Original article by Kristina Lotz at Thurston Talk
While you may lament the end of summer, fall is actually a wonderful time of year to hit the kitchen and create some healthy, homemade staples to keep your family full and happy all winter long. Feeling short on skills or inspiration? The Rolling Pin in Olympia has everything you need to add some homemade meals to your weekly routine, including the how-to! This fall, step into the kitchen and create healthy meals everyone will love—even those with food sensitives or allergies—thanks to The Rolling Pin.
September Food Demonstrations
Kick start your fall cooking, baking and preserving with The Rolling Pin’s professional food prep demonstrations! Every Sunday in September they will have a different demo from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. that is sure to boost your healthy eating habits, and taste good too! Tickets are just $10 each and include a 15% discount on items purchased at the time of the event, so you can make sure you have all the supplies needed to practice your newly learned skills!
September 5: Fermenting Foods for a Healthier Microbiome
Ever wondered about the process of fermenting? Or why it’s so good for you? Cathy Visser is going to unveil the mystery at the “Fermenting Foods for a Healthier Microbiome” food demo. Throughout the hour-long talk, she will explain the benefits of prebiotics and probiotics and how to add them to your diet. And of course, since they are all about cooking, the demonstration will show you how to ferment at home! “We will demonstrate a quick and simple veggie brine fermentation that you can make at home,” says Alicia Elliott, owner of The Rolling Pin. “We’ll also make a fruit shrub or sipping vinegar.”
September 12: The Art of Gourmet Noodle Making
Who doesn’t love noodles? And as the weather turns cooler, we all look for a bit more carbs and starches. Have a gluten sensitivity? Don’t worry! This class will include both gluten and gluten free homemade pastas! Joanna Lopez will demonstrate three different types of pasta making: a classic hand cut wide egg noodle, a simple vegan fettuccine noodle using a pasta machine, and a gluten free pasta dough. Joanna will also cover important information on the different flour types, safety tips when working with ingredients and equipment, and how to troubleshoot if things go wrong.
September 19: How to Can Salsa
Learn how to make a delicious canned salsa on September 19 at The Rolling Pin. Photo courtesy: The Rolling Pin
Have an overabundance of goodness from your garden that you can’t possibly eat before it goes bad? Canning is the answer! And while you have probably thought about canning peaches or pears, you may not have thought of canning something as simple and delicious as salsa! There is nothing like fresh salsa, and if you attend this demo, you can have fresh, homemade salsa year-round! Cathy Visser will be teaching you how to make a tomato-based salsa. Learn when you need a pressure cooker versus a water bath canner. “We will demonstrate the basics of salsa making and show you the simple equipment you need,” shares Alicia.
September 26: The Rustic Loaf – Getting Started with Homemade Bread
I can smell the warm, homemade bread, fresh from the oven, just reading the title of this mouth-watering demo. Once you have had fresh bread, you will never want to buy store-bought again. Sourdough is a favorite of many, with good reason, but it can be tricky! Let Joanna Lopez take the mystery out the important sourdough starter in this demonstration. After the starter, learn the steps to make a rustic, crusty round loaf – from start to finish. “I’ll also go over a variety options of tools people can use for bread making, the differences with sourdough and commercial yeast, types of flours most commonly used for bread, food safety, and common problems that can happen in the process and how to correct them,” says Joanna.