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.

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. Stay On-Site or Drive In: Limited private rooms with shared baths are available for the weekend. Ask about special rates for double and triple occupancy! Contact christoy.net@gmail.com to book! *There is a $25.00 non-refundable fee for cancellations.

CATALOG CORRECTION: This workshop is now scheduled for Thursday May 21st.

If you have had flat or tough dry scones this might be just the class you have been waiting for. Deb will show you step by step how to make light and tender Chocolate Cherry Scones, Apricot Ginger Scones and Bacon, Cheddar, Chive Scones as well as classic Basic Scones. This class will be participatory and samples of all items will be tasted and the rest divided among the class. Soooo...get a friend to sign up with you and enjoy the evening! Remember to bring a container to store all that you will take home. Class size limited to 10. All materials included.

Join Chef Chris Toy for a hands-on class to master fresh pasta making! We'll infuse the dough with intense, farm-fresh flavors—creating a colorful medley of mushroom, basil, and tomato pasta. You'll finish your creations with a choice of a rich tomato-red wine or a creamy vodka sauce. Get ready to roll, knead, and eat!

Learn how to safely cook and enjoy Maine’s beloved spring delicacy – fiddleheads - in this class led by a Master Food Preserver. Explore proper preparation methods before cooking them up into soups, sides and even a main course. All materials and recipes provided. Presented by Liz Gross of Maine Tasting Center.

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. Please note: There is a $60 cancellation fee for this program.

*More about the retreat 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 retreat 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.

Learn to shuck like a pro with a local oyster farmer. In this relaxed, hands-on class, practice shucking with your own dozen oysters, test out raw and grilled preparations, and learn about oyster farming straight from the source. Your local oysters are some of the best in the world - start shucking them yourself! Taught by Jean Vande Moortel, presented by Maine Tasting Center. *All equipment provided for use during class. If you would like to purchase a set of gloves and shucking knife to take home ($10), please let us know in advance by emailing Maine Tasting Center at sara@mainetastingcenter.com.

Discover why insects are the protein of the future in this hands-on cooking class! Learn about global traditions, explore sustainable insect-based ingredients, and get creative in the kitchen as you prepare and taste two dishes featuring both dried and fresh edible insects from Maine companies. All materials and recipes provided. *Those with shellfish allergies may also be allergic to insects. Presented by Sara Gross of Maine Tasting Center.