As many of you may know, I recently traveled to New Orleans for the 30th Annual IACP Conference. I can honestly say I had my reservations about the value of such a trip. Many times conferences do not produce meaningful results. This time, I was pleasantly surprised. Ok, I will be even more enthusiastic. It was well worth my time, effort and expense. Kelly made me put a link here so that IF you want to see more of my ramblings about the New Orleans Conference you can do so. I think you will enjoy it!

Check out June´s "Evening at the Chef´s Table" for a menu taken from the pages of Susan Spicer´s cookbook; Crescent City Cooking. You can pre-purchase her book now for $35. It should be in-stock soon. You too will be inspired by the food she creates. The hot summer months ahead lend themselves to the bold flavors and spice that is New Orleans Cuisine, so you can expect many more menus inspired by the region on our calendar. This includes grilling classes too.

Chef Blake Ellis´s class in May is sold out, so we have added a class on June 4th (Tart Dough and Pastry Creme). As I have said before, he is one of the most talented young chefs I have seen. Check out his two (2) classes in June. His second class is "All about Cheesecakes" on June 26th.

Brian Ries, our guest sommelier, has a few seats left in his May "Wine 101" class. He will walk you through the grape varietals, major wine producing regions of the world, how to read a wine label, and how to order wine in a restaurant. This will be a monthly class. Additionally, he is developing a "Wine Series" that will be more in depth and comprehensive.

Kids´ Summer Camp; Cooking across America and Tweens´ Summer Camp; Attack of the Restaurant Clones are on the schedule for June, July, and August. They promise to be informative, tasty and lots of fun. They are filling fast, so sign up soon.

June 14th is the date that Dr. BBQ challenges Chef Jaden to an Iron Chef Style competition here at the Rolling Pin. The event is limited to 14 students. We will have 3 judges to decide who "reigns supreme". This could quite possibly be one of the most fun nights of cooking we have ever had. Dr. BBQ says he is "THE" RP Iron Chef and all others pale in comparison. Seems the chefs are talking trash already. Don´t miss out.

The last Friday of each month from 6:00 until 8:30 pm, we host a FREE Wine Tasting here at the RP. We feature 4-6 unique wines and serve great hors d´oeuvres that compliment the wines. These events are becoming quite popular, so come early and stay late. Mark your calendars.

I have been asked to be a member of the Gourmet Retailer Advisory Board. This is a trade magazine that focuses on gourmet foods, kitchenware, and cooking in general. As such, my first meeting is during the Fancy Food Show in NYC, which Karen and I are attending in June. She doesn´t let me buy anything at shows, but I do get to graze down each aisle. There will be literally thousands of vendors, suppliers and distributors from all over the world. That means lots of new food products in the near future.

Lastly, don´t forget about the 5,000th Cooking Class Student. According to my calculations, we will meet this milestone in late May/early June. This depends on how classes fill each week. Remember there is nothing for you to do other than to register and attend classes. Our 5,000th student will win a cooking class for 8 valued at $400 plus a $100 RP Gift Card. The night of that class, champagne and prizes will be enjoyed by all attending the class. Sign up early and often!

Remember when you need recipe ingredients, cooking questions answered, and great kitchen tools think Rolling Pin. We appreciate your business and look forward to seeing you.

Thank You, Chef Dave

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