Clarice Johnson

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Sitka Kitch offers class, ‘Cooking With Culture: How To Make Zuppa Toscana With Nalani James’

The weather is turning and our gardens are cranking out their final crops. Join the Sitka Kitch as Nalani James teaches a virtual class on how to make Zuppa Toscana as part of the Cooking With Culture class series. This class takes place from 5-6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18, via Zoom.

Zuppa Toscana is a rich Italian soup, with kale, potatoes, bacon, sausage, and other end-of-summer ingredients. Nalani has been the Sitka Farmers Market manager this summer, and you can buy kale and potatoes at the final market of the season earlier that day.

Nalani said she chose this dish because the fall season is upon us and it’s what came to mind with the season. “It’s very simple to make but looks complex,” Nalani said. “Italy has such a rich history of sharing innovation with different cultures, and pizza is not the only thing to share at the table. ‘Cooking With Culture’ will explore more areas of family- and friends-style-eating in the near future.”

The class cost is $20, and we need eight people registered to make the class happen. Ingredients are not provided; however a list of ingredients and equipment needed will be sent to all who are registered. A link to the Zoom event also will be sent at that time. Please connect at least 10 minutes before the class starts.

In addition to sausage and bacon, the recipe calls for onions, kale, garlic, potatoes and bell peppers. The Sitka Local Foods Network, which hosts the Sitka Farmers Market, will provide each registered student with one half-price bundle of kale, so long as they pick it up at the SLFN Farm Stand at the market that day, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sept. 18, on the plaza outside Harrigan Centennial Hall. Students will need to mention the special and have their names checked against a list of students to get the discount. This is the last market of the summer.

Current (paid) members of the Sitka Food Co-op are now able to attend the online classes for $10 each (the co-op will cover the other $10 of your class fee). Please use the Sitka Food Co-op ticket when you register and send an email to sitkafoodcoop@gmail.com letting them know you’re in the class. (NOTE, Only one person per Co-op household may use the Co-op discount per class. Please name that person when you register so the name can be checked against the Co-op membership list.)

The registration deadline is 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 15 (DEADLINE EXTENDED TO THURSDAY, SEPT. 16). Space is limited, so register early to secure your place in the class. You can register and pre-pay using credit/debit cards or PayPal on the Sitka Kitch EventSmart online registration page, http://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com (click on class title). For those wanting to pre-pay with cash or check, please call Chandler O’Connell or Clarice Johnson at Sitka Conservation Society (747-7509) to arrange a payment. This class is a fundraiser for the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen.

For more information about the class, contact Jasmine Shaw at 747-9440. We occasionally offer one scholarship spot per class for people with limited incomes, provided we have enough students registered to make the class happen. Contact Chandler or Clarice at SCS for more details about the scholarship.

The Sitka Kitch also has a new class cancelation policy. If you register for a class, then find out you can’t attend, please email us at sitkakitch@sitkawild.org and we may be able to help fill your slot through our waiting list. If you cancel from the class at least five days in advance (eg, by Wednesday the week before for a Monday class), you are eligible for a partial refund of your class fee, minus $5 for processing (in this case, $15 or $5, depending on if you are paying full price or getting the Sitka Food Co-op discount). If you need to cancel with less than five days advance notice, there is no refund.

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Sitka Kitch and UAF Cooperative Extension Service to host all-day Salmonganza classes July 17 at Halibut Point Recreation Area

The Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen, in partnership with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, will host Salmonganza from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 17, at the main shelter at Halibut Point Recreation Area.

(Click image to enlarge)

This will be a day focused on salmon, with classes on preparing salmon, pressure canning salmon, smoking salmon, making salmon sausage and jerky, and even preparing condiments for the salmon using salmonberries. In addition, there will be free pressure canner gauge testing from noon until 1 p.m.

The classes will be taught by Sarah Lewis from the Juneau District Office of the UAF Cooperative Extension Service. As part of her Maritime Extension Program, Sarah is traveling via the JunieBell to communities around Southeast Alaska to teach family and community resilience workshops.

