Keller opens Ad Hoc

Sporting a banner that reads "for temporary relief from hunger," Ad Hoc, Thomas Keller's lastest Yountville venture, opened Saturday at 6476 Washington St.

Ad Hoc, which means "for this purpose" is a temporary restaurant that will be open through the winter of 2006, offering a four-course prix fixe menu that changes daily featuring comfort food that Keller said he enjoyed growing up -- fried chicken, pot roast and beef stroganoff.

Chef Jeffrey Cerciello, executive chef at Bouchon, along with Keller, will be overseeing the kitchen.

Saturday's opening menu was a heirloom tomato salad, tri-tip with corn on the cob and a mushroom conserva, goat cheese with figs and honey and strawberry short cake, for $45 per person.

Keller purchased the property, formerly the Wine Garden Restaurant, from the Nord family in March "I am very excited about this project because we are able to offer a spontaneous menu based on seasonal ingredients while showcasing food that I enjoy eating," Keller said. "It is also an interesting concept in that the restaurant is temporary and shall only be open the next few months."

Ad Hoc does not accept reservations except for larger parties (between 10 and 25 guests) during normal service hours. In addition, the space is also available for buy-outs for up to 70 people.

Hours of operation are from 5 to 9 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays and 5 to 8 p.m. for Sunday suppers. It's closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For information, call 944-2487. /Register

Cooking with Julie

Learn to prepare delicious meals with classic French technique and wine country style at Cooking With Julie at Churchill Manor Bed and Breakfast in Napa this fall. The classes are open to all, not just the guests of the inn. For those who would like to work behind the scenes Cooking With Julie has an apprentice program where you can work to earn free classes.

If you're too busy or you don't see what you need, director Julie Logue-Riordan will design a one-on-one class just for you.

A Certified Culinary Professional, Logue-Riordan has been teaching for more than 20 years. Starting to cook at 6, she has never tired of her love of teaching and cooking. She is a graduate of L'Academie de Cuisine in Maryland, has studied around the world and at the CIA-Greystone. She apprenticed with the former pastry chef of the White House, Roland Mesnier, worked and studied in France and was director and teacher at L'Academie de Cuisine with Francois Dionot for five years. After living and working many years abroad in Asia and Africa, she now makes her home in Napa where she has opened the cooking school Cooking With Julie. In addition to running the cooking school Logue-Riordan also is a culinary instructor for Copia. Logue-Riordan is a member of International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) and Chaine des Rotisseurs and chairwoman of On-Going Event Committee for the San Francisco Professional Food Society,

The following classes will be offered this fall. To reserve a place, call 227-5036 or e-mail: Julie@CookingWithJulie.com

The Cutting Edge: Knife Skills

 

Saturday, Sept. 23 1:30-3:30 p.m. or Tuesday, Nov. 7, 6:00-8:30 p.m. $55

Lecture, demonstration and hands-on.

Give your cooking an edge by learning all you need to know to select, maintain, and use knives properly. Speed up your prep time and improve the appearance of your dishes. The lecture demo covers the basics, then the class will get hands-on practice with chiffonade, brunoise, julienne, dicing, mincing and other techniques. A light meal made from your beautifully cut vegetables and a glass of wine will be served.

Stock and Soup Basics for Today's Kitchen:

Three classes: Tuesdays, Sept. 26, Oct. 3 and Oct. 10, 6 to 9:30 p.m. $225 for the three class series or $85 per class.

Lecture, demonstration and hands-on

Rich, flavorful stocks are a cook's secret ingredientadd them to your repertoire. This series of three hands-on classes covers the theory and techniques for making poultry, meat, fish and vegetable stocks and uses them in a variety of recipes that the class will enjoy with a glass of wine and bread.

Stocks for Sauces and Soups

Tuesday, Sept. 26, 6:00-9:30 p.m. $85

This class covers four classic stocks: meat, chicken, vegetable and fish.

Recipes: French onion soup with croutons and Gruyere cheese, meatball and escarole soup, and chicken paillards with a chardonnay reduction and fresh herbs.

Soups I

Tuesday, Oct. 3, 6 to 9:30 p.m. $85

Cold, seafood, clear and vegetable soups, using the beef stock and fish stock from the previous class.

Recipes: Gazpacho, Bourride (a version of bouillabaisse), beef consomm with mushroom mlan, and vegetable soup with pistou (French pesto)

Soups II

Tuesday, Oct. 10, 6 to 9:30 p.m. $85

Light flavorful bisques, vegetable soups and a one pot meal using the stocks from the previous class.

Recipes: Shrimp bisque, puree of butternut squash soup, cauliflower velout with truffle oil and poached chicken with autumn vegetables and couscous.

A Taste of Spain

Saturday, Oct. 7, 4 to 8 p.m. $125

Hands-on dinner served with wine

This menu class focuses on the classic dishes of Spain, starting with two tapas (appetizer) dishes, roasted red peppers and Spanish tortilla, followed by white gazpacho thickened with bread and almonds. The main course is Spain's delicious one-dish meal, seafood paella, followed by a delicate pineapple flan for dessert.

Classic Pastry Workshop

Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 24 and 25, 6 to 9:30 p.m. $170

Lecture, demonstration and hands-on

Learn the secrets of French bakers and make perfect crusts and classic fillings for sweet and savory tarts; master the pastry bag to make cream puffs and meringue. Logue-Riordan and Annie Baker, pastry chef of Mustards Grill, cover all the basics in these two classes.

Class 1: Tartlettes with fresh fruit, asparagus tart, French apple tart, pear and almond galette

Class 2: Gougere, chocolate eclairs, lemon meringue pie, and bacon and onion tart.

Chocolate Truffles

Saturday, Nov.12, 1 to 4 p.m. $75

Lecture, demonstration and hands-on

Plan ahead for the holiday season -- learn how to make luscious homemade chocolate truffles to serve at parties or give as gifts. The class will make confections blending Scharffen Berger chocolate with exotic flavors from around the world, including Grand Marnier, almond, coconut, chili, and lemon verbena; each student will make eight truffles to take home.