Mandee PogueWith the holiday season upon us, we are all out and about shopping for the perfect gift. One thing I love about the Mid-Ohio Valley is the wide variety of locally owned businesses that we have to choose from. There are artisan food shops, clothing boutiques, trinket shops, antique malls, and much more. As a passionate home cook and food blogger let me assure you that I have a very specific Christmas list this year all– all of which can be filled at our local kitchen store, The Cook’s Shop! Owned by Ken and Dagmar Kupsche, The Cook’s Shop is the epitome of the mom & pop shop. As stated on their website, “When the kids are home from college they are working in the store and the dogs can usually be found in the back room.” They purchased the 1912 built storefront on Front Street in downtown Marietta in 2007 and began renovations. Since 2007 they have completely restored the dilapidated building to its former glory– when you walk in, it is as if you are stepping back to a simpler time.
Along with selling all of the top-of-the-line brands in kitchenware such as Le Creuset and Wusthof, they also provide a variety of cooking classes. Working with a number of skilled chefs and culinary wizards in our area, they create a light-hearted, interactive, and fun learning environment. Recently I had the pleasure of attending the Euro Bread making class taught by Matt Raposselli, the chef and owner of Hocking Hills Lodge. During the class, Chef Raposselli taught us how to make a sour dough bread starter, what properly kneaded bread looks and feels like, and various baking techniques we can use in our home kitchens that will give us that beautiful artisan look we love. Afterwards we all enjoyed some AMAZING bread complete with the locally bottled olive oils and vinegars that are sold by The Cook’s Shop. Some of the upcoming class are Beef 101, Teen and College Student Cooking, Winter Soups, Solo Cooking, and Sushi. These classes fill up fast so they recommend signing up as soon as possible! Class prices range for $35-$50, and are usually about 2-3 hours long.
At the end of the class we were all issued a small discount and I won’t lie…I picked up a few new, bread making toys for myself. So whether you are wanting to add to your kitchenware collection, grow your cooking skill, or are looking for a cool place for a date or a night out with your friends head on over to the Cook’s Shop and tell them Mandee from Clutch sent you!
And one more thing…
Remember to Shop Local this holiday season!