This class is for all experience levels, ages 16 and older. No pets, please. Students should bring: a cooking knife, apron, dish towel, six wide-mouth half-pint canning jars with new lids, and your pressure canner’s dial gauge (with or without lid), if you would like it tested.

The class costs $40, which is part of our all-inclusive fee system (you no longer have to pay a class fee to register, then a separate food/supply fee). The Sitka Kitch will supply all of the food supplies for this class, but students will need to bring certain cooking items from a list provided before the class. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the class will be limited to 10 students, face masks must be worn, and social distancing must be observed.

The registration deadline is 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 15. Space is limited, so register early at http://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com (click class title) to secure your place in the class. We need at least eight students to register and pre-pay to make this class happen.

Current (paid) members of the Sitka Food Co-Op are now able to attend the classes for $30 each (the co-op will cover the other $10 of your class fee). Please use the Sitka Food Co-Op ticket when you register and send an email to sitkafoodcoop@gmail.com letting them know you’re in the class. (NOTE, Only one person per Co-op household may use the Co-op discount per class. Please name that person when you register so the name can be checked against the Co-op membership list.)

You can register and pre-pay using credit/debit cards or PayPal on our EventSmart page, http://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com (click on class title). For those wanting to pre-pay with cash or check, please call Clarice Johnson at Sitka Conservation Society (747-7509) to arrange a payment. Please note there is a $5 charge for parking at Halibut Point Rec, which is payable to the State of Alaska.

For more information about the class, contact Jasmine Shaw at 747-9440. We do offer one potential scholarship spot per class for people with limited incomes, so long as we have enough students registered to make the class happen. This class is a fundraiser for the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen.

The Sitka Kitch also has a new class cancelation policy. If you register for a class, then find out you can’t attend, please email us at sitkakitch@sitkawild.org and we may be able to help fill your slot through our waiting list. If you cancel from the class at least five days in advance (eg, by Wednesday the week before for a Monday class), you are eligible for a partial refund of your class fee, minus $5 for processing (in this case, $35). If you need to cancel with less than five days advance notice, there is no refund.

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Sitka Kitch to host Cooking Around The Campfire: Baking Flatbread With Andrew Jylkka class on May 23

Learn how to bake flatbread over a campfire during an outdoors Sitka Kitch class, Cooking Around The Campfire: Baking Flatbread With Andrew Jylkka. This class takes place from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, May 23, at the large covered shelter at Halibut Point Recreation Area.

Andrew Jylkka of Southeast Dough Company will show students how to make sourdough flatbreads over the fire. These fun and easy breads are a great addition to any cookout whether it’s in your backyard or on the beach. For this class, they’ll be paired with salmon falafel and a tasty sauce. We may even play with some ways to use them for a sweet treat.

You’ll come away from this class with some new recipes, an introduction to cooking on open fire, a jar of sourdough starter, and some great ideas to spruce up your summer cookouts.

The salmon burger meat is made possible by Sitka Mutual Aid and a portion of this class fee will be donated to support that. If you would like to donate to Sitka Mutual Aid or become a Sitka Conservation Society member you can do so here, http://sitkamutualaid.com, and here, https://www.sitkawild.org/donate.

Andrew owns and operates Southeast Dough Company here in town. He’s a passionate cook who loves playing with recipes to incorporate ingredients found on these lands and in the oceans.

The class costs $40, which is part of our all-inclusive fee system (you no longer have to pay a class fee to register, then a separate food/supply fee). The Sitka Kitch will supply all of the food supplies for this class, but students will need to bring certain cooking items from a list provided before the class. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the class will be limited to 10 students, face masks must be worn, and social distancing must be observed.

The registration deadline is 11:30 p.m. on Friday, May 21. Space is limited, so register early to secure your place in the class. We need at least eight students to register and pre-pay to make this class happen.

