It's
that time of year when the weather is starting to cool off and you want to find
your stove again. Every semester UNLV Continuing Education offers classes to
tempt and entice your palate. I think of Chef Les Kincaid as our “resident
expert” since he has taught cooking and wine appreciation for Continuing
Education for more than 25 years. We have learned to make hearty soups, crafted
our own sushi rolls, and matched artisan cheese with craft beers. Now Chef
Kincaid wants to expand our knowledge on wine and cheese and liven up our
traditional holiday meals.
On Oct.
22 Wines & Cheeses of the World
gets underway. This two-week course is held at Total Wine & More in
Summerlin, with the first week focusing on French wines & cheese and the
second week on the Spanish ones. Chef Kincaid is very knowledgeable about
winemaking and speaks extensively about how the landscape & weather affect
the grapes and why cheeses and wines from the same region complement each other
so well. He talks about the proper temperature both red and white wines should
be served and that all cheeses should be served at room temperature. With the
attention to detail that Chef Kincaid provides, you will enjoy your holiday
cheer.
Speaking of holidays,
in my household Christmas dinner is very eclectic, featuring dishes from around
the world. Last year, my brother who lives in China brought home a Chinese dish
that had potatoes, fish sauce and those tiny hot peppers (yum!). The main dish
was a German roulade, with a Buche de Noel (French Yule log cake) for dessert.
I can’t wait to find new ideas for this year; I like surprising my family with
a tasty new recipe. If you’re like me you may want to check out a New
Twist on Traditional Holiday Recipes, where you can spice up your holiday
parties with fresh ideas on the tried-and-true recipes. The class is for main
dishes with tips to make your holiday meals a success. It meets on Nov. 18 from
6-8:30 p.m., just in time for the holiday season.
