Thanks for your interest in New Pioneer cooking classes, demonstrations, and lectures!

Registration is required unless noted. You can register online using PayPal by clicking on the Event Calendar link at the left, or contact Genie Maybanks (319) 248-6408, gmaybanks@newpi.coop.

Classes are held at the Coralville New Pioneer Food Co-op unless otherwise noted. For a full refund, we request 48 hours notice.

Summer White Wines
with Jay Berry
Tues., June 5, 6:00-8:00 pm
$20/person
The warm weather stirs our interest in white wines. Join
wine enthusiast Jay Berry as he savors affordable, pleasing
white wines from around the world. We’ll sample wine
from Spain, France, California, Italy, Australia, and the
state of Washington. Sauvignon Blanc, Grüner Veltliner,
Albariño, Hondarrabi Zuri, and Hondarribi Beltza are
among the grapes that inspire us, and wine geeks will
enjoy sampling the Basque Txakoli. We will offer special
prices on featured wines this night only.

Capture the Charm of Strawberries in Jam
with Rod Zeitler
Thurs., June 7, 6:00-8:00 pm
$15/per person
Rod Zeitler wins prizes at the Iowa State fair for his
excellent jams and jellies. Join Rod as he prepares
strawberry jam from fruit to jar, sharing tips on creating
a safe, beautiful, and delicious product. Rod prefers
the local strawberries fresh from the grower, though if
strawberries are not available, we will use rhubarb. Rod
will offer insights into how to modify the basic fruit
jam recipe to use a variety of fruits, including apricots,
raspberries, and more.

Fresh Italian Pasta 101
with Chef Gianluca Baroncini
Tues., June 12, 6:00-8:00 pm
$25/person
Chef Baroncini has built a reputation for excellent fresh
pasta at his downtown Iowa City restaurant. Join Gianluca
as he shares the secrets of preparing fresh pasta from
dough to sauce. Gianluca will bring his pasta machine to
mix and roll two types of pasta: fettuccini, and chitarra
spaghetti. The class will have a chance to sample the pasta
with two quick and fun sauces: Fresh Basil and Tomato,
and Parmesan Pancetta. You will enjoy Gianluca’s love of
his native Italy’s culinary traditions, and his appreciation
for excellent Co-op ingredients. A special feature of this
class will be the chance to taste several Italian wines.

Lose Weight with Hypnosis and Guided Imagery
with Kristin Volk Funk
Thurs., June 14, 6:00-7:30 pm
$10/person
Clinical Therapist Kristin Volk Funk specializes in
hypnotherapy and helps clients with personal growth,
stress reduction, healing, and pain control, as well as
losing weight and just published, As Thin as You Think.
Join Kristin for this transformative presentation on how
your mind is your most powerful weight loss tool. If your
weight goes up and down, or if you just can’t seem to
stay on a healthful diet no matter how hard you try, this
class is for you. Learn how to enjoy a positive relationship
with food, and permanently lose weight with ease and
confidence. This class will include group hypnosis.

Veggie Sushi
with David Burt
Tues., June 19, 6:00-8:00 pm
$15 /person
Dazzle your guests with platters of homemade sushi!
Sushi Roll, also called Nori Maki, features seasoned rice
and various fillings rolled up in sheets of toasted nori, a
sea vegetable formed into paper-like sheets. The roll is
then sliced crosswise to reveal the filling. Students will
have a chance to try their hand under the supervision of
instructor David Burt, chef and owner of the former Red
Avocado restaurant.

Hands-on Turkish Phyllo Pastry
with Resmiye Oral and Nukhet Yarbrough
Thurs., June 21, 6:00-8:00 pm
$20/person, limit 12 students
Phyllo dough is a traditional Turkish sheet pastry used to
great effect in savory Spanakopita, and in the delectable
dessert Baklava. In Spanakopita, the phyllo pastry sheets
are buttered and layered to embrace a cooked spinach
and cheese filling. They are handled similarly in Baklava,
which features nuts, spices, and sweetener. Join native
Turks Resmiye and Nukhet to create these unusual
items. Each student may try their hand at creating a
small phyllo dough pastry of their own. Resmiye and
Nukhet will serve traditional Turkish beverages, and
offer fun and educational insight into Turkish culture.

Pizza from Scratch
with Chad Clark
Tues., June 26, 6:00-8:00 pm
$15/person
Join Chad Clark as he prepares pizza, beginning with
the dough and ending with a dazzling array of possible
toppings. Chad will use an electric mixer to prepare the
yeast-leavened dough. He’ll share his opinions on the
best mix of cheese and discuss how to season the pizza
sauce. Come learn how to make the best pizza ever at
home, with the opportunity to use excellent ingredients
and customize the pie to suit your crowd.

Sweet and Savory Crêpes
with Valerie Martin
Thurs., June 28, 6:00-8:00 pm
$20/person
Valerie Martin’s grandmother came from Brittany, in
Western France. Crêpes are a featured food of this area,
and Valerie learned as a young girl how to prepare the thin,
egg-rich pancakes, to fill with various delicious fillings.
Join Valerie as she demonstrates the preparation of the
savory Cheese, Bacon, and Spinach Crêpe, and the sweet
Lemon Blueberry Crêpe. Once you’ve mastered the art
of preparing the delicate crêpe, many inventive fillings are
possible, and you will be able to create your own favorites.

Plant-Based Summer Feast
with David Burt
Tues., July 10, 6:00-8:00 pm
$20/person
A plant-based diet helps keep you feeling young, and
summer offers us a delightful array of ingredients. Join
Chef David Burt, chef and owner of the former Red
Avocado restaurant, as he demonstrates the preparation
of a four-course meal from all-Iowa produce. Nature
permitting, we will feast on Cucumber Soup, followed
by of Zucchini, Tomato, and Snap Pea Ragout with Iowa
Polenta, Braised Kale and Mustard Greens topped with
pine nuts. We will refresh our palate with a Japanese take
on Heirloom Tomato and Basil Salad, and finish with
Chocolate-Berry Mousse.

