It was more than a few weeks ago that Tea of Tea & Cookies and I started talking about getting together for a grill session.
Oh Biggles, you’re boring me already with this story, you’ve done this before. “Oh, Hi, I’m Biggles and let’s grill today. Blah Blah BLAH !!!”
What if I told you Tea is a 2nd generation vegetarian?

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Hey, were you the one with that dull ass knife over the holiday whacking repeatedly in to your roasted meat hunks making a complete mess out of it? Sure your knife skills may be that of a rabid beaver, but it could very well be it’s time to get a new edge on those old rigs. Ya know, you should sharpen them at least twice a year, depending on use.
I can hear you now, “But Biggles, I use that steely thing at least once a month!”
That “steely thing” should be used each time you use your knife and only realigns the hairs on the existing edge. This edge goes away over time and needs to be made new again. Haven’t you always wondered how these surreal & magical people do this to our beloved knives?
Wonder no more my friend! For Eric E. Weiss is here to shead light in to where we only dreamed of going. That’s right, he’s going to show you how to sharpen your own knives. This coming February 26th, in Emeryville, Eric will go in to great detail about all things sharp and how to keep them that way. The cost is only $55.00 bux.
Read on, foo.

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Hey, were you the one with that dull ass knife over the holiday whacking repeatedly in to your roasted meat hunks making a complete mess out of it? Sure your knife skills may be that of a rabid beaver, but it could very well be it’s time to get a new edge on those old rigs. Ya know, you should sharpen them at least twice a year, depending on use.
I can hear you now, “But Biggles, I use that steely thing at least once a month!”
That “steely thing” should be used each time you use your knife and only realigns the hairs on the existing edge. This edge goes away over time and needs to be made new again. Haven’t you always wondered how these surreal & magical people do this to our beloved knives?
Wonder no more my friend! For Eric E. Weiss is here to shead light in to where we only dreamed of going. That’s right, he’s going to show you how to sharpen your own knives. This coming February 12th, starting at 6:30 to 8:30pm in Emeryville, Eric will go in to great detail about all things sharp and how to keep them that way. The cost is only $55.00 bux.
Read on, foo.

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Here we find Eric hard at work Saturday morning at the Berkeley Farmer’s Market.

Who here wants, needs, really should, improve their knife skills in the kitchen? Raise your hands, excellent. How many of you have been waiting for one you could afford and yet have a class that’s comprehensive? Raise your hands, excellent. Maybe even learn how to sharpen your knives or repair broken ones? You bet. Well, you’ve scored big time people.
Paulding & Co. is offering a Knife Sharpening & Knife Skills Class for only 85 dollars. It’s going to be held this coming December 11, 2006; 6:30pm – 10:00pm in Emeryville.
You’re a bloody knuckle knobbed fool if you don’t sign up today. The class isn’t quite full yet, but it should be in a few days or so. Get with it, go now. Your fingers will be thankful you did.
Biggles

I’m so excited I’m bouncing up and down in my chair. EEeeEEeeEEeee !!!
It’s no secret anymore, Shuna’s classes are no less than stellar. I’ve attended a handful of them ranging from Knife Skills, Baking and Pate a Choux. And this time she’s offering up a handful of goodies to learn. And you know what? This is perfect timing. Want to know why? Because the holidays are coming up and this would be the perfect time to master your pie dough technique.
Shuna’s classes are a hands on and 1 to 1. If you’re a wall flower, too bad. You’re going to come away with a wonderful experience, inspired and full of mad baking skills. If you’re a pro, she’ll be able to clear up any misconceptions or hone your ability to perform. Or if your a Homer Simpson (read here: Biggles) in the baking department, she’ll at least give you the opportunity to not screw it up. This is key because you’ll get to see feel, smell and touch what it’s supposed to come out like. Heck, until last year I didn’t know what live versus dead yeast looked like when introduced to warm water.
And I swear to Bacon, if I hear anyone say, “Ya know, I’d love to. But, I think maybe I’ll catch the next class.” That’s all very well and good, but time flies fast pal. You could very well lose out, again. Aren’t you tired of being a loser? Step outside your box and make the effort to actually leave your home and have fun and learn something at the same time. Won’t you? If I can do it, you can too.
The details on these upcoming classes haven’t gelled yet. So, I’m not able to give you the concrete low down at the moment. Except maybe they’ll be held in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Please visit Shuna’s Eggbeater for details and contact information.
Go now.
Biggles