Current (paid) members of the Sitka Food Co-Op are now able to attend the classes for $30 each (the co-op will cover the other $10 of your class fee). Please use the Sitka Food Co-Op ticket when you register and send an email to sitkafoodcoop@gmail.com letting them know you’re in the class. (NOTE, Only one person per Co-op household may use the Co-op discount per class. Please name that person when you register so the name can be checked against the Co-op membership list.)

You can register and pre-pay using credit/debit cards or PayPal on our EventSmart page, http://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com (click on class title). For those wanting to pre-pay with cash or check, please call Clarice Johnson at Sitka Conservation Society (747-7509) to arrange a payment. Please note there is a $5 charge for parking at Halibut Point Rec, which is payable to the State of Alaska.

For more information about the class, contact Jasmine Shaw at 747-9440. We do offer one potential scholarship spot per class for people with limited incomes, so long as we have enough students registered to make the class happen. This class is a fundraiser for the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen.

The Sitka Kitch also has a new class cancelation policy. If you register for a class, then find out you can’t attend, please email us at sitkakitch@sitkawild.org and we may be able to help fill your slot through our waiting list. If you cancel from the class at least five days in advance (eg, by Wednesday the week before for a Monday class), you are eligible for a partial refund of your class fee, minus $5 for processing (in this case, $35). If you need to cancel with less than five days advance notice, there is no refund.

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BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: Sitka Kitch to host fundraiser featuring a take-out vegetarian Indian food dinner from Beak Restaurant

Join us for a special fundraising take-out dinner for the Sitka Kitch, where people pick up their food any time from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 4, at Beak Restaurant to take home.

This event will feature a variety of take-out vegetarian Indian dishes cooked by Beak chef/owner Renée Jakaitis Trafton and her crew.

Renée’s planned menu includes:

  • Coconut Tumeric Chickpea Curry / Tender chickpeas simmered in a rich coconut broth with carrot, potato, kale
  • Chai Spiced Red Lentil Daal / Red lentils with chai spices- ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, black pepper, bay leaf
  • Spiced Basmati Rice / Cinnamon, cardamom, clove
  • Samosa / Crispy spiced potato and green pea mix in dough
  • Tamarind Dipping Sauce
  • Naan
  • House-Made Chai / Ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, bay leaf

The cost is $50 per person, and the registration deadline is 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 2. All proceeds benefit the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen, which provides cooking and food preservation classes to Sitka residents. It also provides kitchen rentals on a limited basis for food businesses.

Please let us know if there are other people from your household participating so we can group your food when we package it for pick-up.

You can reserve your spot at this event with PayPal or a credit/debit card by going to our online registration page, http://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com, and clicking on the event title and following the instructions from there. If you prefer to use cash or check to reserve your spot, please call Chandler or Clarice at Sitka Conservation Society (747-7509) or email chandler@sitkawild.org.

Also, since this is a fundraiser, if you want to donate to help us continue to provide cooking and food preservation classes and occasionally serve as a maker-space for local food businesses, click this link to donate through PayPal, https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=5XLWYLLKETNT6. You also can use this link if you want to support the Sitka Kitch, but aren’t able to participate in the dinner.

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Sitka Kitch to offer Cooking With Nalani James: Salmon Croquettes class March 19 using Zoom

Looking for a way to use up some leftover salmon? Do you have a lot of salmon meat scrapings that didn’t make it into the filets? The Sitka Kitch will host a virtual Cooking  With Nalani James: Salmon Croquettes class from 5:30-7 p.m. on Friday, March 19, using Zoom (NOTE, this is a date change from the original post).

Croquettes originated in France in about 1898 by the founder of classical French cuisine, Escoffier. They were originally made of beef, leftovers that needed to be used up. We will include an Alaska twist by using ground salmon for this recipe, with a couple of sides to make it a full meal.

Nalani is somewhat new to Sitka, having moved here about two years ago. She occasionally had a baked goods booth at the 2019 Sitka Farmers Markets, and she became market co-manager in 2020. She loves to have ethnic foods from the regional area and works to simulate the flavors and textures of the dish. She has been cooking elaborate dishes at the age of 10 with the free will of her parents, and loves being a cooking chemist.

