Call her the Giddy Gourmet
Marshall Allen
LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE -- Cherie Twohy serves up her cooking classes
with passion, practicality and double helpings of drama and wit.
Twohy, a La Canada Flintridge resident, is culinary school-trained,
but her off-the-wall humor seems to come naturally. Her Tuesday night
cooking classes at Paolo’s La Cucina, 1401 Foothill Blvd. in La Canada
Flintridge, reflect good training and commitment to a good time.
“Cherie teaches with humor, which is so fun, and it’s much cheaper
than therapy,” said Carolyn Stevens of Pasadena.
Tuesday night, 14 women learned to create gourmet appetizers while
sipping wine and bantering with Twohy. Many of the students were
committed Twohy disciples.
“Don’t write an article,” one woman warned. “We want her all to
ourselves!”
During the class, Twohy taught by demonstration, and at the end of the
class everyone ate.
“Are you preheating that oven to 350 degrees?” a concerned student
asked as if it would be on the Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart test.
“350? 400? Whatever -- it’s warm,” Twohy said nonchalantly. “They’re
not really cooking ... they’re just becoming glooorious!”
While cutting an onion, Twohy asked the class if anyone knew how to do
the task without crying.
“Have your husband do it!” a woman from the back row offered.
“I like my family to feel sorry for me, so I cry,” another said.
The last of five appetizers Twohy created was the Yuppie Loaf, which
she said she made thousands of times through the ‘80s.
“It’s provolone cheese over a dome of everything you want in your
mouth,” she gushed. “It is the combination that makes people faint and
die.”
Indeed, by the women’s groans as they savored the provolone, pesto,
sun-dried tomato and cream cheese ecstasy, several nearly had coronaries.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Chez Cherie cooking classes.
WHEN: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays until July 2.
WHERE: Paolo’s La Cucina, 1401 Foothill Blvd., La Canada Flintridge.
HOW MUCH: $50.
For more information, call 952-7217.