Title:
Summer Grilling Class in the garden
Date:
Friday, August 18th, 2023
Time:
5:30-8:30PM
Cost:
$95.00
Location:
Wy' East Garden located at 23202 SE Hoffmeister Rd, Damascus, OR 97089
Join me at Wy' East Garden for an evening of fun grilling in the garden on Friday, August 18th! I will be teaching on how to have a picnic in the backyard with delicious Haitian marinades. We'll go over how to marinate different types of meats for grilling and salads to serve on the side.
We'll cook together, taste and sample the food as we cook them, and sit down to enjoy it at the end. This is a hands-on practical class; therefore, come ready to get your hands dirty during our fun-filled Three-hour class together!
Menu
Appetizers:
- Fried green plantains
- Taro root fritters
- Pikliz
Salads:
- Salade Russe (Haitian Russian potato salad, both vegan and non-vegan)
- Green salad with grilled peaches sliced steamed beets served with summer fruit vinaigrette
- Haitian-inspired cucumber salad seasoned with herbs from the garden.
Meats:
- Chicken kabobs
- Shrimp kabobs
- Gryo kabobs (pork belly)
- Whole salmon stuffed with my favorite spinach spread.
- Eggplant kabobs
Beverages:
- Fruits of the season juices including a lemon basil mocktail.
What to expect?
-
There will be some demo, and lots of hands-on cooking. Everyone will get lots of time to cook, but please note not EVERYONE will get to prepare EVERY dish.
-
Class will end with all of us enjoying a meal together in the garden.
A little info about me:
I have been teaching Haitian Cuisine in cooking shops around Portland since 2018. I find teaching about Haiti and Haitian cuisine enriching and satisfying, and receiving pictures of Haitian dishes from former attendees of recipes we've cooked together brings me the biggest joy.
I traveled to the United States for the first time when I was 18 years old on an academic scholarship. I graduated from Mt. Hood Community College located in Gresham, Oregon with a degree in Food Science Technology and returned to Haiti upon graduating to work for two prevalent Non-Governmental organizations, CARE-Haiti and USAID. At that time, I also studied and graduated from one of the most prestigious culinary schools, Ecole Hôtelière d'Haiti.
Upon my return to Portland, while living and working in the Pacific Northwest, I started having digestive issues and was in and out of the hospital for a myriad testing. Inspired by my struggles, mentally and physically, I began modifying traditional Haitian recipes, substituting ingredients with fresh produce and herbs that promote healing.
Armed with a renewed dedication for life and food education, I began Creole Me Up™ in August 2017. Creole Me Up™ is a line of 17 allergen-free, plant-based food products that are rich in flavor inclusive of marinades, vinegars, and condiments. Inspired by my Haitian roots, culture, and background, the Creole Me Up™ products can be found in about 40 local Oregon groceries.
As demand for Creole Me Up™ increases organically, I attend to my other passions like going back to school to finish my MBA at George Fox University and writing. I am the author of two e-books, Cooking With My Mother and Spice Simple Dishes with a Haitian Twist, and a semi-novel in paperback, When A Zombie Tastes Salt.
Testimonial from a former attendee of one of my virtual cooking classes:
My husband and I were BLOWN AWAY by the virtual cooking class we took with Creole Me Up. We made over five dishes that were all unbelievably delicious and authentic. Elsy is a pro at explaining everything step by step. She sent all of the information about what we would be cooking, ingredients, etc beforehand in an organized way. She also cooks it at home while you are cooking which helps, too. Any level of cook would be able to do this - even a total beginner. The cooking class was a great alternative to our typical dates and we will use the tools and recipes we were taught from here on out. Highly recommend working with Elsy - she is truly the best!
See you on August 18th at the Wy'East Gardens!