Cooking Class With Hiro Sone & Lissa Doumani

Every six months I receive a catalog of classes from the "Cooking School" at Draeger's Supermarket, and my first order of business is always the same:   search the index of chef-instructors to see if anybody of note will be teaching a session.   When I flipped through the current catalog back in March, the one thing that immediately caught my eye was a class being led by Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani.   Sone and Doumani, of course, are the husband and wife team who -- having owned and operated Terra restaurant in St. Helena for nearly 18 years -- splashed into the San Francisco market last November with their latest venture Ame.

The class that Sone and Doumani will be teaching -- entitled "A Taste of Ame" -- will be held at Draeger's San Mateo location on Thursday, June 22 at 6:30 p.m.   The cost is $75 per person, for which attendees will get to watch Sone and Doumani demonstrate the preparation of four dishes from Ame's menu:

• Ceviche in Watermelon Radish with Bird's Eye Chili, Cilantro and Yuzu
• Tuna Tartare on Egg Salad with Tobiko Caviar
• Crudo of California Halibut with Lemon, Sea Salt and Leccino Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Chawan Mushi Custard with Sea Urchin and Mitsuba

Attendees will also receive -- at no extra charge -- samples of the dishes prepared, up to two glasses of wine, and copies of the recipes for all four items.   You can register for the class by calling 650.685.3704, or by using the online registration form.

It's been a while since I last attended a Draeger's cooking class, but I've always found them to be a fun way to spend an evening.   It's true that the samples provided during the class are typically insufficient to constitute a full meal, and one could probably enjoy a complete dinner at Ame for around $75 per person.   Still, the class provides a rare opportunity to interact with the chefs as they prepare and discuss their dishes, and the recipes that are distributed are definitely an added benefit.   So, please check it out if you are so inclined!