Let’s Cook Together Soon…

Happy Healthy & Blessed New Year to you all!

How is the brand New Year treating you so far? Hope everyone had a festive, joyful and restful Holiday Season.

We enjoyed a lovely family time and woke up to a pretty white Christmas Day. New Year’s Eve was quiet for us, a time to spend with one another without having to be anywhere or do anything, but to relax at home. Looking back to 2012, I was certainly blessed with a fantastic and eventful year:

I had the pleasure to see my children (Ethan, 6 1/2 & Lila, 4 ) grow up oh too quickly, but happily each day becoming their own little selves – imaginative, spirited, inquisitive, playful, open to embrace life with open arms and truly living each moment to the fullest. Children simply ground you with their innocence and ability to appreciate the little pleasures in the everyday. The kids and I got to cook/bake together a lot in 2012, trying many new recipes with seasonal as well as exotic ingredients. They added persimmons, kiwi berries, kumquat, young coconut, tamarin, Lacinato kale, green Kolhrabi, arame and spirulina seaweed to their food repertoire this year.

We had a fantastic summer in France visiting with our Parisian friends and the children were finally able to see the Eiffel Towel for the first time, such a magical day for everyone. After Paris, we spent 3 weeks in my hometown of Lyon, there’s nothing like being back home to rejuvenate and reconnect with family and old friends. I was impressed by Ethan & Lila’s ability to adjust and switch quickly to speaking in French with their cousins, Mamie (Grandma), Papi (Grandma), aunties, uncles and new little friends at the playground.

I trained and participated in my first Tough Mudder, an obstacle/endurance event. It was hardcore, scary and challenging with lots of climbing, running in slippery muddy terrain, crawling through confined spaces, and much more. I thought that walking the plank and jumping the 15+ feet drop into the cold water was hard, but the worst part for me was the “Arctic Enema” obstacle when I had to jump in the ice water, swam underwater into the dark bottom and squeezed myself underneath a wooden plank to resurface on the other side of the wall – wow beyond tough! I didn’t even know I had it in me, but I made it until the end with the help and support of my amazing teammates, we crossed the finish line all together and I felt strong, alive, happy and empowered by the accomplishment. Being in my 40’s is not so bad after all. I must be crazy because I actually signed up for another race in June!

“Should we start a dining-club with our friends this year?” I wondered over that fancy idea during our last festive New Year’s Eve meal with a few dear friends in our humble abode. Well, my dining club wish was never fulfilled in 2012, instead I found myself teaching cooking classes to one student at first, then two students, then three, and more. To my greatest surprise, it slowly turned into bi-weekly private lessons as well as small group sessions. I kept on adding new classes trying to make it a friendly fun learning experience for everyone who wished to step into my kitchen, roll up their sleeves and cook together. The word of mouth has been terrific amongst the community and my culinary adventure at Ketmala’s Kitchen is continuing to spread wonderfully thanks to my supportive students, enthusiastic local press from The Town Dish, fervent facebook fans, interested website/blog readers and of course my awesome family and friends near and far.

THANK YOU all from the bottom of my (singing) heart, I am truly grateful and dumbfounded by the kindness and support from everyone. I love seeing the happy faces at the end of each class and even better when my students write or call to let me know they just baked their first artisan bread loaves at home or made the dumplings from scratch and everyone in the family LOVED it!

I am super excited to cook and bake with you again this year, I will be offering several NEW classes such as “Thai Food & Dessert”, “Cooking with Mommy”, “Baking True French Croissants”, “RAWlicious Food”, “Homemade Puff Pastry”, “Advanced Artisan Bread”, etc. Check out the complete calendar below:

2013 Class Calendar

Thursday, January 10: Hearty Winter Soups, 1pm to 3:15pm – PRIVATE CLASS, SOLD OUT

Saturday, January 12: French Artisan Bread, 1:30pm to 4:30pm – GROUP CLASS, SOLD OUT

Friday, January 25: Thai Soups, 7:15pm to 9:30pm – NEW CLASS

Saturday, February 2: “La Chandeleur” or French Crêpes Day, 1:30pm to 4:30pm – SOLD OUT

Thursday, February 7: Everyday Simple Sandwich Bread, 1pm to 3:15pm – PRIVATE SESSION, SOLD OUT

Friday, February 15: Healthy Winter Quiches & Tarts, 7:15pm to 9:30pm – A FEW SPOTS LEFT

Friday, February 22: Vegetarian Savory Little Asian Dumplings , 7:30 to 9:45pm – PRIVATE SESSION

Friday, March 1: Wintery Rolls, 9:30pm to 12pm – NEW CLASS, NEW DATE, NEW TIME, PRIVATE SESSION, SOLD OUT

Saturday, March 2: Fancy French Macarons, 1:30pm to 4:30pm – NEW CLASS, NEW DATE, SOLD OUT

Thursday, March 21: Thai Food & Dessert, 9:15am to 11:30am – NEW CLASS, TWO SPOTS LEFT

Friday, April 5: Savory Little Asian Dumplings, 7:30pm to 9:45pm – NEW DATE, SOLD OUT

Saturday, April 20: Cooking with Mommy, 1:30pm to 4:30pm – NEW CLASS (3 Moms + 3 Children)* – SOLD OUT

Saturday, May 4 : Ketmala’s Kitchen Cooking Demonstration at Chefanti in West Chester, 2pm to 6pm – OPEN TO PUBLIC. Click here for additional information.

Friday, May 24: “RAWlicious” Food, 9:30am to 12pm – NEW CLASS & NEW DATE

Friday, June 14: Spring Rolls, 7:15pm to 9:30pm

Thursday, June 20: Flavorful Vegetarian Summer Fare, 9:30am to 11:45am – NEW DATE & CLASS

Saturday, June 22: True French Croissants, 1:30pm to 4:30pm – NEW DATE & CLASS, SOLD OUT

Friday, September 27: Everyday Artisan Bread Class, 7:00pm to 9:30pm – NEW CLASS, ONE SPOT LEFT

Saturday, October 12: Advanced Artisan Bread Class, 1:30pm to 4:30pm – NEW CLASS

Friday, October 18: Authentic Thai Curries with a Special Guest, 7:00pm to 9:30pm – NEW CLASS

Saturday, November 2 : French Croissants, 1:30pm to 4:30pm – ADDITIONAL DATE

Friday, November 15: Fancy Fast Hors d’Oeuvres for Entertaining, 7:00pm to 9:30pm – NEW CLASS

Friday, December 6: Vegan Cuisine, 9:15am to 11:30am – NEW CLASS, SOLD OUT

Saturday, December 14: Festive Holiday Baking, 1:30pm to 4:30pm – NEW RECIPES, TWO SPOTS LEFT

Wednesday, December 18: Holiday Cooking Night at Ketmala’s Kitchen, 7:30pm to 10:30pm – PRIVATE GROUP SESSION

* Note: The “Cooking with Mommy” Class is $95 for Mom & Child

Fee: $55 to $75 per class depending on the particular session, unless notified otherwise. All classes required advance registration even for gift certificate holders. Please contact me for payment prior to the class and details. Any paid classes are non refundable, however I will be happy to reschedule another cooking session of your preference at the same or lesser value.

Please register in advance as the classes fill in rapidly, it’s a first come, first choice. Thank you to contact me with your preferred group cooking class ($55-$95/person), a one-on-one cooking session ($195/person), or a private cooking party at contact@ketmalaskitchen.com or at 1 (215) 520 2788.