So far, so good: we're in the midst of a stellar autumn for growing cool-season vegetables. Greens and root vegetables are positively exploding with growth during this current warm, wet spell of weather. Let's hope the shift to colder temperatures is reasonably gradual now, so that the plants have time to slow their rambunctious growth and adapt to the coming cold.

But with the abundance always comes the question: what to do with it all? 

Here's the perfect cooking class to kick off the change of season: Portland food blogger and Slow Food Portland advocate Katherine Deumling explains how to make the most of fall and winter produce, covering time-saving ways to prepare and assemble delicious and uncomplicated winter meals. The workshop will cover simple pantry staples to have on hand that will help you turn vegetables into delicious weekend night meals with plenty of leftovers to freeze or save for later in the week.

Take this class (details below) and learn how to prepare healthy, delicious meals with the more subtle produce of winter. Instructor Katherine Deumling knows a thing or two about local, seasonal cooking - she has an inspiring food blog called Cook With What You Have, connected with her small business in Portland devoted to educating people how to make fun, sensible and creative cooking a part of daily life. She is also chair of the board of Slow Food Portland and an active member of the organization.

The class is a benefit for Growing Gardens, a non-profit organization devoted to providing food education to low-income people. Deumling also teaches other classes: see this list for other upcoming classes.
 
WHAT: Growing Gardens' Cooking With Winter Vegetables class with Katherine Deumling
WHEN: Thursday, November 8, 2012 from 6 to 8 pm
WHERE: location TBD
COST: Growing Gardens' workshops are sliding fee scale (usually $10-30), in keeping with their mission to make gardening and garden knowledge accessible to all. All proceeds go to Growing Gardens and their programs.

Read about class here (scroll down nearly to the end of the list for Deumling's class) and then, sign up for it here.