We're doing an exciting event for the first time this year: The "Taste of Home" Cooking School!  If you love cooking, or just food in general, you're not gonna want to miss this!

I talked to our events manager, Carol Bennis, about the event to get an idea of what to expect.  What she had to say definitely got me super-excited!

Drew: Exactly what’s going on (and when) next Tuesday?

Carol: From 5-7pm We are hosting a Local Cook's Tour Expo in the the Lincoln Center Ballroom. This is a FREE try and buy Expo. It's an exciting opportunity for you to meet local food producers and sample their products. We have everything from European pastry to salsa to cheeses, olive oils and too many options to mention. We're encouraging attendees to bring gently worn women's clothing and shoes for the clients of our community partner, The Women's Resource Center.  From 7-9:30pm The Taste of Home Cooking School will take place in the Lincoln Center performance hall.

D: So who’s going to be there?

C: Gallo Wine, Old Town Spice Shop, Rocky Mountain Olive Oil, Pinot's Palette, Welsh Rabbit Cheese Shop, Raspberry Hill Farm, Gumbies Salsa and 35 other vendors who will be offering you samples of their products.

D: What all does the cooking school entail?

C: If you opt to purchase a VIP Experience ticket,  you will be welcomed to a pre-show reception with cocktails and appetizers, a special show gift bag and a backstage tour with our chef. These guests also receive priority seating for the show.  As all of our guests enter the theater, they will receive the traditional Taste of Home Gift Bag filled with a sample magazine, the show program with the recipes of everything our chef will demonstrate throughout the evening, product samples and coupons and lots of surprises. Our chef will then demonstrate 10 recipes, cooking them on the stage. Throughout the evening we will be giving away incredible prizes and have a lot of fun.

D: What should people expect to get out of the event?

C: This is a really fun evening for people who love to cook, love to eat, or would like to learn (or improve) cooking skills. You'll connect to local food products and see dishes prepared live, with recipes that are delicious and easy to follow. That's one of the best things about Taste of Home: the simplicity of the recipes. They are easy to read, understand and follow. The results are consistently delicious.  This is a very high energy evening. The chef, the prizes and the laughter will keep our audience engaged and having a blast throughout the show.

D: What kind of prizes can people win?

C: Cooking school lessons and much more!  Crossroads Hyundai will have a car on display in front of the Lincoln Center filled with groceries. Our guests will be invited to guess the value of the car's contents. Someone will go home with the entire grocery order!

Well, there you have it!  Pretty exciting, right?  I hope I see you there!

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