In the Kitchen

Strengthening creative muscles can work up quite the appetite. Thankfully, there are plenty of opportunities for learning about and eating good food. And don’t worry, these classes can be as easy as sipping a glass (or glasses) of wine, or as difficult as learning how to bake bread from scratch.

Level: Casual
Let’s start way, way casual, with the Wine Tastings at Carolyn’s Sakonnet Vineyards. Founded in 1975 on some research about how Rhode Island’s soil kicks ass, Sakonnet annually produces somewhere around 30,000 cases of exquisite wine, receiving awards in both domestic and international competitions. Having a taste straight from such an astonishing wine maker is as much a mind-expanding experience as it is a palate-pleasing one. (And there’s no post-class test to worry about!) $10/person. Call for tasting times. 162 West Main Rd, Little Compton. 401-635-8486. 

Whoa, what’s the rush? There are two “way”s up there. This train ain’t ready to leave Casual Station just yet, so take it slow and settle back in for another glass of wine, at Greenvale Vineyard’s Tours and Tasting. The usual tasting includes seven different wines and a wine glass, but private tastings are available for drinkers in need of that extra kick of solitude with their wine. $12/person. Call for tasting times. 582 Wapping Rd, Portsmouth. 401-847-3777.

And now it’s time to move on from this love affair of alcohol to – wait a second, Grapes & Grains offers Wine Tastings and Craft Beer Tastings? Nope. Done. This article might as well be over, because all of this booze is going to bog down the brain too much. (Well, it would if the Grapes & Grain’s expert staff weren’t so capable of combining the drinks with downright fascinating wine/beer facts.) Wine Tastings Fridays 5-7pm; Craft Beer Tastings Saturdays 2-5pm. 24 Bosworth St, Barrington. 401-245-2100.

Level: Energetic
All right, let’s finally get past the booze and into the meat of East Bay’s cooking classes: Newport Cooks, oddly enough located in Middletown, is constantly offering culinary courses for individuals of all skill levels. Past courses have included in-depth, hands-on education about homemade pasta, baking apples in pastries, artisan breads and much more. While its name may not jive with its location, this East Bay organization lives up to its motto of “Teaching the world to cook, one class at a time!” Find them on Facebook for upcoming classes. 796 Aquidneck Ave, Middletown. 401-293-0740.

Aaaaannnnnnd back to the booze: Newport Wine Cellar (actually located in Newport) offers an ongoing Wine Class Series, in which participants are introduced and taught about wine. Each class meets Wednesday evenings at 7pm, and they include “instructional information about wine tasting, regions, wine makers, varietals and much more, and four wines paired with light hors d’oeuvres and cheeses.” That’s a whole lot of learning crammed into one night per week. $40. 24 Bellevue Ave, Newport. 401- 619-3966.

Level: Experimental
At its heart, cooking is a glorified, delicious chemical reaction. Oil heats up. Sugars break down. Teeth grind. Nutrients are transferred. And somewhere in there, taste buds explode with pleasure. It’s insanely fascinating. But what’s even more astonishing is playing a part of the whole experience, like at one of BreadHitz’s Baking Workshops. In these full-day classes, students learn hands-on instructions for how to turn separate ingredients into indescribably delicious treats like cookies, pastries, macarons or baguettes. Check website for upcoming classes. 97 Chestnut St, Rehoboth. 508-252-9733.