first cooking party experience

Last night, we were treated to a beautiful cooking party at Sur la Table.

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Allow me to get out from under my rock dwelling because it was my first time in this store. Love at first sight! I can’t wait to go back when it’s open and shop a little 😉

Our chef instructor, Stephan (whose education is from Le Cordon Bleu) led the class, and taught us a few dinner party-perfect recipes:

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(Dani, Nicole and Bex are in the pic above)

kale salad with pickled watermelon and feta;

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grilled citrus chicken skewers with quinoa, corn and lime;

and chocolate lava cake.

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It was my first time cooking in a party environment, and I can definitely see why they’re a huge hit for girls’ nights and date nights. I learned a ton of helpful cooking tips, and bonus: we got to eat everything when we were finished cooking. (I’ve actually heard of a cooking parties where you just watch someone cook the food and don’t get to eat it? That sounds heartbreaking.)

My fellow cheffers 😉

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(+ Sarah’s awesome bear in the background haha)

I’m excited to replicate this meal when I get back to San Diego. Everything was delicious, and the pickled watermelon for the salad was out of this world. Strangely enough, my favorite part of the meal was the chicken skewers.

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The corn, avocado and lime topping was amazing, and the citrus marinade was a fun new twist. We do BBQ marinades a LOT, so this will be an easy way to switch things up.

In my heaven, I swim in chocolate lava with my mouth open…

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This morning, I’m off with Sarah, Nicole, Brittany and Julie to take a barre class before heading to the official Stitch Fix events. We’re going to check out the warehouse (The Hizzy) today, and I hope to be reunited with the box monster 😉

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See ya later today!

xoxo

Gina

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33 Comments

  1. RachelG on June 12, 2014 at 11:17 am

    This looks like such a fun trip!! 🙂 🙂 I do have a silly question, but I’ve wondered it for a while. How exactly do you pickle something? lol. I’ve never heard of pickling a watermelon and I’m wondering if it really changes the flavor of it.

    • Fitnessista on June 12, 2014 at 11:27 am

      you soak it in a vinegar marinade. the chef said 3 hours to 3 days is a good amount of time

      • RachelG on June 12, 2014 at 11:45 am

        Thank you! I may try this soon with different foods. My poor husband, lol.

  2. Lesley on June 12, 2014 at 11:31 am

    The chicken skewers sound really good. I love citrus stuff for summer cooking.

  3. Andrea on June 12, 2014 at 11:34 am

    We have a Sur la Table close by and I love it! Haven’t tried a cooking class, but keep thinking it’d be a fun date night with the fiancee. Glad to know you all had a good time!

  4. Polly @ Tasty Food Project on June 12, 2014 at 11:35 am

    I’ve never been to Sur la Table either but it looks like a place I’d like to check out. Cooking classes are so much fun! I went to a sushi class with my husband last year and we had a blast!

  5. Amber Schumann on June 12, 2014 at 11:40 am

    Sur la Table is I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E. I stick to their sale racks (they always have the cutest mis-matchy stuff that are perfect additions to my kitchen). And their cookie cutter “tower” is the best for my sugar-cookie-baking obsession.

    • Andrea on June 12, 2014 at 3:22 pm

      I got a dachshund cookie cutter there in honor of my beloved doxie, lol. They have everything!

  6. Rachel @ Blonde with a Chanse on June 12, 2014 at 11:57 am

    That looks like so much fun! And the food that you all made looks delicious! Have fun on your trip!!!

    xoxo
    Rachel

  7. Britt@MyOwnBalance on June 12, 2014 at 12:04 pm

    I love Sur La Table cooking classes! They offer some really fun date night classes and I love that you get to keep all the recipes so you can recreate them at home. These classes are worth every penny in my opinion. So much fun!

  8. Sara @ LovingOnTheRun on June 12, 2014 at 12:23 pm

    I really want to take a cooking class! It looks like SO much fun!

