Home Beverage Making

Here at Brooklyn Kitchen Labs we're always looking for new and exciting ways to get you drunk! This month, aside from our normal selection of beer classes, we're bringing you a home beverage making demonstration from Scott Mansfield from San Francisco, author of the new book on making your own, Strong Waters. The class will start with an explanation of wine making kits, which are a great way to get started, and will discuss making wine and cider from other fruits. Scott will demonstrate the entire process, and students might get to taste a previous batch of his efforts.  If you've got beer making equipment already, or are thinking about getting into Home brewing, this class will cover other drinks you can make at home with almost the same setup. From wine to cider, beer to perry, melomel or even mead it all uses the same basic equipment with slightly different technique. You are not required to bring anything with you.

Sunday, March 22nd Sign Up Now>>> 

The Meat Hook Sausage Series

  Our butchers, Ben Turley and Brenton Young, are crazy for sausage -- and they want you to be as well. This three-part series will cover traditional italian sausages, european sausages, and our own trashy American version of the cased, meaty delicacies. The list of sausages include: bratwurst, kielbasa, red wine and rosemary, sweet italian, buffalo chicken, and the long dong bud. These classes will be hands-on, and can be taken as a series or stand-alone. And kids, expect to eat some sausage. 

Duration: about 2 hours.
Students are not required to bring anything with them.

Monday, March 15th (European) Sign Up Now>>>
Monday, March 22nd (American) Sign Up Now>>>

Sign up for all three classes and receive a 10% discount on your order.

Kombucha brewing with Kombuchman!

Join Brew Master Kombuchman of Kombucha Brooklyn  for an an hour and half of hands on Kombucha fun!   Students will learn the history of the beverage, its health benefits, and the art of brewing by Brooklyn's leading Kombuchaseur.   All participants will take home their very own batch!

Class duration: about 1.5 hours
You are not required to bring anything with you.

Thursday, February 18th Sign Up Now>>>
Tuesday, March 16th Sign Up Now>>>

Beers of the World: Belgium

Brooklyn Brewery's Chris Basso will discuss the history of brewing in Belgium and go over some of the great styles of beer that have emerged throughout Belgium's history. Some styles covered will be Belgian Tripels, Dubbels and Singels, Beers of Flanders, Gueze and Lambic, Saison and Biere De Garde (Northern France and Southern Belgium) and Trappist style beers. There will be a tasting of styles in conjunction with a  discussion of what makes these styles special and what techniques and ingredients one can implement in order to make some of these classic Belgian brews at home.

Duration: about 1.5 hours. 
You are not required to bring anything with you. 

Tuesday, March 16th Sign Up Now>>>

Kulture Kitchen with Chef Peter Berley

 Join Chef Peter Berley as he explores lacto-fermentation and live culture Foods. This class will demonstrate the techniques and health benefits of probiotic, lacto-fermented dairy and vegetables. Learn to make  Crème Fraiche and Crème Fraiche Raw Honey Ice Cream, Wild Cultured Levain Bread, Homemade Saurkraut, KimChee, Pickled Root Vegetables, Sour Beets, and Pickled Garlic. Students will each make and take away their own jar of pickles, each will each receive sourdough Levain to start their own bread baking.

Duration: about 2.5 hours.
This class is hands-on. You are not required to bring anything with you

Wednesday, March 17th Sign Up Now>>>

Tempting Tempeh

Go on a live culture adventure with fermentation enthusiast and chef Jessica Baucom as she explores the history, healthfulness, biology and politics of tempeh while teaching you how to easily make this incredible protein source at home.  Once you taste fresh, raw tempeh you will never go back to those tasteless packaged brands!  Jessica is a graduate of the chef’s training program at the Natural Gourmet Institute For Health and Culinary Arts. Coming from a background in microbiology, her kitchen became her laboratory once she discovered the incredible healing and optimizing properties of fermented foods. Her fervor for ferments has pushed her to seek out and learn from some of the great forces in fermentation today. Jessica is the founder of Tempeh Shop Brooklyn.

Duration: about 2 hours.
You are not required to bring anything with you

Thursday, March 18th  -- SIGN UP NOW!!

Lambs of Love - "Date Night" Butchering

Our fabulous butchers will lead this demonstration of how to cut up a whole lamb, while explaining where many common (and some uncommon) cuts come from on the animal. We will be using a farm-raised lamb from Meiller's Farm. Each attendee will receive a $20 credit to our butcher shop, the Meat Hook. This class will NOT be hands-on, but there will be ample time for all your questions. Expect libations befitting a Saturday night.

Class Duration: About 1.5 Hours
You are not required to bring anything with you.

Saturday, March 20th Sign Up Now>>>

Making Pizza with Roberta's

Ever been to Roberta's in Bushwick? Then you know how great their pizza is. This class will take you through some techniques to use at home to get the same (OK not unless you have an 800 degree wood-fired oven) or close to the same great pizza. This class is fully hands-on, and will include dough making.

Students are not required to bring anything with them
Duration: about 2 hours.

Sunday, March 21st Sign Up Now>>>

Artisanal Sourdough Bread in the French Tradition

Everyone loves a loaf of crusty, delicious sourdough bread -- so we're pretty lucky to have Nathan Leamy teaching us about it. Nathan's class serves as an introduction to bread, flour, baking lingo, and sourdough starter. Nathan will demonstrate how to make great sourdough bread at home, and each student will receive bread tastings as well as a portion of a sourdough culture to bring home.