The class cost is $30 for each household, with ground salmon provided as a fundraiser for the Sitka Mutual Aid program. If you provide your own salmon, the cost is $20 and families are encouraged to participate together. Other ingredients are not provided; however a list of ingredients and equipment needed will be sent to all who are registered. A link to the Zoom event also will be sent at that time.

Current (paid) members of the Sitka Food Co-op are now able to attend the online classes for $10 each (the co-op will cover the other $10 of your class fee, and in this case no salmon will be provided). Please use the Sitka Food Co-op ticket when you register and send an email to sitkafoodcoop@gmail.com letting them know you’re in the class. (NOTE, Only one person per Co-op household may use the Co-op discount per class. Please name that person when you register so the name can be checked against the Co-op membership list.)

The registration deadline is 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 16. Space is limited, so register early to secure your place in the class. You can register and pre-pay using credit/debit cards or PayPal on the Sitka Kitch EventSmart online registration page, http://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com (click on class title). For those wanting to pre-pay with cash or check, please call Chandler O’Connell or Clarice Johnson at Sitka Conservation Society (747-7509) to arrange a payment. This class is a fundraiser for the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen.

For more information about the class, contact Jasmine Shaw at 747-9440. We occasionally offer scholarship spot(s) per class for people with limited incomes, provided we have enough students registered to make the class happen. Contact Chandler at SCS for more details about the scholarship.

The Sitka Kitch also has a new class cancelation policy. If you register for a class, then find out you can’t attend, please email us at sitkakitch@sitkawild.org and we may be able to help fill your slot through our waiting list. If you cancel from the class at least five days in advance (eg, by Wednesday the week before for a Monday class), you are eligible for a partial refund of your class fee, minus $5 for processing (in this case, $15). If you need to cancel with less than five days advance notice, there is no refund.

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Sitka Kitch offers Cooking Around The World: Chinese Lo Mein class with Nalani James

Chinese New Year is Friday, Feb. 12, and the Sitka Kitch will host a virtual Cooking Around The World class, Lo Mein with Nalani James, that day. The class takes place from 5:30-7 p.m. using Zoom.

Lo mein is a traditional Chinese dish in China that is savory and full of vegetables to get all the vitamins you need. We will add Chicken and add an American twist. You can also substitute tofu to make it vegetarian. This will be a Zoom class taken from the comfort and safety of your own home kitchen.

Nalani is somewhat new to Sitka, having moved here about two years ago. She occasionally had a baked goods booth at the 2019 Sitka Farmers Markets, and she became market co-manager in 2020. She loves to have ethnic foods from the regional area and works to simulate the flavors and textures of the dish. She has been cooking elaborate dishes at the age of 10 with the free will of her parents, and loves being a cooking chemist.

The class cost is $20 for each household, and families are encouraged to participate together. Ingredients are not provided; however a list of ingredients and equipment needed will be sent to all who are registered on Tuesday, Feb. 9. A link to the Zoom event also will be sent at that time.

Current (paid) members of the Sitka Food Co-op are now able to attend the online classes for $10 each (the co-op will cover the other $10 of your class fee). Please use the Sitka Food Co-op ticket when you register and send an email to sitkafoodcoop@gmail.com letting them know you’re in the class. (NOTE, Only one person per Co-op household may use the Co-op discount per class. Please name that person when you register so the name can be checked against the Co-op membership list.)

The registration deadline is 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Space is limited, so register early to secure your place in the class. You can register and pre-pay using credit/debit cards or PayPal on the Sitka Kitch EventSmart online registration page, http://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com (click on class title). For those wanting to pre-pay with cash or check, please call Chandler O’Connell or Clarice Johnson at Sitka Conservation Society (747-7509) to arrange a payment. This class is a fundraiser for the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen.

For more information about the class, contact Jasmine Shaw at 747-9440. We occasionally offer scholarship spot(s) per class for people with limited incomes, provided we have enough students registered to make the class happen. Contact Chandler at SCS for more details about the scholarship.

