Cooking with Loblaws #PCStars #GuidingStarsCA
I love to shop at my local Provigo du Marché store. It is a culinary retreat from the everyday. It is the perfect medley of local produce, international flavours, beautiful decor and the perfect amount of je ne sais quoi. It comes as no surprise then that the culinary classes offered by my local Provigo du Marché were just as impressive and luxurious as the ambiance of the store.
We spend a fair bit of time at our local Provigo du Marché. My foodie children love roaming the aisles with me, taste testing fresh local ingredients and selecting new fruits and veggies for us to try. With the Guiding Stars program, it’s easier than ever to get the whole family involved in making smart, healthy food choices.
I love to cook for my family and friends. It is something that brings me a tremendous amount of comfort and joy. My husband on the other hand does many things well, cooking for the most part is not one of them; he is however a king at the grill. The night of the cooking class I was under the weather and unable to attend so thankfully my knight in shining armour came to the rescue and offered to attend the class on my behalf.
I was both intrigued, excited and curious to see how it would turn out given that he did not typically handle kitchen related tasks. My husband was both impressed at how well organized the class was and appreciative of the quality of the instruction. I was amazed at the culinary lingo he came home with.
He came home and described his culinary adventure with zest and excitement. He loved getting to try different flavour combinations and cooking styles. This particular class featured various President’s Choice products which was fantastic because it gave him (and us) the opportunity to try products we don’t typically keep in our culinary arsenal but were excited to try out.
As you know, we have certain dietary restrictions and do not eat meat that is not halal. The coordinator at our local Provigo du Marché was ever so kind and offered to swap the flank steak for a salmon steak instead. The gesture was very much appreciated.
The menu for the class was:
Chermoula Roasted Aubergine Couscous
Soy Ginger Flank Steak with Asparagus Salad (subbed for salmon steak)
Miso Tomato Salad
Maple Baked Apples with Cinnamon Tortas
The instructors went over basic cooking safety tips such as never baste using a marinade that has soaked the meat. They also went over some great knife skills which my husband enjoyed learning.
Upon their arrival they had bread, tomato and olives laid out. They got to have a quick snack then get started on instruction. They alternated between the two for the evening. The eleven attendees, some of whom were regulars, made some incredible couscous which my husband really enjoyed. We don’t eat couscous in our home, I’m not a big fan and typically prefer the taste of quinoa instead.
My husband commented that the instructors had a very good synergy between them, as soon as one was done using something, the other put it away or washed it. It kept the presentation running fluid and smoothly. His only critique of the class was that he would have loved to have more hands on experience in handling and prepping the food but was otherwise very impressed with the class overall. We loved the gift bag of President’s Choice products featured in the class as well as recipes and class calendar my husband came home with. The classes are very reasonably priced and take place right in store allowing you to pick up groceries on your way home.
We are seriously impressed with the quality of services offered at our Provigo du Marché store. In addition to the Guiding Stars and PC Plus program we regularly use, we had a great time meeting with the in store dietician and attending this cooking class.
DISCLOSURE: I partnered with Loblaws on this post but all opinions are 100% my own.
It’s 10:30 in the morning and you’ve got my mouth-watering for salmon steak! Sounds like such a great class. I attended my first one this week (first Loblaws cooking class and first cooking class period) and learned how to make five *ridiculously delicious* Greek phyllo recipes. I don’t think you’d find any Guiding Stars in the layers of buttered pastry, but it was such a nice treat. It was a hands-on workshop, so we made the dishes ourselves. I was surprised by how fast the time flew by (three hours!) and feel well-equipped to make everything again here at home. This weekend: baklava! Save you some?
Wow! That sounds so ridiculously delicious. Baklava is my weakness!
Wow that food looks amazing! I love that your husband came to your rescue, what a great guy!
Thanks Jessica!
This class sounds awesome. It’s great that your husband enjoyed it! It would be fun to do something like this with my daughter.
Wow, all of that food looks seriously delicious. I love that your husband went to the class since you were under the weather.
Wow this looks amazing, what a delicious treat! Love that they really seemed to give great advice. x
All the food sounds yummy. This sounds like a great class and how nice that your husband went for you.
Wow it all looks awesome that food. Your husband sounds great, mine would do the same I hope!
That sounds so awesome. I need to try this for sure!
I love food! Everything looks amazing. I need to try it.
That was nice of him to attend for you! I don’t like cooking, my hubby does all the cooking.
I want to take a cooking class! I need to up my cooking game 😛
How nice of your husband to attend the class for you. It’s good that he enjoyed it. The salmon steak sounds delicious.
The one time I did a cooking class, I absolutely loved it. The menu you worked on sounds fantastic!
This looks like delicious food. I have always wanted to go to a cooking class. I love to try new recipes.
I would love to go and take this type of class. I am always looking to improve my cooking.
I have always wanted to experience. They seem like fun and it is great to try new things in the kitchen
This sounds like a great time. I would love to do something like this with my own husband.