Nathan Leamy is an avid baker with experience working in kitchens around the world. He first learned to bake at Deep Springs College in Eastern California and recently apprenticed at the Boulanger de Monge in Paris. He currently works at Slow Food USA, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving traditional ways of eating and promoting consumption of good, clean, and fair food.

Class duration: 1.5 hours
You are not required to bring anything with you.

Monday, March 22nd (6:30pm) Sign up Now>>>
Sunday, March 28th (2:00pm) Sign Up Now>>>

Recipe Lab: for the Budding Chef

Have you attempted to write recipes only to have your friends look at them confusedly? Chef Brendan McDermott has  the solution!  His class will take us through developing two recipes from scratch, and putting together a final recipe for each using taste and consistency as a guide. We will make a risotto, and a veg/meat chili, (both of which can evolve and change over the course of the class). Students will learn to write a clear, and easy to follow recipe. You are encouraged to bring your own ideas and creativity. 

Duration: about 2 hours.
Monday, March 22nd Sign Up Now>>>

Fry Me a River

 You'd be surprised how frequently we're asked questions about deep frying food at home. Apparently, it's mystifying... but fear not! Our very own Tom Mylan, and Millicent Souris of The Roebling Tearoom, are here to quell your trepidation. They will cover the basics of deep frying, from safety tips to the best oils to use.  Topics covered will include the ins and outs of tempura! What are panko breadcrumbs? Can I really deep-fry a beer-battered candy bar? What about an egg? Expect crazy good times as everything gets thrown into the fryer, and everyone gets their gross on (and keeps their fingers).

Duration: about 2 hours.
You're only required to antacids...just kidding!

Tuesday, March 23rd Sign Up Now>>>

*Photo from foodphotoblog.com

An Evening with La Quercia's Herb Eckhouse

Winter Veggies

 Herald in Spring by using up the last of winter's produce. Katherine Randazzo, former sous chef of Marlow and Sons, will show you how to get the best out of winter's final offerings, and ready your pantry for the new season. Kat will teach you to make hearty winter vegetable dishes, and master the techniques of braising, blanching, sauteing and roasting. Expect to go home with a full belly after the class enjoys the fruits of their labor with a family-style supper. 

Duration: about 2 hours.
You are not required to bring anything with you.

Thursday, March 25th Online Registration Is Not Available at this time; please call us at 718-349-5033.

Yeast! It's Wild

Brooklyn Brewery's Chris Brasso will lead this class, focusing on the different kinds of yeast that can be used in homebrewing. Topics will include Ale Yeast, Lager Yeast, Wild Yeast and their uses in brewing. We will discuss some basic yeast handling methods and ways to more effectively control the results of your fermentations. There will include a tasting of various beers that give typical flavor characteristics of each variety of yeast. An additional side by side tasting of beer homebrewed by Chris will be on hand to show how by changing only the yeast strain the resultant beer will be dramatically different. Expect to come away knowing far more about yeast than you thought possible.

Duration: about 1.5 hours.
You are not required to bring anything with you.

Thursday, March 25th Online Registration Is Not Available at this time; please call us at 718-349-5033.

Foundation Sauces

 Basic foundation sauces for better cooking! Chef Brendan McDermott will lead an interactive demo on the simple steps to consistent sauces, including a review of mother sauces, and a demonstration of some quick pan sauces. Participants will make a basic tomato sauce, and a simple red wine pan sauce to complement chicken or beef.

Class duration: 1.5 hours
You are not required to bring anything with you.

Sunday, March 28th Sign Up Now>>>

Cookies with Kids

Amelia Coulter of SUGARBUILT will lead this class on cookie baking and decorating for KIDS!  She will go over decorating techniques and baking tips in a simple, easy to follow fashion that will leave you with the knowledge to wow your friends and family with beautifully designed cookies.  Sign up and to expand your skills, and get some cookies to take home. This class is suitable for children 8 to 12, and parents are welcome. Our very first Kids' Class! 

Knife Skills

Join Chef Brendan McDermott as he explains the finer points of knife use, care, and SAFETY! This hands-on class for up to 12 people will help students gain comfort and keep fingers.

Class Duration: 1.5 Hours
BYOK (Bring Your Own Knife) 8" Chef's Knife or equivalent

Tuesday, March 23rd Sign Up Now>>>

Pig Butchering Class

Our fabulous butchers will lead this demonstration of how to cut up a half a pig, while explaining where many common (and some uncommon) cuts come from on the animal. We will be using a farm-raised pig from Fleisher's meats in Kingston, NY.

Each attendee will receive a $20 credit to our butcher shop, the Meat Hook. This class will NOT be hands-on, but there will be ample time for all your questions.

Class Duration: About 2 Hours

You are not required to bring anything with you.

Tuesday, March 30th Sign Up Now>>

Aphrodisiac Desserts

Anita Sharp of Electic Blue Baking will teach this delicious class on desserts. Participants will go beyond chocolate and whipped cream; to make 3 delectable desserts with ingredients like basil, pineapple, raw cacao and pine nuts. We will discuss presentation and plating, taking into account the complete sensory experience of an aphrodisiac meal. This class is vegan friendly.

Duration: about 2 hours.
Students are not required to bring anything with them.

Wednesday, March 31st Sign Up Now>>>