The Sitka Kitch also has a new class cancelation policy. If you register for a class, then find out you can’t attend, please email us at sitkakitch@sitkawild.org and we may be able to help fill your slot through our waiting list. If you cancel from the class at least five days in advance (eg, by Wednesday the week before for a Monday class), you are eligible for a partial refund of your class fee, minus $5 for processing (in this case, $15). If you need to cancel with less than five days advance notice, there is no refund.

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Sitka Kitch to host virtual two-part doughnut workshop with chef Renée Trafton

It’s time to make the doughnuts. It’s time to make the doughnuts. Or at least it’s time to learn how to make the doughnuts.

The Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen will teach a two-part online class on how to make doughnuts at home. This family oriented class will be taught by Beak restaurant chef-owner Renée Jakaitis Trafton and takes place from 7-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 28, and from 8:30-10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 29, using Zoom. This class is a fundraiser for the Sitka Kitch.

During this class, students will learn to make a delicious and special treat you can share with your family over the holiday break. On Monday evening, participants will make the dough and let it sit overnight. On Tuesday morning, the workshop will continue with completing the donuts and making three different icings for a variety of flavors  (simple glaze, cinnamon sugar, and chocolate buttercream).

This is a virtual class taught from the comfort of your own kitchen via Zoom. The class cost is $40 for each household, and families are encouraged to participate together. Ingredients are not provided; however a list of ingredients and equipment needed will be sent to all who are registered on Saturday, Dec. 26. The recipe used in class will make about 14 donuts.

Renee Jakaitis Trafton is the chef and owner at Beak Restaurant, and a frequent teacher of Sitka Kitch cooking classes. She stumbled into making donuts as a special for Alaska Day in 2017, and has been making them for Sunday brunch at Beak ever since.

Current (paid) members of the Sitka Food Co-Op are now able to attend the online classes for $30 each (the co-op will cover the other $10 of your class fee). Please use the Sitka Food Co-Op ticket when you register and send an email to sitkafoodcoop@gmail.com letting them know you’re in the class. (NOTE, Only one person per Co-op household may use the Co-op discount per class. Please name that person when you register so the name can be checked against the Co-op membership list.)

The registration deadline is 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 26. Space is limited, so register early to secure your place in the class. You can register and pre-pay using credit/debit cards or PayPal on the Sitka Kitch EventSmart online registration page, http://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com (click on class title). For those wanting to pre-pay with cash or check, please call Chandler O’Connell or Clarice Johnson at Sitka Conservation Society (747-7509) to arrange a payment.

For more information about the class, contact Jasmine Shaw at 747-9440. We occasionally offer scholarship spot(s) per class for people with limited incomes, provided we have enough students registered to make the class happen. Contact Chandler at SCS for more details about the scholarship.

The Sitka Kitch also has a new class cancelation policy. If you register for a class, then find out you can’t attend, please email us at sitkakitch@sitkawild.org and we may be able to help fill your slot through our waiting list. If you cancel from the class at least five days in advance (eg, by Wednesday the week before for a Monday class), you are eligible for a partial refund of your class fee, minus $5 for processing (in this case, $35). If you need to cancel with less than five days advance notice, there is no refund.

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Sitka Kitch launches Outdoor Cooking Series with Cooking Over The Campfire — Pizza and Dessert class on Nov. 16

sitkakitch.org

The Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen will host its first in-person class since the COVID-19 outbreak started in March, but this will be part of a special Outdoor Cooking Series and not at the Sitka Kitch itself.

The Cooking Over The Campfire — Pizza and Dessert class will be taught by Greta Healy and Meredith Redick from 5:30-7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 16, at the Halibut Point Recreation Area large shelter. The class also will feature a short demonstration of Dutch oven cooking. Students will need to arrive early enough to pay for parking at the Halibut Point Rec.