  9. Dominique @ Eat, Pray, Lift on June 12, 2014 at 12:29 pm

    Pickled watermelon sounds intriguing! I’ll have to find/make some. Cooking class sounds so fun, though, and what a fun date night idea. 🙂

  10. Tracy on June 12, 2014 at 12:39 pm

    I’ve never been to Sur la Table either but really want to go now! Fun store.

    Everything sounds so yummy! Are you going to be able to share the recipes??

  11. So I Will Run on June 12, 2014 at 12:51 pm

    and now I’m starving, lol

  12. Alex @ Kenzie Life on June 12, 2014 at 1:07 pm

    What a fun night! The food looks amazing. Can’t wait to hear about your Stitch Fix adventures!

  13. katie@runningaragnar on June 12, 2014 at 1:39 pm

    that cooking class looks so fun! And what?!? some places don’t let you eat the creations? That is a crime…..

  14. Katie @ Talk Less, Say More on June 12, 2014 at 1:56 pm

    How fun! I’ve never taken a cooking class either but it always seems like people have so much fun. I should try it one of these days!

  15. yunah on June 12, 2014 at 2:03 pm

    which barre class?? i hope dailey method!

    • Fitnessista on June 12, 2014 at 2:24 pm

      It was!

      • yunah on June 12, 2014 at 2:29 pm

        omg!! which location? marina or mission castro or rincon sqare?

        • yunah on June 12, 2014 at 8:43 pm

          gina, i hope you had a great time @ dailey method!
          if you have a chance, i would love to know how you think it compares to the other barrre classes you’ve tried.
          hope you’re loving SF!!

  16. Traci on June 12, 2014 at 2:56 pm

    I was in Sur la Table two days ago and there was a cooking class going on! It smelled SO good. I’d love to try it sometime. I can’t believe you’ve never been in that store before–it’s a happy place.

  17. Katie @ Live Half Full on June 12, 2014 at 2:59 pm

    I hope that you’ll be sharing the salad and chicken recipes! They both sound amazing!

  18. Meredith on June 12, 2014 at 3:01 pm

    Oh my goodness! I love that store — I could buy everything in there (if my credit card would allow!) I think a cooking party sounds like a wonderful idea for my next girl’s night!

  19. Laura B @ FitMamaLove on June 12, 2014 at 3:10 pm

    Sur la Table is such a fun store! I’ve taken a couple classes at the Los Gatos store and they’ve been so fun. One was with my hubby on Valentines Day and it was the perfect way to celebrate!

  20. Natalie @ Twenty-Something Talk on June 12, 2014 at 3:32 pm

    How much freaking fun is a cooking party!?!? I am dying to do something like that! Too cool!

  21. Stacy @ Sweatingtulipzwithstacy on June 12, 2014 at 3:46 pm

    Everything looks delicious! Looks like you ladies are having a BLAST! I have never tried a Sur-La-Table cooking class, but they sound great! Thanks!

  22. Erin @ Girl Gone Veggie on June 12, 2014 at 4:20 pm

    Have an amazing time today! I love sur la table. All that food looks delicious!

  23. Emily on June 12, 2014 at 10:19 pm

    Between Sur la Table and Williams-Sonoma, I get super crazy motivated to cook ALL THE THINGS! Then I get tired and order Indian take-out.

    I totally want to try a cooking party with my friends some time, that’s a great idea!

  24. Megan @ The Skinny-Life on June 12, 2014 at 10:44 pm

    Cooking classes are so much fun! I never thought about doing pickled fruit much less watermelon. Hopefully it was good.

  25. shaina on June 12, 2014 at 10:50 pm

    you’ve never been to sur la table before?!?!?! Girrrrrrrrrl.

  26. Cassie on June 13, 2014 at 11:36 am

    I can’t believe you’ve never been to Sur La Table!!!! It’s amazing 🙂

  27. Livi on June 13, 2014 at 4:53 pm

    Sur La Table is amazing!! Im jealous!

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