HOOYAH !!! Man, I just love taking Shuna’s classes. I’ve taken prolly about 4 of her classes, knives and some wicked baking ones. Not only does the woman know what she’s doing, but she takes the time with each person to make sure they get something useful out of the class. This personal attention isn’t something one usually walks away with after taking one at a local kitchen supply store or school. If you tend to be a wall flower, you’ll get left in the dust. This can be kinda sad and leave you feeling empty. Not Shuna, she gets those wall flowers planted firmly in front with gaze centered.
If you’re on the wall about stepping up, it’s time to jump. The class is coming up this coming Sunday September 10th. If you’re smart, you’ll contact her immediately and get your place secured with a paypal payment. Spots go quickly for this class, very quickly. Last time a couple drove up from Los Angeles just to attend, that’s right. If you hesitate, you’ll lose.
As a parting thought I absolutely do not want to hear anyone saying, “Oh I’d love to take it, but maybe next time.” These classes are not run by Kraft or Sears. They are run by Shuna the Pastry Chef and if she gets a fancy full time cheffin’ job, she’s outta here and once again, you lose.
Do it, you know you wanna.
Please visit Shuna’s blog entry for the Knife Skills Class for September 10th.
Biggles

I was just flipping through Shuna’s Eggbeater and noticed she’s got Knife Skills class coming up. The location is in San Francisco, so if you’re even remotely close, sign up now. It’s a small class so space will go.
I attended Shuna’s first knife skills class back in February of 2005. I learned enough to find myself supreming sectioned fruit like a madman. I still do it on a regular basis today and love every minute of it. I find myself now inspecting my fruits or veggies to see if I can get the skin off somehow and make it even nicer. It usually ends up looking like a beaver had its way with it, but it’s nice to try and see.
A note to ya’ll who wait. Shuna does this as she see’s fit. You may not get another chance this year or it could happen twice next month. So, if you’re on the wall waiting to see? You lose.
Sign up now for Shuna’s Knife Skills Class in SF.
Saturday July 22nd
$53**
1-3pm Bernal Heights, San Francisco

Well, that was a lot of fun. Pastry Chef Shuna Lydon of Eggbeater held her Pate Choux class yesterday in Berkeley. We got to hang out all afternoon in Poulet’s fancy kitchen. I have to say it sure is nice cooking in a large kitchen. The work areas have plenty of room, the stove and ovens are powerful and the capacities give me the chills.
Shuna sat us down for some lecture action. She had a few major points that she felt if we got nothing else, get these. After the lecture it was time for us to get some hands on experience wrangling the choux. Yee haw!
She ran through a large batch on the 20 quart Hobart. Man, she wrastled that beast like a pro, she’s no slouch. The large batch filled some pastry bags so we could all practice squeezing out the choux. And brother, or sister, we needed practice. While this was going on several students were getting a second small batch going. And then another made with a milk base so we could do donuts! The afternoon flew by while she talked, conversed and taught. Questions were asked and mad pastry skills demonstrated. Everyone pitched in and did their part to learn. This is far better than attempting something on your own. There’s only so much you can learn from books. Being able to have someone there saying, “That’s how it should look like, right there.” is invaluable. A great day.
If you’re in the area and not signing up for her classes, you’re out of your fricken mind. This woman’s passion for the pastry, the teaching, ingredients and their roots is amazing. Shuna understands completely the relationship of the ingredients and this all comes together in a class worth more than double. Yesterday’s class held a few professional cooks, a caterer, interested bakers, a few bloggers, home chefs and a hillbilly with his wife. We all had a great time and learned to listen to your dough, touch your dough, feel your dough, keep yer eye balls on it and last but not least, taste your dough. It tasted pretty darned good too.
Before I leave you for today I wish to express upon you a point of my own. Listen up, Shuna’s classes aren’t on a schedule. She does them when she sees fit. The topic covered yesterday may never be taught again. If you’re thinking to yourself, “Ahhh, I’ll just catch the next one.” You’ve lost.
So, don’t be a loser and keep your ears piqued over at Eggbeater and don’t miss out.
Biggles

Hells bells, how the hell to I pronounce it?!?! I know how to find out, that’s for sure. Shuna Lydon of Eggbeater is a fancy pasty chef and is putting up a class this coming weekend. It’s on Sunday from 1 to 3:30pm in Berkeley. I’ve taken her knife skills class, hosted same class and taken her baking class. She more than knows what she’s doing, plus she’s got cool stories about working in professional kitchens. This is my favorite, even the horror stories. WoooOOOooOoo.
What is Pate Choux? Here’s what Shuna has to say about it.

Pate Choux. Its versatility is practically unmatched. A double-cooked dough, choux looks easy on paper but can be confounding upon attempt. Whether for savoury or sweet use, choux is the work-horse of the dough world. It’s the lumber jack, the invisible plain Jane of grade-school, the nerdy kid who became the computer genius. The wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Pate choux can carry the weight of salty dry cheese and become an elegant gougere, puff so high its airy center can hide a clown-car’s amount of whipped cream or custard, be poached to become a rich gnocchi, and fried in any shape to become a beloved doughnut or churro.

