SALISBURY — The Taste of Home Cooking School will be in town on April 3 — a little over a week away — and tickets are still available.
The star of the show is culinary specialist Michelle Roberts, known to sprinkle humor in with her cooking tips. Assisting will be local emcee Michael Thomas, also known as “Melvis.”
If you go, you’ll see recipe demonstrations and could even take home a finished dish, if you’re lucky. The evening includes door prizes, and everyone gets a gift bag with the Taste of Home Cooking School magazine and other goodies, such as coupons from participating national food companies.
Past attendees have also raved about the vendor show before the cooking lesson. On hand will be representatives of Thirty-One Handbags, Paparazzi Jewelry, Pampered Chef, Tupperware, Chef for the Evening, Confident Home Solutions, Nerium Skin Care, Organo Gold Gourmet Coffees and Teas, Celebrating Home Cookware & Home Décor and Cornerstone Church.
Doors open at 4 p.m. for VIPs and 5 p.m. for general admission ticket holders. The show starts at 6:30 p.m.
General admission tickets are $10. You can order yours online at salisburypost.com/tasteofhome or buy them at the Salisbury Post, 131 W. Innes St., between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Lunch & Learn Series
Toi Degree, the expert on all things consumer- and family-related at Rowan County Cooperative Extension, will offer a six-month series of monthly Lunch and Learn sessions starting in April.
The free sessions will be held at noon each fourth Thursday, beginning April 24, at the Rowan County Agriculture Center, 2727 Old Concord Road.
Each session will cover a different food topic. Participants will receive a sampling of food, recipes and other educational materials — all made possible through a grant from The Blanche & Julian Robertson Family Foundation. The first three sessions are:
April 24, Quick Breads: Sweet or savory, easy and “quick” breads are a snap to prepare. Quick breads include: banana bread, cornbread, muffins and pancakes just to name a few. Come discover the limitless options and ingredients you can use.
May 29, Microwaving: Do you find yourself using your microwave just to heat water or to warm up last night’s leftovers? Why not come learn how you can prepare meals using your microwave to save time, energy, and nutrients?
June 26, Stir Frying: With this fast and fresh cooking method, you simply toss and turn bite-sized pieces of food in a little hot oil in a wok over high heat. In five minutes or less, the work is done. Vegetables emerge crisp and bright. Meats are flavorful, tender, and well seared.
Registration is required. Register by calling the Extension office at 704-216-8970.
Have food allergies?
AllergyEats, an online restaurant guide, includes Red Robin, Outback Steakhouse and Bonefish Grill on its 2014 list of Most Allergy-Friendly Restaurant Chains nationwide.
AllergyEats bases its ratings on customer feedback about how well restaurants serve food-allergic diners.
“These restaurants have demonstrated a superior willingness and ability to accommodate guests with food allergies,” said Paul Antico, founder and CEO of AllergyEats. “We applaud their exemplary efforts around food allergy protocols, training and education.”
Outback is the only restaurant on the list with a Rowan County location, but here are the others for those who travel. They’re grouped by the number of restaurants in the chain.
Large (over 200 units):
• Red Robin Gourmet Burgers (4.45 rating)
• P.F. Chang’s China Bistro (4.43 rating)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (4.41 rating)
• Outback Steakhouse (4.35 rating)
• Romano’s Macaroni Grill (4.20 rating)
Medium (50-200 units):
• Bonefish Grill (4.43 rating)
• Ninety Nine Restaurant (4.28 rating)
• Mellow Mushroom (4.26 rating)
• Uno Chicago Grill (4.24 rating)
• Bertucci’s Brick Oven Restaurant (4.17 rating)
Small (under 50 units):
• Burtons Grill (4.90 rating)
• Maggiano’s Little Italy (4.73 rating)
• Papa Razzi (4.68 rating)
• Legal Sea Foods (4.67 rating)
• Not Your Average Joe’s (4.66 rating)
If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.
— Mother Teresa