24 Jun Prepare in the Square – Classes near you!

By Beth Berube

“The longer the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder.” Ralph W. Sockman.

Being an avid DIY kind of person, I was delighted to discover a few establishments in our neighborhood that offer classes. I thought the only type of course I would stumble upon would be culinary, but that proved to be false. Here is what I uncovered in a brief stroll through the square, and I am sure there are more:

Smith Mercantile, located at 208 1^st. Ave. S., offers a class called The Art of Pickles and Preserving. Put on an Iron Chef apron and fire up your Betty Crocker alter ego. You will learn how to preserve lemon, make fruit shrubs and prepare pickles. They also offer a Cocktail Class Series. Learn about tools and ingredients and impress your friends by whipping up magical cocktail concoctions. You have the option of taking a single class or a series of three demonstrations. Schedules change, so you can check out their website is www.esmithmercantile.com.

Speaking of cocktails, The Bar Shoppe, at 117 Yesler Way, offers hands on sessions. They will show you how to prepare classic and signature cocktails and demonstrate the use of bar tools. I was impressed with the extensive selection of bitters. My favorite was licorice. They also serve an assortment of small bites. Information can be found on their website, www.thebarshoppe.com.

A perfect dinner party starts with a stylish table. DryGoods Design at 301 Occidental Ave. S, will ensure oohs and ahhs from your guests. If you want to sew a tablecloth with matching napkins, this is your go to place. If you haven’t touched a sewing machine since high school home economics, you can enroll in a class called “This is a Sewing Machine” to get acquainted with their machines. There are general sewing classes for apparel as well as private classes and studio time by the hour. They also sell fabric and notions. Their website is www.drygoodsdesignonline.com.

Nothing sets the tone for a special dinner gathering like flowers. The London Plane will teach you how to create imaginative flower arrangements which you can take home with you. It is located at 300 & 322 Occidental Ave. S.  You can find out about the classes on their website. www.thelondonplaneseattle.com. The class schedules can be found under Online Store.

Of course, I DID find a number of cooking classes, from a variety of cuisines.

Holy Cannoli! Chef Luigi teaches his students the rhythm of an Italian meal: Appetizer, first course, second course and dessert, with hands on demonstrations at his restaurant Al Boccalino, located at 1 Yesler Way. For more information, go to www.seattlelittleitaly.com.   Hint: Sometimes you can find half price coupons on Groupon.

Marcela’s Creole Cookery offers classes Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoon. The pricing is for two students, so make it a date! The location is 106 James Street and information can be found at www.marcelascreolecookery.com.

Diane’s Market Kitchen located at 1101 Post Avenue teaches students through demonstration as well as hand on classes. I have taken classes from Diane. The classes are small and her guests relax on chairs around an island while she prepares the meal. It felt similar to dining in a friend’s very large kitchen. I liked it much better than sitting at a cluster of tables lined up in rows. She shops Pike Place market for regional and sustainable ingredients. She also sells delicious oils. You’ll find her website at www.dianesmarketkitchen.com.

If you know of other classes in Pioneer Square, please pass along your suggestions.