Tools of the trade.

Today we Cooked with Julie. 

Main building of the Oxbow Public Market.

In search of a cooking class in the foodie-heaven Napa region, my friend came up with Cooking with Julie.  We headed over to Napa’s Oxbow Market for an early morning tour and tasting with Chef Julie and our four other classmates. We tried salts, olive oils, cheese and charcuterie and spent considerable time selecting vegetables and fruit for use in preparing our meal.

We then headed to Chef Julie’s comfortable kitchen to begin our preparations. It was a very interactive class and even experienced cooks would’ve enjoyed the day.  After a couple of hours of effort, a lot of helpful tips, great conversation and some good wine and local snacks, we managed to complete a three course gourmet dinner.  We had delicious Wild Mushroom Risotto, Dijon Grilled Chicken served over amazing spring greens & veggies, and a really nice, light Lemon Cake with Strawberry Sauce. And, of course, more wine.

Ramps! We cooked these on the grill – delicious.

Once back in Sonoma, we quickly abandoned our bike riding efforts, when the seats would not stay raised enough for anyone over 5’ . . . So, we walked back to town and enjoyed a stroll around the Plaza one more time, before dinner at the charming the girl and the fig.  –

If you go:

Cooking with Julie: www.cookingwithjulie.com  707-227-5036

Sonoma Visitors Bureau: www.sonomavalley.com 1-866-9661090