Arlington Community Education

Thai cuisine is filled with aromatic herbs and spices that contribute to its unique and delicious flavors. Join us to explore fresh interpretations of traditional Thai recipes that you can replicate at home. We will make a full Thai meal, starting with a warming and colorful Thai coconut soup. For the main course, we’ll create the popular stir-fry noodle dish pad thai. Dessert will be a simple and refreshing no-churn mango ice cream.

American bourbon, rye, and single malt whiskeys are bold, distinctive, and delicious. Join us for a fun, relaxed introduction to some of the best whiskeys produced in the United States. We will sample high-end varieties that demonstrate a broad range of flavors from mellow to spicy and from smooth to robust. If you like Scotch but haven’t tried American whiskey, prepare to be amazed! Also, if you have taken this class before, we will be sampling an entirely new lineup of America’s best whiskeys, paying particular attention to outstanding products that have only recently been released.

Steamed buns, or bao, are a beloved street food across East and Southeast Asia, especially in China. These soft, pillowy buns are easy to eat and packed with flavor. In this interactive online class, you’ll make bao dough from scratch and create two delicious fillings: char siu-style chicken with pickled vegetables and a savory cabbage bao.

Discover the satisfaction of baking your own Italian cookies and bring home a box of sweet treats that will rival what you can buy in the North End. Together, we’ll make a variety of classic Italian cookies: crispy, dunkable twice-baked biscotti; soft and pillowy ricotta cookies; crunchy and fragrant sesame cookies; amaretti cookies bursting with almond flavor; and rustic, buttery Venetian currant and cornmeal cookies.

Learn to decorate a cake like a pro in this hands-on workshop. Start by leveling and frosting your cake. Then practice applying just the right amount of pressure to the decorating bag to pipe flowers, leaves, and other embellishments. Leave with your decorated cake and the skills to make a unique custom confection for your next celebration. Icing and decorating tools are provided. BYO unfrosted cake (details online). Please note: Bring a single-layer cake (6, 7, or 8 inch round) and a cake carrier or box to transport your finished product, and an apron if you'd like. All other materials will be provided by the instructor.

France may be the reigning champion of cheese and pairings, but the USA is stepping into the ring with an impressive lineup of world-class cheeses from innovative producers. Taste a selection of French and American cheeses paired with delicious accompaniments, then cast your vote for the winner. The twist? You won’t know which is which until after you decide. Get ready for a tasty duel in this Formaggio Kitchen showdown.

Celebrate the season with this beginner-level Christmas cookie decorating class. You will learn the technique of flooding sugar cookies with royal icing to achieve a perfectly smooth finish. Make sparkly stockings, terrific trees, smiling snowmen, and more. The instructor will provide all supplies needed, including baked sugar cookies, royal icing, and boxes. Note: Tuition includes all food fees and take-home cookie boxes. Bring an apron, if you like.

Coffee is love! Learn where specialty coffee comes from, how it is processed, graded, and roasted, then taste a few different types. After the group has decided which coffee they like the best, we will fire up the roaster and develop a batch of freshly roasted beans. After they have cooled, we will bag them, and everyone will leave with a 12 oz. bag of their own freshly roasted coffee. Tuition includes all food fees.

There’s nothing like comfort food to bring back cozy childhood memories. We’ll give classic favorites a delicious modern spin. Learn to make macaroni and cheese shepherd’s pie, chicken pot pie with roasted root vegetables and herbed biscuits, Asian-style hoisin turkey sloppy Joes, and Italian sausage and beef meatloaf. You'll want to make these for dinner again and again.

Few gifts spark joy like a box full of homemade cookies. Guided by former professional bakers, you’ll whip up several irresistible varieties while learning how to choose flavors, textures, and colors for maximum variety and visual appeal. We’ll cover best practices for large-batch baking, storage tips to keep your cookies fresh and fabulous, and clever tricks to help you prepare impressive edible gifts. Leave with a sample box of treats and the skills to keep the cookie box magic going all season long.

Try some of the best wines from Down Under. Australia and New Zealand have gained respect in the wine world, with many in the US already devoted fans of Barossa Valley Shiraz and Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. We’ll start by savoring these fan favorites before branching out to lesser-known regions and varietals. Australia’s vast landscape is home to an array of distinctive wine regions, while New Zealand—small but mighty—produces an equally impressive selection. Sip Riesling from Australia’s Clare Valley, Pinot Noir from Central Otago in New Zealand, and more.

Create a stunning fall floral arrangement using buttercream cupcakes. Learn how to turn each cupcake into a mum, sunflower, fall petal flower, or carnation, then assemble your blossoms into a beautiful seven-cupcake bouquet. Build the bouquet structure with hands-on guidance. Tools, materials, and icing will be provided. Bring a minimum of 7 unfrosted cupcakes to class as well as a box or carrier that will fit an 8” cake circle to transport finished cupcake bouquet.

