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Quirky cooking classes

BY ERICA MARCUS | erica.marcus@newsday.com

June 24, 2008

There's no reason why learning a culinary skill needs to be a serious undertaking. Save knife skills (the single most useful class you can take) until the academic year starts up again in September. Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of classes that highlight the fun and whimsical. Here are some offbeat samples from local cooking schools:

Breaking Out of the Mold
July 8, 7-9 p.m.

Sprinkles, 230 Montauk Hwy., Speonk, 631-801-2606

Cost: $30

This class on working with chocolate is one of the most popular offerings at Sprinkles, a cookware shop that specializes in cake-decorating supplies. The class covers chocolate transfer sheets, working with chocolate clay, chocolate impressions and chocolate cages.

Homemade Mozzarella Plus
July 30, 6-9 p.m.

A la Carte Culinary Services, 32 Atlantic Ave., Lynbrook, 516-599-2922
alacartecs.com

Cost: $99

You haven't had fun until you've made your own mozzarella. After this three-hour class, you should be able to do so in the privacy of your own kitchen. Also included: cooking with mozzarella (layered with mushrooms and roasted peppers, tossed in pasta, grilled) and making ricotta cheese from scratch.

Japanese Steakhouse
July 10, 6-9 p.m.; Aug. 30, noon-3 p.m.

Viking Cooking School at the Bridgehampton Inn, 2266 Main St., Bridgehampton, 631-537-3586
landfcookshop.com

Cost: $99

It may take you more than three hours to achieve Benihana-level knife skills, but this class will introduce you to cooking traditional teppanyaki (hibachi-style) dishes in your own home: preparing shrimp, searing and testing meat for doneness, stir-frying and making Japanese-style salad dressing.

Salads and the American Woman
July 8, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.