If cabin fever has you feeling a bit restless and you're not into outdoor winter sports, there are still activities that can get you out of the house - but keep you staying warm. Any guesses? How about a cooking class?
Dozens of options are out there, from one-day, one-cuisine classes to some that can last weeks, or months. Lake Effect dining contributor AnnChristenson of Milwaukee Magazine joined Dan Harmon to help distil what's out there, and boiled down the classes to two basic types: demonstration and hands-on.
"I think there's value in [demonstration classes], it's perhaps not as helpful as actually doing it yourself. Classes like that will cost less than one where you're participating," Christenson says.
While demonstration classes can be less costly and perhaps a little less intimidating than diving into a hands-on session, the latter can help you retain the techniques you learned in class more effectively.
"[Hands-on] is usually a smaller number of students than you'd have in a demonstration class...but then you'd have someone, or maybe two people working with you individually while you're actually working at a work station and creating something," she says.
Whether you are more comfortable sitting back and watching or prefer to get your hands messy, there are plenty of options to enroll in a cooking class that is right for you. Classes can be found at cooking supply stores, to top restaurants, to recreational departments or community centers.
No matter where you take them, "the nice thing about classes is that you will sit down and you'll either have to sample each thing that's prepared or that you're making, or you'll have a meal at the end. There might be wine involved, you'll get recipes that you're able to take with you, and it's usually a fun thing," Christenson says.
