Throughout Central Asia, delicious dumplings of all kinds are a staple of the local cuisine. Mantoo (or Mantu) is a popular traditional Afghan dish consisting of steamed dumplings filled with spiced ground meat and onions, or called Ashak when filled with a vegetarian leek filling. In Afghanistan they are served alongside split yellow lentils and a rich tomato gravy, then topped with fresh yoghurt and mint sauce. 

Join Frishta Ghafoori (along with her aunt Samia, her family's resident dumpling expert) as they show you the traditional way to make mantoo and ashak from scratch. You will learn the whole process, from making and rolling the dough, preparing the fillings and sauces. You'll get to enjoy some delicious samples and take extras home to share along with all the recipes and your newly-honed dumpling making skills!

Join artisanal baker Leo Baduria for a full-day, in-depth exploration of the fundamentals of great bread. You’ll learn how to make your own sourdough starter, and how to prepare different types of dough, using various grains and flours. There will be hands-on practice of the techniques to folding, kneading and shaping dough to make focaccia/fougasse, baguettes, boules, batards and brioches, including challah braids.

Tamales are an essential and ancient Mexican dish – soft cornmeal masa (dough) stuffed with a flavourful filling, wrapped in corn husks and steamed. Portable and self-contained, tamales are a popular street food with countless variations found all across Mexico, and a beloved part of many Holy Week and Easter celebrations. Join Iván Wadgymar of Maizal for a fun, hands-on class where you will learn how to make delicious tamales from scratch using traditional, freshly ground masa de maiz instead of the industrial maseca (dried corn flour) that many recipes call for. As a local grower, miller and processor of artisanal Mexican corn, beans and chiles Iván connection to Mexican culinary traditions runs much deeper than most. More than just recipes and techniques, you will learn about the roots of the ingredients and traditions in Mexican and cuisine — literally what puts the culture in agriculture. You'll be making Tamales de Rajas (Poblano Pepper) and Tamales Verdes (chicken in salsa verde), as well as a fresh Salsa Verde Cruda. There will be tamales to snack on in class, and everyone gets to take home the tamales they make, along with all the recipes. 

Emily Zimmerman, The Depanneur’s OG plant-food maven, will guide you through three matzah-centric, kosher-for-passover desserts you’ll want to eat all year. Serve them at the family feasts on the first nights, or use them at the end of the week with your last box of matzah. Each dish has its own history and background, and delicious flavour profile.