How to Learn to Cook in Indianapolis

Indianapolis is part of the nation's Midwestern bread basket, so its residents have access to an abundance of local produce, meats and dairy products. Unfortunately, we don't all know how to cook those wonderful foods. If you're in the market to improve your cooking skills, here are a few Indianapolis resources to try.

Things You'll Need

• Money for course fees

Instructions

1. Sign up for a class at Frasier's Gourmet Foods on the north side of Indianapolis. The best choice for beginners is the Cooking 101 class, a six-week course that covers knife skills, sauces and basic ingredients. Other classes - often taught by local celebrity chefs - cover ethnic cuisine, seasonal topics or specific ingredients, such as chocolate. Cost varies.

2. Enroll in a community class at the Chef's Academy of Indianapolis. Classes, which are held on weekday evenings, cover topics from knife skills and specific cooking techniques to exotic cuisine and seasonings. Cost is $75 per class or $375 per week.

3. Hungry for more classes? Head to Kiss Z Cook in Carmel or To The Last Drop in Zionsville. Clark's Appliances also offers a regular schedule of gourmet cooking classes.

4. As you learn to cook, it helps to get connected to the Indianapolis culinary scene. Subscribe to Indianapolis Dine, a monthly magazine that offers recipes from local chefs and tips on preparing in-season produce. Another popular magazine, Indianapolis Monthly, offers lots of culinary coverage and an annual list of the city's best restaurants. Also check out local food blogs, such as Feed Me/Drink Me, to keep up with local restaurant news.

5. It's not specific to Indianapolis, but the Food Network offers many great resources for beginning cooks. "Good Eats," hosted by chef Alton Brown, is a particularly good option for beginners, because it covers basic cooking principles and ingredients in a fun, memorable way.

6. Read a few cookbooks - yes, read them, as you would a novel. Many cookbooks include explanations of different cooking techniques. As you read recipes, you'll start to pick up common techniques, such as how to prepare soup stock or sauté vegetables. Those building blocks will help you vary recipes and even create your own recipes as your skills develop. One of my favorites is "How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman.

7. Really serious about improving your cooking skills? Enroll in the hospitality administration program at Ivy Tech Community College and sign up for either baking and pastry arts or culinary arts. Courses include "Basic Food Theory and Skills," "Introduction to Baking," "Soup, Stock and Sauces," "Yeast Breads," "Classical Cuisine" and much more. You can take one class per semester or create a full-time program.

Resources

• Frasier's Gourmet Foods - Cooking Classes
• The Chef's Academy of Indianapolis - Community Classes
• Indianapolis Dine (magazine)
• Food Network
• Ivy Tech Community College
• Indianapolis Monthly (magazine)
• That'll Teach Me (local blog about classes)
• Kiss Z Cook (Carmel)
• To The Last Drop (Zionsville)
• Feed Me/Drink Me (local food blog)