I know it’s short notice, but there’s only a few spaces left and if you’re on the fence about it, RIGHT NOW is the time to register.
Look, it’s only $68 dollars. How could this possibly be wrong?
Please visit the Pate Choux post on her blog for the particulars.
Sunday June 11, 2006
Berkeley, CA 1-3:30 pm
$68
Come one, come all, come hungry to learn.

Eric E. Weiss
I received an email the other day stating that Eric the Knife Guy, from the Berkeley Farmer’s market, is going to co-host a really fancy 4 hour knife skills workshop here in the San Francisco Bay Area. The other guy, Chef Charles Vollmar I don’t know. So, I went to Paulding & Co. to see what was up.
These people put on largely upscale classes and it’s worth a look in to. Let’s say you’re interested in Terry’s Basic Cooking Supper Club, that’d be $260.00. It includes food though and the kitchen is fricken amazing. Here, let me quote this.
Built in 2003-04, the Paulding & Company Kitchen is unique. It is spacious, light and well equipped, set up for both professional catering and baking, and for hands-on cooking events and classes. Amenities include a walk-in refrigerator and freezer, a 12-burner commercial stove, 4 full-size commercial convection ovens and a 24-inch char grill; 90-second low-temperature commercial dishwasher, full-size 3-compartment sink, prep sink, and roomy work table space and seating for 36.
You get the idea, these people mean business. This must be why they picked Eric & Charles to host this upcoming class on this February 12th.
So, if you’ve been waiting for an excellent local Knife Skills class and Shuna isn’t available, this is where you need to be.
Please read on for the invite and announcement including bios at the end.

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It’s like going to the movies, cept you get to drink wine, eat far better food and you’re encouraged to talk and ask questions. Mama and I don’t get out much and these little outtings over to Macy’s of San Francisco are a nice breather during the week. The trip over was kinda uneventful, no disasters or run-ins with anyone interesting. We wound our way down to The Cellar and found the kitchen, easy. There were a few places up front and we grabbed em’. The table was all set with Hummus, Eggplant Caviar, red & orange little maters, bread, water and here came the wines !!!

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Yeah !!! Check this out, Macy’s Union Square Cellar is hosting a neat How-to cooking event. Executive Chef Stephen Gibbs, graduate of California Culinary Academy, formerly chef at the San Francisco Opera House will be chefing up some fancy appetizers and wine. His new gig, Hands On Gourmet looks pretty interesting. They’ve set themselves up to do At Home Cooking Classes, Culinary Team Building and Hands On Wine Education. Clearly we’ll be in good hands on September 8th.
This means we get to sit at a nice table with real table cloths and flatware drinking and eating in the cooking department at Macy’s! It’s a lot of fun, check out what Mama and I did last time. It’s only 25 dollars and it’s a little something different to do on a Thursday evening.
Here is the information you’ll need to get yourself a reserved seat for this event:
Thursday, September 8th, 2005 at 6pm (dinner time foo)
$25 per person and includes wine and appetizers, duh.
RSVP 415.393.3724 or by emai, meredith@spamfreeCHOWmag.com
Macy’s Union Square Cellar
351 Geary Street in San Francisco
Enjoy

It was cold, rainy & quite nasty for mid June here in the San Francisco Bay Area. And the bald tires on my old pickup weren’t doing me any favors either. What’s a perfect thing to do on such an afternoon? That’s right, attend some fancy cooking demonstration in The Cellar at Macy’s in San Francisco.

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Ooo, looks like a hands on class too. The rumor is Shuna will be making a galette, crisp, pie and a shortcake. She’s bonkers over Anson Mills flours, so I’m sure this will be a key ingredient.
If you’re on the fence, deciding whether to go or not, jump now. Shuna continues on a regular basis to get rave reviews from her students. You can’t miss, not even once. Heck, if you have a group of your friends that would like to be instructed in your own home, contanct Shuna. She’ll be there. Besides, who doesn’t love berries? This is a chance to see how it’s done or polish your already intact skill set. She can help.
Date: Monday June 6th
Time: 6pm Sharp!
Where: Sur La Table in Santa Rosa
Price: $65

Register Today!
Biggles

Sorry I didn’t have a custard picture, this is close as I could get.
I heard a rumor this class was in the works. Didn’t think it would hit so fast. Shuna has had a busy May already and now she adds in 1 topic that shows up in 2 classes. How cool is THAT? Yeah well, you don’t have tons of time like the last Knife Skills class. This one starts Wednesday May 25th 7-9:30pm or you can join the one on Saturday May 28th 1:30 to 4pm. Either way make time and email shuna directly shunafish at spamfree earthlink.net.
This class will NOT be a place where you’re lost in the crowd only catching a few pointers. Shuna makes a point to make sure everyone understands these fine points and gets their questions answered. You will leave positively charged walking in the Light of Custard.
Further Details
Or
Shuna’s Eggbeater Food Blog
Xo Xo