Arlington Community Education

Learn to cook Turkish classics with a chef of Turkish heritage who has worked at Oleana and Sofra. We’ll prepare iskender kebab featuring sliced, seasoned döner kebab meat served over pita, topped with hot tomato sauce, melted butter, and yogurt. To accompany it, we’ll make roasted cumin potatoes and zhoug sauce, a vibrant Middle Eastern condiment made with parsley, cilantro, spicy green chilis, and warming spices, for a fresh, spicy kick. Get hands-on experience preparing these traditional dishes while discovering the balance of spices, flavor alternatives, and techniques that make Turkish cuisine so unique.

Indulge in the sweet traditions of Italy’s diverse regions. Learn how to make the famous custard-filled torta della nonna from Tuscany, followed by a rich almond ricotta tart. Then, delight in an Umbrian specialty, pear and fig wrapped in puff pastry. Finally, savor the flavors of southern Italy with a decadent torta Caprese, a flourless chocolate cake made with almonds. Leave with new recipes and the skills to recreate these unique, regional desserts at home. If you took this class in the fall, we will be making entirely new recipes.

The gin and tonic is the quintessential summer cocktail—and it’s never been better! Distilleries around the country and the world are experimenting to create new, exciting gins using a range of botanicals that go way beyond classic juniper. Tonic water has also evolved to offer a proper accompaniment. Join us for a relaxing evening sampling some of the best gins being produced today. We’ll try them on their own, then pair them with premium tonic to find your new favorites. If you’ve taken the class before, we will be sampling all new gins.

Let’s give Portuguese wine the love it deserves. Portugal’s fourteen discrete wine regions each grow dozens of different grapes and produce distinctive wines across an array of styles. The wine is often surprisingly affordable since many haven’t discovered how delicious it is. We’ll taste our way through some of Portugal’s best wine styles, including outstanding examples of Portugal’s national grape, Touriga Nacional, well-aged Tawny Port, crisp Vinho Verde, and more.

Explore the diverse and delicious world of Spanish tapas and Basque pintxos, small bites you would find in Madrid or further north in San Sebastián. We will make a classic tortilla española (egg and potato omelet), garlic mushroom pintxos, gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), and more. You will leave with a plethora of new ideas for your next casual gathering or cocktail party.