My weekly "thank you" post usually goes out on Thursdays, but this week I've been a tiny bit preoccupied. First of all, I had to work on my epic Queso Volcano post. That was a biggy! But what has been taking up the most real estate in my mind lately is ChefHangout.com.
Traffic is starting to pick up on our brand new site. The word is beginning to get out, and I couldn't be more excited to see this project picking up steam. I had my first official class last weekend and it was an absolute BLAST. We made Asian Pork Dumplings together, as well as a fresh Cucumber Salad.
Kristina, of Girl Gone Grits, took some awesome photos of her dumplings,
and her cucumber salad!
It was a small group, but a lively one! First to sign up were Pat and Tina, who work with me behind the scenes at The Natural Beauty Workshop and From Nature With Love. They took the class from their home in Hawaii, using a laptop and an Ipad! We were also joined by two fellow Austinites: Kristina, who writes an awesome food blog called Girl Gone Grits, and Catherine, who I met through Twitter.
It was so much fun getting to know Catherine and Kristina through the class. It was like having a little window into their lives. Catherine's hubby, John, cooked with her throughout the session, and we even got to meet their adorable kids! They showed up giggling and waving into the camera. So very cute. Kristina's teenage daughter, followed by a friend from school, popped in when our first batch of dumplings were finished. They wanted to taste test! I loved watching the smiles spread across their faces as the kids took their first bite. They even let out a big,"Wow!" Over at Pat & Tina's place they were joined by a very optimistic (and very cute) Shih Tzu. There was a whole world going on in each of their little web cam windows. It was so cool.
What I've come to realize after holding countless test classes, and now a real one, is that these classes are about so much more than cooking. It's about connecting with people, and helping them feel comfortable in their kitchens, and happy about preparing their meals. It's an opportunity to provide anyone, anywhere with a friend who knows how to cook. After hosting all of these classes, I can see that having a real, live person there to answer questions, check on how your dough looks, and to just talk food, is about a million times better than reading a recipe alone in your kitchen. It's just so much FUN.
Here's a shot of Pat cooking from her Ipad during our last class.
Besides, if I hadn't had friends and teachers to support me, I may never have learned to cook at all. Now it's one of the most important aspects of my life, and a huge source of joy. When I'm teaching a class I can feel that joy come full circle. Someone taught me, and now I'm teaching someone else. It's a small, and wonderful world.
This photo was taken by my friend, Julie, during my Quinoa Stir Fry Test Class
I've got many more classes ahead of me, and I'm working on adding new ones to my calendar. It's all very exciting, and I can't wait to meet new students, field new questions, take on new challenges. I still have some free seats left in my Beta Classes this month, so if you are interested in trying out one of my classes for free, please sign up for my Beta Club Mailing List. To keep track of regular classes, sign up for my Blog Mailing List. Thanks for reading, I'll talk to y'all soon!
During a recent test class, my friend, Amy, decided to show her cat the web cam. After a few seconds, everyone in the class followed suit. I wish I had gotten a better shot of this. It was a hilarious moment.