This class will be taught with strict COVID-19 safety protocols. All students will be screened for symptoms before being allowed to participate, and masks are required except when students are eating apart from each other. Hand sanitizer will be available. Due to the need to maintain social distancing, this class will be limited to seven students, so register early to guarantee your spot.

Greta has lived in Sitka for five years and currently works for the Sitka Conservation Society’s Conservation Corps. She said, “I love camping and cooking and making elaborate campfire dinners. I’m excited to share some of what I’ve learned about camp cooking with you!”

Greta Healy

Meredith has lived in Sitka for four years. She currently runs the statewide Alaska Fellows Program, tutors science at University of Alaska Southeast Sitka Campus, and sometimes hosts the morning news on KCAW-Raven Radio. She likes camp cooking because it requires creativity, and because everything tastes better after you’ve hiked up a mountain. She especially likes finding ways to add wild foods to camping dinners (bonus points if you find them at your campsite).

The cost of this class is $40, which includes all food supplies. The class registration deadline is 11:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13. This class is a fundraiser for the Sitka Kitch. This is part of our new all-inclusive fee system (you no longer have to pay a class fee to register, then a separate food/supply fee). You can register and pre-pay using credit/debit cards or PayPal on our EventSmart page, http://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com (click on class title). For those wanting to pre-pay with cash or check, please call Chandler O’Connell or Clarice Johnson at Sitka Conservation Society (747-7509) to arrange a payment.

Meredith Redick

Current (paid) members of the Sitka Food Co-Op are now able to attend the online classes for $30 each (the co-op will cover the other $10 of your class fee). Please use the Sitka Food Co-Op ticket when you register and send an email to sitkafoodcoop@gmail.com letting them know you’re in the class. (NOTE, Only one person per Co-op household may use the Co-op discount per class. Please name that person when you register so the name can be checked against the Co-op membership list.)

Students will need to bring some cooking equipment, which includes a bowl for the dough (lid optional) large enough so you can use your hands to mix the dough inside the bowl, a large pan for the pizza (such as a large skillet or pizza pan), and a spatula for flipping.

For more information about the class, contact Jasmine Shaw at 747-9440. We do offer one potential scholarship spot per class for people with limited incomes, so long as we have enough students registered to make the class happen. Contact Chandler at SCS for more details about the scholarship. This class is a fundraiser for the Sitka Kitch.

The Sitka Kitch also has a new class cancelation policy. If you register for a class, then find out you can’t attend, please email us at sitkakitch@sitkawild.org and we may be able to help fill your slot through our waiting list. If you cancel from the class at least five days in advance (eg, by Wednesday the week before for a Monday class), you are eligible for a partial refund of your class fee, minus $5 for processing (in this case, a refund of $35). If you need to cancel with less than five days advance notice, there is no refund.

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Sitka Kitch fundraiser featuring a take-out vegetarian Indian food dinner from Beak Restaurant rescheduled for Aug. 19

Join us for a special fundraising take-out dinner for the Sitka Kitch, where people pick up their food any time from 4:30-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at Beak Restaurant to take home. Then they will join us for an online event that starts at 7 p.m. This event originally was scheduled for March, but was rescheduled due to the pandemic.

This event will feature a variety of take-out vegetarian Indian dishes cooked by Beak chef/owner Renée Jakaitis Trafton and her crew. In addition to the dinner, there will be an online trivia contest, door prizes, and an online auction starting at 7 p.m. using Zoom (link will be provided to participants after they register).

Renée’s planned menu includes:

  • Samosas, filled with potato, peas, onion. Tamarind dipping sauce, mango or rhubarb chutney
  • Naan
  • Spiced basmati rice with cinnamon, cardamon, clove
  • Saag paneer, spinach, paneer
  • Red lentil daal
  • Chana masala, chickpeas
  • Rice pudding for dessert (not confirmed)
  • The meal comes with chai (tea).

The cost is $40 per person, and the registration deadline is 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8. All proceeds benefit the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen, which provides cooking and food preservation classes to Sitka residents. It also provides kitchen rentals on a limited basis for food businesses.

