Paul Drowns of New Forest Institute, and the Belfast Co-op present a series of Summer Cooking Classes at Waterfall Arts.

For decades, Alice Waters has been a proponent of local food, Michael Pollan suggests that we “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.,"and for years, Wendell Berry has extolled the virtue of living in thoughtful balance with the land.

Centuries before pesticides, chemical fertilizers and agribusiness, food existed in a pristine form, and it was culture, not industry or government agencies that determined diet. Food was mostly local, clean, and naturally flowed with the seasons. Eating, like breathing, shouldn't require much thought, and the beauty of traditional cuisine is that it allows us to savor and thrive without over thinking.

Delicious simplicity at a slow and easy pace is the focus of this summer schedule. Each class includes appetizers, a complete dinner, recipes, and is limited in size to provide plenty of opportunity for discussion and hands on participation.Registration fee is $45 per person.

BYOW (bring your own wine) Rosé, crisp whites, Cote du Rhone, Chianti, Portuguese, or Spanish reds would be appropriate for any of the menus. Contact Ron at the Belfast Co-op for recommendations.For more information and to make reservations, contact Paul Drowns at 207-409-3140, or email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Wednesday, June 30, 2010, Spanish - Before Columbus and Tomatoes
6 to 8:30pm at Waterfall Arts, 256 High Street in Belfast, Maine

Gazpachos Manchegas is such an old dish that its origin is lost in time. Shepherds carried a large, shallow cooking pan called a gazpachera, and the stew was the result of whatever could be coaxed from the land during the day’s journey. The simple flatbread, pan azimo, accompanied the meal and was also used to thicken the stew.

The Evening’s Menu
Berenjena a la Morisca (Moorish aubergines)
Pan Ázimo(Unleavened bread)
Gazpachos Manchegas (An early shepherd’s stew from La Mancha)
Pudim da Noz (Basque Walnut Pudding)

Wednesday, July 14, 2010, Sicily and Sardinia - Simple rustic cooking
6 to 8:30pm at Waterfall Arts, 256 High Street in Belfast, Maine

Traditional Sicilian and Sardinian cookery epitomizes the use of local ingredients and is strongly influenced by early trade with the Phoenicians, and later, the Saracen occupation. The flavors are bold, and the diet one of the healthiest in the world.

The Evening’s Menu

Acquacotta (Italian cooked water)
Pisci cu Sarsa Salimurigghiu (Fish with a Sicilian herb and brine sauce)
Malloreddus (Handmade Sardinian gnocchi)
Pistu cu Pistacchiu (Pesto with Pistachio)
Ricotta dolce con il Miele (Sweet ricotta with dried fruit and honey)

Wednesday, July 28, 2010, Mediterranean Grilling - The bounty of garden and pasture
6 to 8:30pm at Oak Hill View Farm, 661 Veterans Highway in Brooks, Maine

This menu is a mix of many Mediterranean cuisines intended to celebrate summer. Weather permitting, all will be cooked over wood fire.

The Evening’s Menu

Calçots con Salbitxada (Grilled spring onions with a spicy sauce from Catalonia)
Merguez with Muhammara (Grilled lamb sausages with a spicy Syrian sweet pepper condiment)
Costolette Scottodito (“Finger burning” chops)
Contorno di Verdure alla Griglia (A side dish of grilled vegetables)
Macco di Fave (Stewed fava beans)
Le Mele Fritto in Strutto Profumato (Apples fried in rosemary scented lard)

Wednesday, August 11, 2010, Fire and Earth - Cooking in terracotta
6 to 8:30pm at Waterfall Arts, 256 High Street in Belfast, Maine

Terracotta cooking vessels have been used for thousands of years. It distributes heat evenly and is a joy to cook with and over time it captures flavor, returning it and almost becoming an ingredient itself.

The Evening’s Menu

Stracotto di Maiale (A centuries old braised pork recipe)
Patate e Cipolle (Tuscan Potatoes and onions)
Brasato di Verdure Estive (Braised summer greens)
Budino di Ricotta e Mandorle (Ricotta almond pudding)

Wednesday, August 25, 2010, Spanish - Bold sun drenched flavors
6 to 8:30pm at Waterfall Arts, 256 High Street in Belfast, Maine
There is much more to Spanish food than just tapas

The Evening’s Menu

Sopa de ajo Castellana (Castilian Garlic Soup)
Acelga Frito con de Pasas y Piñón (Sautéed Chard with Raisins and Pine Nuts)
Baccalao Ajoarriero (Salt Cod and roasted red pepper salad)
Estofado de Garbanzos Espinacas y Bacalao (Braised chickpeas, spinach and salt cod with pimentón and coriander)
Torta de la Almendra sin la Harina (Flourless almond cake)

Wednesday, September 8, 2010, Straight from a Provencal Garden
6 to 8:30pm at Waterfall Arts, 256 High Street in Belfast, Maine

In August and September my appetite is in a panic to gorge on the bounty of the garden before frost comes and ends the flood of summer vegetables. The memories of this evening’s bold flavors will last well into winter.

The Evening’s Menu
les Oeufs, et de Saucisse Sec (Salad of sliced tomato, hardboiled eggs, and hard sausage)
Farcis à la Niçoise (Stuffed roasted vegetables)
Tian Provencal (Roasted vegetable casserole)
Agneau Rôti Provençal (Grilled, butterflied leg of lamb)
Figues Grillées (Grilled Figs)