Last night, Chuck and I had the pleasure of a super fun experience. Date nights are essential for us. I know that date nights are essential for anyone, but I can say in a blended family, we did not get a "honeymoon" period. We immediately jumped into a ready-made family. There is little time for private connection during the busy work week. Chuck and I prioritize date night to happen at least every other week, if not more often. For us, these nights re-energize us and our marriage. It gives us a chance to really connect usually over wine, food, and good conversation.
We also like to explore new places, restaurants, concerts, venues, etc. Keeping that spirit of exploration and curiosity is vital to our marriage. It keeps us learning, growing, connecting, and seeing the world. These little adventures are like mini vacations or resets for me too. We love experiences, and have started asking for that instead of gifts for special occasions like Christmas. We were blessed this Christmas to receive a cooking class from my in-laws! Last night, we got to attend the class at Grand Fete in Hudson, WI! What a blast!
Grand Fete is a lovely, charming kitchen store in downtown Hudson that offers a retail space and a cooking/instructional space.
We started the night by checking in and enjoying a bottle of wine. After we got aprons and a spot to get situated, our instructor (Sheryl Grover) gave us some basic instruction and tips about the menu we would be making. The theme was French country/rustic cooking. Everything was delicious, simple, and quality.
Our menu included:
appetizer: scallops in a rich white sauce, baked in small ramekin with bread crumb Gruyere topping
salad: Winter salad with beets, apples, and a delicious homemade dressing
stew: shrimp, tomato based, deliciously aromatic and spicy
dessert: brandy apple tarte
We then were split up into teams and chose what portion of the meal we would be prepping. Chuck and I got the apple tarte which is perfect for us because we love dessert and baking! I loved that our teacher would answer any questions we had, but also gave us complete freedom to go for it!
The apple tarte was made from puff pastry, homemade apple sauce, sliced apples, and APPLE BRANDY! I had never heard of apple brandy, but it smelled and tasted delish. We added that little mason jar of it to the whipped cream we made to top the dessert with.
We had a really fun time and finished the night by eating and sampling all the goodies together as a class. I would highly recommend this place for shopping and for the class. It was such a fun night, and really builds on teamwork and communication. This experience was a gift for us, but the classes are affordable (no more than a nice dinner out).
They also offered a ten percent discount in the shop last night and we bought some new kitchen goodies which I was very excited about!
shot glass style measuring cup -perfect for baking
crepe pan-also great for eggs
chic wrap-I HATE dealing with cling film...this dispenser makes it easy with a cutter and cute box!
popcorn oil-I love any type of dipping oil for bread. Last night, I found a new oil that goes on popcorn...perfect for a salty snack on movie night!
If you need to change up your usual date night routine, maybe try a class? If not cooking, there are so many other options.