Julia Child's Favorites
with Valerie Martin
Thurs., July 12, 6:00-8:00 pm
$20/person
Julia Child brought French cooking to America in the ‘50s.
Now Valerie Martin demonstrates the preparation of three
classic French favorites that Julia loved. Join Valerie as she
prepares Poached Chicken in Tarragon White Wine Sauce,
Ratatouille (a hearty vegetable stew, good hot or cold),
and Crème Caramel, a delightful cousin of Crème Bruleé.
The Tarragon Chicken is a good dinner party entrée, as it
can wait patiently if guests linger over pre-dinner drinks.
Pleasing wine will accompany samples of food.

Authentic Italian Culinary Traditions
with Chef Gianluca Baroncini
Tues., July 17, 6:00-8:00 pm
$25/person
Chef Gianluca Baroncini’s passion for culinary excellence
and love of authentic traditional Italian food comes from
his childhood in Verona (famous for pasta), and studies in
Bardolino (famous for risotto). After a successful career in
award-wining Italian restaurants in Washington, D.C., to
our good fortune, Gianluca moved to Iowa City with his
wife and opened Baroncini Ristorante Italiano in spring
of 2011. Join us as Gianluca reviews and prepares both
fresh and dried pasta and creates two easy sauces: Pasta
Primavera and Pasta Carbonara. We’ll explore and sample
Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and fine Italian wine. Salute!

Hands-On: Thai Spring Rolls
with Roxane Mitten
Thurs., July 19, 6:00-8:00 pm
$15/person
Thai spring rolls feature fresh and delicately flavored
ingredients wrapped in translucent rice noodles,
accompanied by flavorful dipping sauces such as spicy
peanut. Join Roxane as she demonstrates the preparation of
spring rolls with shrimp, pork, bean thread noodles, lettuce,
mint, cilantro, and other fresh ingredients. Learn to create
a beautiful presentation by placing the ingredients
artistically within the rice noodle wrapper. Make
and eat a unique roll using your favorite ingredients
in this hands-on class.

Homemade Baby Food
with Melanie Gross
$15/person
Tues., July 24, 6:00-8:00 pm
Melanie Gross loves making baby food from scratch. She
believes it is healthier, cheaper, and more environmentallyfriendly.
Her three children, now ages seven, five, and
three, were raised on fruits, vegetables, and grains right
from the Co-op. Enjoy her enthusiasm as she shares her
knowledge on all aspects of the best homemade baby
foods. She will demonstrate the preparation of sweet
potatoes, green beans, peaches, as well as oats and millet,
and then show how to safely store them for future use.

Managing Acid Reflux through Diet
with Lisa Scranton, MS, RD, LD
Thurs., July 26, 6:00-8:00 pm
$15/person
Do you suffer from acid reflux or silent reflux? These
conditions can cause symptoms such as burning in your
esophagus, chronic hoarseness, or coughing and sniffling
when you eat. As our food supply becomes increasingly
processed and acidified, more people are suffering from
reflux at younger ages. But natural relief is available! If you
have been diagnosed with reflux, join registered dietitian
Lisa Scranton as she demonstrates the preparation of an
anti-reflux meal featuring Basil Pesto Fish, Raspberryglazed
Roasted Parsnips with Carrots, and a Late Summer
Fruit Cobbler. Lisa will discuss the science behind reflux,
the principles of food acidity, and the best foods to
minimize reflux symptoms.

‘Farewell to Summer’ Pestos
with Genie Maybanks
Tues., August 28, 6:00-8:00 pm
$15/person
Pesto means “paste” in Italian, referring to the smooth
texture of the traditional mix of crushed fresh basil,
ground pine nuts, grated Parmesan, garlic, and olive
oil. Join Genie as she demonstrates the preparation of
a variety of pestos, some conventional, some shockingly
new. She will prepare Traditional Basil Pesto, Pistachio
Cilantro Pesto, and Macadamia Dill Pesto. She will
also demonstrate the preparation of homemade Yogurt
Cheese flavored with Fresh Herbs.

Making ‘Local’ Last All Winter
with Rachel Morey
Thurs., September 13, 6:00-8:00 pm
$15/person
Can you picture yourself enjoying local food all winter?
Rachel Morey finds satisfaction and fun in processing
her garden abundance by canning, drying, fermenting,
and root cellaring. Join Rachel as she explains the “math”
of how much to grow, how much to process, and what
preservation techniques work best for each crop. Rachel
will demonstrate water bath canning of tomato sauce
(delicious for salsa or spaghetti sauce), fermentation
of kim chee, drying fruits and herbs, and discuss the
role of root cellaring.

We Love Bacon
with Genie Maybanks
Thurs., September 20, 6:00-8:00 pm
$25/person
Bacon is sexy, bacon is fun! Join bacon lover Genie
Maybanks for a romp through her favorite recipes
featuring outstanding Iowa bacon and beyond. Learn
about and sample pancetta, prosciutto, and thick cut
bacon; try the unique double smoked Nueske’s, hailed
as one of the top ten bacons in the nation. Genie will
demonstrate the preparation of Bacon Wrapped Dates,
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus, Spicy Squash Soup
with Bacon Crumbles, Savory Chard, Prosciutto and
Gruyère Soufflé style Dutch Pancake, Gnocchi with
Pancetta, and Alambres, the ‘taco truck’ style steak and
bacon tacos. Sample size portions will be served.

Click here for our free & fun Summer Garden Parties at Earth Source Gardens! 

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