Good food + Good company = Cookology

A representative scene

If you are interested in learning to cook, but have limited experience and worry that time spent gaining the necessary culinary skills is time away from your loved one, Cookology might be the place to start.

Cookology is a culinary recreational school in Northern Virginia. The instructor provides a menu for the night as well as all the ncessary ingredients. Step-by-step instructions on everything from how to hold the knife to how one should marinate meats are provided. In addition to getting exposed to ethnic cuisines such as Indian, French, Ethiopian, or Japanese, Cookology also allows participants to engage in other culinary activities such as baking, knife skills for sushi, or making your own sauces.

I went for a cook-out session on a Saturday night. The theme was Asian fusion. The instructor was not only knowledgeable but also friendly. He instructed a group of 16 people, most of whom came as a part of a couple.

We cooked three dishes: a salad, beef tacos, and chicken quesadillas. The mexican specialties dominated by adobo and chilli sauces and blended with Asian spices and sauces specifically soya sauce, and sesame oil. The instructor was kind enough to substitute beef with chicken at my request.

The session lasted for two hours: the first hour was devoted to preparing all the ingredients, marinating the meats while the remaining time was used to cook and enjoy the resulting meal. The meats were marinated with the sauces, a lot of lime, garlic, ginger powder, sesame oil, honey and green onions. The participants along with the instructor grilled their meat. Once the meat was ready, the quesadillas were layered with cooked diced chicken, and shredded cheese. They were folded to be baked in the oven until the cheese melted. It went well with the veggies.

The mixture prepared for the chicken (or beef) tacos was comprised of similar ingredients. Diced pears were added to the taco. However, although the strong taste of raw adobo sauce dominated, on the whole the dish worked. The meal paired with a glass of wine of the participant's choice.

I initially thought a meal for one at $65 dollars was a bit pricey given that you can obtain most recipes on the Internet. But the experience of cooking with people gave the class added value. I would definitely recommend it to more social foodies.