for collecting kitchen scraps.

 

 

 

 

Food tip of the week:

BACTERIA IN THE HOME

The most dangerous sources of virulent bacteria, including E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus and others, is the typical kitchen sponge and ‘dish cloths’ in American homes. They provide a source of moisture,  a ready food supply in the form of food particles, and an easy surface to which the bacteria may cling. They can easily be disinfected however, by placing in a microwave oven for 60 seconds. The odor is improved too!

 

 

Interesting places in Joburg:

Soweto Mushroom Festival

When: Friday, 28 October 2011 to Sunday, 30 October 2011
Where: Soweto
Categories: Annual Festivals / Food & Wine

Oktober Bierfest Sandton

When: Thursday, 27 October 2011 to Saturday, 29 October 2011
Where: Fourways
Categories: Annual Festivals / Entertainment

RMB WineX Wine Festival

When: Wednesday, 26 October 2011 to Friday, 28 October 2011
Where: Sandton
Categories: Annual Festivals / Food & Wine

 

The Wickedfood Team

 

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Wickedfood Cooking School runs classes throughout the year at its purpose-built Johannesburg cooking school. Cooking lessons are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – team building cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference.

 

Our cooking courses are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and team building cooking classes, these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients. Great Team building ideas.