Classes bring flavor to cooking in Lakeside
Two local women are working to share
their taste for cooking with the West Shore.
Lakeside resident Janet Novotny and
Kalispell resident Lisa Ferro began holding culinary classes at the
Lakeside Community Chapel once a month this fall.
Novotny’s desire to give back to the
community and her love of cooking were what inspired the idea.
Novotny moved to Lakeside from Arkansas, convinced by her husband,
who was from Munich, Germany, that it would be a better fit for
them.
“I love the way people enjoy food and
life here,” she said. “I want to give back to the community.”
Novotny’s food expertise comes from her
associate’s degree from Flathead Valley Community College in
culinary arts. Since getting her degree, she has helped with some
courses at the school. She’s previously worked as a college
professor and counselor.
“I’ve been thinking that I wanted to
hold a class,” she said. “I wanted to share what I know and try to
share what I learned.”
Novotny met Ferro in a knife skills
class at FVCC. Novotny was helping out with the class and Ferro was
taking it along with Novotny’s daughter. The two students got to
laughing and talking. It turned out Ferro had a background in
culinary training in Texas and North Carolina and was taking the
course for the fun of it.
“We were drawn to each other because
she’s Southern like I am,” Novotny said. “Like me, she likes to
cook elegant but grasp on to comfort.”
She shared her idea and the two made it
happen, starting with the first class in September where they
taught three different recipes to do with a rotisserie chicken —
chicken noodle soup, pot pie and chicken salad.
Novotny is also the choir director at
Lakeside Community Chapel, which gave a location for the classes as
well as a cause for proceeds to go to. The chapel is working to
remake and expand the former office, party room and owner’s
apartment of the Bayshore Resort Motel, which was moved in December
2009 to the southern part of the church’s parking lot from its home
across U.S. Highway 93 to make way for Volunteer Park. The chapel
is working to turn it into a community building. Funds from the
class go to support that.
Holding the classes at the chapel,
which has an existing kitchen space already used for events, also
made it easier to secure the proper permits.
Novotny and Ferro learned a few lessons
from the first session. The weather was beautiful, so since they
held the class in the afternoon on a Saturday, many people who told
them they would come didn’t end up showing. The second course, held
in October, they moved the start time to the morning so attendees
still ha plenty of their day ahead of them.
The two of them are learning a lot in
the process. They arranged to take some lessons from someone in
Kalispell on making tamales prior to October’s class.
Novotny visited grocery stores
throughout the Valley to price out all three chicken recipes for
the first session to have an idea on what the difference are in
costs.
“It was amazing how close they were in
price,” she said. “And now I know the prices so much better.”
The classes last between 60 and 90
minutes. Each class focuses on a different subject, and the duo has
been open to suggestions.
“We’re getting feedback from students
on what they’d like to learn,” she said of the topics they pick for
each class. “We’re kind of just market based.”
The cost of each course is $25 per
student to help cover the costs of food and supplies. Any remaining
money goes toward the building fund.
The next session will be held at 2 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 5, and will focus on holiday cooking and food gifts.
Those interested in reserving a seat can contact Novotny by
e-mailing janetcovey@hotmail.com or by calling 755-4255.
“Everyone’s really excited,” she said.
“Get a hold of us. Give us ideas.”