Dive into the delicious, communal world of Chinese Hot Pot with an exclusive class and dinner hosted by Jeff Mao, author of the Essential Chinese Hot Pot Cookbook. Learn the secrets behind creating an authentic and impressive hot pot experience directly from the expert! In class, students will learn the key components of this beloved meal. Jeff will teach you how to prepare flavorful broths, mix essential dipping sauces, and guide you through prepping the myriad of ingredients traditionally served. Jeff will also share the history of hot pot and tips on the best ways to eat and enjoy this interactive dining style. The evening concludes with a fantastic communal hot pot dinner, where you'll cook, dip, and savor the results of your learning together around a simmering hot pot. Leave with the confidence and knowledge to host your own hot pot gatherings! Allergen Info: Contains soy and gluten. Vegetarian menu available upon request.

What’s your favorite Maine bean? Is it the bold and hearty Jacob’s Cattle Bean? The creamy Yellow Eye? The rich, rustic Marfax? In this one-of-a-kind tasting experience—like a wine tasting, but for beans—you’ll sample a variety of regional heritage beans and discover what sets each one apart. Along the way, you’ll learn where to find them, how to cook them, and why supporting local farmers matters. We’ll also be joined by our friends at Fairwinds Farm, who will share insights into bean farming in Maine and introduce you to the many beautiful and delicious heirloom varieties they grow. As we taste, we’ll explore the history and culture of beanhole suppers—a Maine tradition rooted in Indigenous practices and carried forward by lumber camps, church kitchens, and generations of "upta camp" cooks. And of course, no bean event would be complete without a hearty sample of Maine Tasting Center’s own homemade beanhole-style beans. Come hungry, come curious—and be ready to find your new favorite bean.

Your instructor, Chris Toy is the author of 6 popular cookbooks, a private chef, and has taught Asian-fusion cooking for several Maine community education programs. Cooking students will learn how to prepare a variety of recipes from Asia, Europe, and the Americas incorporating traditional and local ingredients. Each meal will actively engage cooks with the tools, techniques, and stories behind the dishes being created.

THERE IS A $50 CANCELLATION FEE (no exceptions).

More about the Prospect Harbor location: Escape to a Victorian Inn, the Harbor View House in Prospect Harbor on the coast of Maine, with an intimate group of artists, cooks and creatives! All meals are included in the workshop fee plus special activities to extend your learning from the day’s workshops, including a private house concert by Grammy-balloted sing-songwriter, storyteller, and author Gordan Ward. For more information about the workshop, call Mary at 207-632-2251. To book your stay at the inn call 207-963-9122 or visit https://harborviewhousellc.com/. **Lodgings not included in price.

More about the Campobello location: Step back to a time when President Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor, and their family escaped to their “beautiful little island” in the Canadian Maritimes, Campobello Island. We will be exclusive guests of the international park, staying in historic Victorian cottages. Workshop participants will explore and paint the same coastal scenery enjoyed by the summer residents at the turn of the 20th century. All meals are included in the workshop fee as well as specially planned optional evening activities designed to extend your learning from the day’s workshops. Register for the retreat then call Sherry Mitchell at 506-752-2922 to make room reservations. Acadian Arts Retreats participants will have exclusive overnight access to accommodations in the park. **Lodgings not included in price.

Have you ever thought about preserving your own food? Perhaps you enjoy the bounty of farmers markets, and want to find a way to enjoy local produce year-round. Or, maybe you have your own vegetable garden and end up with more produce than you can eat. Whatever your reason, if you want to try preserving but aren’t sure how to get started, this is the class for you! In this four-part, hands-on class, taught by Master Food Preserver and cookbook author Allison Carroll Duffy, we’ll cover all of the primary home food preservation methods you’ll need to get started, including canning, freezing, drying, fermenting, and cold-storage (root cellaring). Each week we’ll focus on a different method (or two), discussing proper procedures, techniques, food safety, and use of tools and equipment. We’ll then practice the method(s) hands-on, preparing and preserving food as a group, enjoying some samples as well. No matter what types of foods you enjoy and are hoping to preserve, this class will provide all you need to know to get started preserving food confidently at home! *A materials fee of $40 must be paid to the instructor on the first night of class.

PLEASE NOTE: The last class will run on Monday Nov 3rd, NOT Tuesday November 4th.

Join our immersive cooking class where you’ll learn the time-honored secrets behind New York’s iconic bagels. In this hands-on experience, you’ll craft your own bagel dough from scratch, knead it to perfection, and master the art of hand-rolling. As the dough transforms into those chewy, golden rings, we’ll guide you through the traditional boiling and baking process – the very same steps that make Brooklyn bagels legendary. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a curious food enthusiast, the class promises a delightful journey into bagel bliss. All ingredients, materials, equipment and recipes will be provided. Allergen Info: Contains sesame seeds, gluten.

Impress your friends & family when you tell them you made it yourself! Learn to make healthier, better tasting, fresh Feta Cheese—and it doesn’t take months!! You will be impressed with the creamy rich flavor and will never go back to “store bought”. Traditional Feta is made with sheep or goat’s milk but you will also learn how to make it with cow's milk. We will discuss different flavors to add after, how to brine it and store it, as well as some ideas for recipes. You will bring a gallon of milk and take home approximately a pound of cheese. *Starter kit included. A supply list with basic kitchen tools will be sent out before the start of class.

Join master wood carver Ken Wise and cooking instructor Chris Toy for a fantastic weekend of hands on Carving and Cooking instruction. Come learn how to carve cooking utensils such as chopsticks, spatulas, and spoons. Then learn how to use them to prepare, cook, and eat some tasty Asian fusion recipes from Chris Toy's cookbooks! The retreat happens on the shores of Merrymeeting Bay in the Butler Head Nature Preserve. A limited number of AirBNB style overnight accommodations with shared bathrooms are available. Contact Chris Toy at christoy.net@gmail.com FMI. About the instructors: Ken Wise has been carving spoons, turning bowls and making Wildlife Art in Mid-Coast Maine for many years. He enjoys sharing the fun and challenges of working with wood through classes and private instruction. Chris Toy, long time cooking instructor, Maine Guide, and author of 6 Asian cookbooks has taught community education, in kitchen stores, and privately around midcoast Maine for many years. *There is a $25.00 non-refundable fee for cancellations.

Participants will learn how to season, care for, and use a Chinese wok and cleaver. Each student will take home a specially selected kit with a seasoned wok, wok spatula, sharpened cleaver, honing steel, and a cutting board. Those in the know bring containers just in case! The Wok is the most versatile pan in the world. Join Chris Toy, author of the award winning The Complete Wok Cookbook and learn all about its 3000 year old history. Materials kits included! *However, since kits are ordered ahead of time, there is a $100.00 non-refundable fee for cancellations to cover the cost of the kits. If you cancel, your kit will be sent to the adult ed office for pick-up.