JULY 2012:\n\nSay what?! How is it that I have not yet written a Yelp review for Denise on here? Shame on me - I'm a regular over there!\n\nHere's a run-down of some of the classes I've taken over there: \n\nIce Scream, You Scream was my first class with Denise, and I completely enjoyed myself and learned how to make different types of ice cream: a vegan coconut lime (with ginger snap cookies!), a spicy chocolate ice cream with a more custard-like base, a strawberry semifredo, and some mulled wine popsicles (which really smelled and tasted like Sangria, my favorite!). She also gave us more information on the different types of ice cream makers available (mine is different from the ones we used in the class). Bonus: Denise provided lunch for us as well - two types of pizza. Margherita with roma tomatoes+mozzarella medallions+fresh basil from her garden, and fig+bleu cheese+caramelized onion on rosemary herbed crust. As if that wasn't good enough, Denise provided to-go containers so that we could bring home a good amount of each of the frozen goodies we made! Seriously could not have been happier!\n\nAfter that ice cream making class, I signed up for a five-part \"Culinary Bootcamp\" with three other ladies. This consisted of five 3-hour, hands-on classes covering basic things we  should all know in the kitchen in order to be an able and fearless home-cook. Knife skills, basic cooking techniques like braising, roasting, saut\u00e9ing, making stocks and soups, one-pot meals, and various flavor profiles and cooking basics so that we can be confident that we can \"throw something together\" without a recipe. Every class was full of delicious food that we all made and then enjoyed for dinner together, often with leftovers we could take home - my husband loved that part! I definitely love to cook, and eat home-cooked meals almost every day of my life. Even almost a year after taking this class, some of the recipes we made in those classes (or something inspired by one of those recipes or techniques) are regulars in my weekly meal planning. Simple, real ingredients, always delicious, and I feel extremely confident throwing things together when I have odds and ends for ingredients. \n\nI took a Thai Cooking class as well - Thai Me Up, Thai Me Down! As with all the classes I've done at Denise's, this one was fantastic! Thai isn't one of my favorite cuisines, though I'm developing a taste for those flavors and ingredients. This was a wonderful introduction to Thai flavor profiles and dishes. I love that there is hands-on work involved, not just watching the chef do her thing. Some other classes around town are more demo than hands-on. This is a nice blend of both. And I love love love that we got to eat a great meal (that we all made!) when we were done! As a bonus, Denise prepared a to-go box with leftovers for each of us, AND a little care package with ingredients for us to use at home later: lemongrass, galangal, Thai chilies, tamarind paste, and some loose leaf Thai tea!\n\nMost recently, a small group of us wrapped up a five-part Baking Basics bootcamp which included a from-scratch all-purpose baking mix (like bisquick) which we used to make various scones, p\u00e2te \u00e0 choux (puff pastry dough/batter) from which we made a savory \"goug\u00e8re\" with gruyere cheese, pepper and nutmeg, and a sweet puff filled with fresh whipped cream and covered with a chocolate ganache; cinnamon rolls, bagels, pizza dough, brownies and bars, four types of pies: skillet apple pie, peach crumble pie, strawberry tart with fresh pastry cream, and a savory pizza rustic pie in a sweet crust - my favorite! During the last class, we made cakes, fillings and frostings. Chocolate cake enrobed ganache, mini cakes/cupcakes including coconut cake with a lemon butter cream frosting, a chocolate cake with a german chocolate cake frosting, and a chocolate cake with a peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Even made cake pops and push cakes (neither of these are *my* favorites, but it was cool to see how these trendy things are made). I should note that during every single baking class, dinner was included as well! Always something delicious, sometimes Denise had already prepared it while we did our baking, and sometimes we'd also work on dinner while working on the baking. And as usual with all of Denise's classes - lots of leftovers to take home!\n\nAnd during all of our classes, we sit out on her front porch and enjoy people-watching or a show going on across the street -usually some live music or a poetry slam/open mic night across the street. Often, the cats and chickens roam her garden and join us. Lots of fun!\n\nFuture classes on tap for me at Denise Is Cooking are a dairy class (cheese-making! YES!), and a few other ethnic classes she's currently cooking up. Can't flipping' wait! \n\nI can't say enough about what a great asset Denise is to the community (and to my kitchen - and mah belly!