You can reserve your spot at this event with PayPal or a credit/debit card by going to our online registration page, http://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com, and clicking on the event title and following the instructions from there. If you prefer to use cash or check to reserve your spot, please call Chandler or Clarice at Sitka Conservation Society (747-7509) or email chandler@sitkawild.org.

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Sitka Kitch to offer two virtual classes with Sarah Lewis

Learn how to make sauerkraut and fermented pickles, and how to cook with canned and smoked salmon during two online classes with Sarah Lewis through the Sitka Kitch. The sauerkraut class takes place from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, and the salmon class is from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8, using Zoom online meetings (note, a class link will emailed to you after you register).

These online classes are the first hosted by the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen shut down in March due to the coronavirus/pandemic. Other online classes and an online fundraiser/Indian foods meal will be announced soon.

Class details are as follows (click class titles for registration links):

  • Making Sauerkraut and Fermented Pickles, 1-3 p.m. on Saturday July 25 — Sauerkraut, kimchi, and many other lacto-fermented vegetables can be easily made at home. In this class you will make sauerkraut and mixed vegetable pickles and you will learn techniques that can be easily used to make whatever probiotic pickles your heart (and gut) desires.
  • Cooking with Canned and Smoked Salmon, 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8 — Have you canned salmon and aren’t sure what to do with it now? Have you received generous gifts of canned salmon and want to know whether it’s safe or how to cook it up? Would you like to cook recipes with your smoked salmon? This is the class for you. In this hands-on, kitchen-based class you will learn how to make several tasty recipes with canned and smoked salmon. For all experience levels.

Sarah Lewis, UAF Cooperative Extension Service Agent for Southeast Alaska, is making recipes in her home kitchen and would love for you to join her. The goal of these workshops is for participants to interact with Sarah and each other while cooking together; asking questions, seeing what others are making, and actively learning new skills (or brushing up on existing ones). The workshops will be small (a max of 12 participants per class) and will not be recorded (so you can feel free to turn on your camera, and even stay in your PJs… Sarah’s Extension Kitchen is a judgment-free zone).

Before class, students will receive a delivery of the ingredients to Sitka residents (please submit your home address when you register), as well as a list of supplies and equipment to have on hand. These classes will be offered via Zoom. Registration closes the Thursday evening before the class.

The registration deadline for the sauerkraut class is 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 23, and the registration deadline for the salmon class is 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6. Space is limited, so register early to secure your place in the classes. The classes cost $20, which is half of our usual class fee. This is part of our new all-inclusive fee system (you no longer have to pay a class fee to register, then a separate food/supply fee). You can register and pre-pay using credit/debit cards or PayPal on our EventSmart page, http://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com (click on class title). For those wanting to pre-pay with cash or check, please call Chandler O’Connell or Clarice Johnson at Sitka Conservation Society (747-7509) to arrange a payment.

Current (paid) members of the Sitka Food Co-Op are now able to attend the online classes for $10 each (the co-op will cover the other $10 of your class fee). Please use the Sitka Food Co-Op ticket when you register and send an email to sitkafoodcoop@gmail.com letting them know you’re in the class. (NOTE, Only one person per Co-op household may use the Co-op discount per class. Please name that person when you register so the name can be checked against the Co-op membership list.)

For more information about the class, contact Jasmine Shaw at 747-9440. We do offer one potential scholarship spot per class for people with limited incomes, so long as we have enough students registered to make the class happen. Contact Chandler at SCS for more details about the scholarship. This class is a fundraiser for the Sitka Kitch.

The Sitka Kitch also has a new class cancelation policy. If you register for a class, then find out you can’t attend, please email us at sitkakitch@sitkawild.org and we may be able to help fill your slot through our waiting list. If you cancel from the class at least five days in advance (eg, by Wednesday the week before for a Monday class), you are eligible for a partial refund of your class fee, minus $5 for processing (in this case, $15). If you need to cancel with less than five days advance notice, there is no refund.