Class Title: Focaccia, Stromboli, & Calzones! OH MY!
Full Class Description: What makes a Focaccia a Focaccia, a Stromboli a Stromboli, and a Calzone a Calzone? How are they different? How are they the same? Discover the delicious answers to these questions as we explore the world of unique rolled & stuffed pizzas, marvelous focaccia bread, and an out-of-this-world pizza sauce made from the instructor’s own personal recipes. Using two different types of homemade dough—one crafted for pizzas and the other for the focaccia, you’ll learn how to crate these Italian –inspired favorites step-by-step with confidence and easy. Participants are welcome to make them all or simply pick and choose their favorites to cook-along with, personalizing each creation with toppings and fillings of their choice. With rave reviews from past participants, this fun and flavorful experience just might make takeout pizza a thing of the past! Equipment Needs: A 9x13 non-stick baking pan or a larger sheet pan will be needed for the focaccia bread. Additional sheet pans will be needed for the Stromboli and the Calzones. A stand mixer is highly recommended in order to be able to make the dough for both options during the class. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ While cooking-along is loads of fun, and highly recommended, it is optional. Make it a date night or family night as you create lasting memories in your kitchen! This class will take place on Zoom, free online software. Participants will receive instructions on how to access the class prior to it starting. A list of ingredients and class details will be received in advance of the class with enough time for shopping and preparation. The Instructor’s Personal Recipes from this class will be included in a professionally made PDF packet to be received by participants after the class. NOTE: The instructor’s recipes are copyrighted and are only shared with those who register for this class. As an added bonus, the instructor has created a private group and a public group on Facebook for participants of her cooking classes. Everyone will receive an invite to the groups although joining is optional. Come join the fun! Note: One registration fee covers immediate family members living full-time in the same household. Adult supervision is required if children participate. If friends, adult children, or extended family members are participating together, EACH separate household must register SEPARATELY
Instructor biography: Tess Georgakopoulos, also known as “Chef Tess—Culinary Artist”, has been cooking and baking for well over 45 years since she was roughly 6 years old. Born into a Greek family, the art of cooking traditional meals using one's own hands and creativity was and continues to be an expression of love in her home. Her father was also a trained chef who brought the magic of food to life in another form on the weekends as they cooked elaborate family meals together. As an accomplished cook and baker and always working towards expanding her culinary repertoire, Tess enjoys experimenting in her test kitchen daily creating new recipes, creative culinary techniques and building “Gold Standard” culinary experiences for communities across Minnesota and beyond. Tess is proficient and experienced in creating cook-along experiences and curriculum for conventional cooking, baking, pressure-cooking, air frying, pizza making, Mediterranean Cooking, and meal preparation as well. More recently, she has expanded her creativity and experience in the creation of Cooking Master Classes! A Culinary Artist indeed! She has been teaching both in-person and on-line cooking classes through community education for a number of years, and is currently working with almost 60 public school districts in and around the Twin Cities, in many corners of Minnesota, in addition to school districts in Wisconsin, Missouri, New York, and Oklahoma, having worked with just over 5000 participants over the years. Through her teaching, Tess has helped people of all skill levels increase their confidence and expand their skills in the kitchen reaching heights of their own personal creativity that they never knew existed, all while having fun and creating memories to last a lifetime. Her motto, eloquently put, is to make “dishing” delicious, and simple. Tess has recently started writing her first cookbook, and her food blog is also in the works! Some of her creations can be seen on her Facebook page, “Dish it up Good”, https://www.facebook.com/dishitupgood/ or on her Instagram Feed.