Discover the rich, rustic flavors of Italy’s most iconic cheeses in an immersive tasting that takes you from the rolling hills of Tuscany to the alpine valleys of Piedmont. Savor everything from the delicate floral notes of fresh robiola to the bold, crystalline sharpness of aged Parmigiano Reggiano, while exploring how Italy’s diverse landscapes shape its distinctive flavors. More than just a tasting, this experience is a sensory journey through tradition, terroir, and craftsmanship, guided by passionate experts who bring each bite to life.

Few things say comfort like a bowl of handmade Italian gnocchi. Learn to make three irresistible types and a rich, Tuscan-style Bolognese sauce. Prepare pillowy potato gnocchi, delicate butternut squash gnocchi with brown butter and sage, and malfatti, a rustic spinach and ricotta gnocchi served with marinara. Roll up your sleeves and discover just how fun—and satisfying—the art of gnocchi making can be.

You admire them in bakery windows—now you can make your own beautifully decorated holiday cupcakes with colorful buttercream frosting. Learn several techniques to add eye-catching Halloween designs to cupcakes that you bring to class. Create marvelous monsters, spooky spiders, and perfect pumpkins that your family and friends will want to sink their fangs into! Icing and all necessary tools will be supplied by the instructor. You will take home decorating tools, including tips and bags, plus your cupcake masterpieces. Bring 10-12 unfrosted cupcakes and a box to carry them home, and, if you like, an apron. Icing and all necessary tools will be supplied by the instructor. You will take home decorating tools, including tips and bags, plus your cupcake masterpieces. Tuition includes all other supplies.

The flavors of tamarind, coconut, curry leaves, and jaggery define the unforgettable dishes of West India’s home kitchens. Prepare a comforting chicken curry, a nourishing lentil and spinach dish, a tangy yogurt and cucumber raita, and a lovely yet simple semolina and saffron dessert. You’ll also learn easy techniques for making chapatis, the whole wheat flatbread that holds its own against North India’s naan. Experience the authentic tastes that are cooked with love in the households of Mumbai.

Korean fried chicken is addictively delicious and surprisingly easy to make at home. Learn how to make two irresistible styles without deep-frying: flavorful stir-fried chicken served with steamed rice, and crispy baked wings coated in a crave-worthy sauce. You’ll also prepare tasty side dishes like fresh coleslaw and tangy pickled vegetables. Plus, receive a list of suggested side dishes that you can buy in an Asian market to complete your meal.

One of the most healthful Asian cuisines, Korean cuisine features mainly vegetables and harmonious sauces. In this hands-on class, we will make delicious chicken bibimbap—a rice bowl with chicken, seasoned spinach, cucumber salad, kimchi, egg, and a flavorful sauce. We’ll also prepare Korean japchae, sweet potato noodles stir-fried with vegetables. We’ll finish our meal with a delightful poached apple dessert infused with ginger.

Get rolling with the art of sushi-making. You’ll prepare sushi rice, slice fresh ingredients, and assemble three popular styles: futomaki (thick rolls), spicy salmon maki rolls, and temaki (hand rolls). Along the way, we’ll explore the cultural roots and history behind this Japanese tradition. Roll and cut your own sushi and then take some home to share with family or friends in provided containers. You’ll also receive a bamboo rolling mat and step-by-step recipes to keep rolling on your own. Please note: This class includes raw sushi-grade salmon.

Watch a sugar piece come to life as you learn about the basic science of isomalt, a sweetener derived from sugar beets. Explore casting and coloring techniques used to make sugar sculptures, then craft your own decorative pieces to take home. Please bring a small box to transport your edible artwork.

Learn to make a perfect cocktail. We’ll start with a brief history of how cocktails evolved over time. Get familiar with different spirits, mixers, flavor profiles, and essential bar tools and glassware. Master essential mixing techniques like shaking, stirring, muddling, and balancing sweet, sour, bitter, and savory elements to create a perfectly balanced drink. After dividing into small teams to try our hand at mixing, we’ll toast our handiwork with a group tasting. These classes are a combination of demonstration and hands-on learning. Classic Cocktails with a Twist: Shake up your skills by mastering the timeless classics such as the Martini, Mojito, Manhattan, and Negroni. Build a solid foundation with a twist of creativity. Holiday Cocktails: Get into the holiday spirit (literally!) with a festive lineup of seasonal drinks such as the White Chocolate Martini, New Year’s Sparkler, Christmas on the Cape Mule, Chai Old Fashioned, and Eggnog. Shake, stir, and sip your way through this merry menu.