"Cooking Up Good Taste" with Pam Gustairs

Pam is a local celebri-D in her own right. As a chef and graduate of Schoolcraft ColIege's Culinary Arts Program, Pam has traveled the world, learning from local chefs in countries like Italy, Mexico and Switzerland, along with the masters at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

While traveling, she experienced many different cooking environments, from professional to home kitchens. The majority of chefs and cooks in Europe learn in a casual setting--taking courses in other chefs' homes. Pam decided to imitate the successful European-style, in-home cooking classes at her residence in Fraser, Michigan.

I visited Pam and Tom (Pam's husband and right-hand man) for the second time on Monday evening, in honor of my mother's 60th Birthday. Above is the menu prepared for us.

Pam can cater to any palate, she customizes each class for you and your friends.

The Semolina pasta dough alongside the recipe for making homemade ravioli.

Chef Pam showing us the proper dough-needing technique.

After the dough rises, it is cranked through a pasta maker until it is very thin and quite long (as you can see).

Pam demonstrates how to use the chic and handy ravioli maker.

The Cheese and Herb-Filled Ravioli must be sealed with an egg wash.

The almost-finished product! Here are the Ravioli just before we placed them in boiling water for a few minutes.

Tomato-Basil Tartlets... Yummy!

Here is the beautiful and delicious Arugula and Orange Salad.

Ta-da! Homemade Ravioli in a Brown Butter Sauce with Toasted Walnuts, Sage (from Pam's garden), and freshly imported Parmigiano-Reggiano. TO-DIE-FOR.

And last but certainly not least...

Orange-Ricotta Pound Cake with Fresh Strawberries! Divine!

All in all, the two classes I took with Pam have been incredibly fun and rewarding. I love the concept of experiencing and learning about new foods in a comfortable and unintimidating environment.

I especially enjoy supporting a local chef and businesswoman.

If you would like to schedule a class with Pam, call her @ 248-321-5275 or e-mail: pgustairs@aol.com.

Thanks, Pam!