RHINELANDER - About the only thing more common than the sound of knives hitting cutting boards at the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry on Thursday morning was the sound of laughter; just the kind of environment Fran Eades likes to cook in.
"They like how I chop and stuff, so i try to show [what I know,]" Eades said.
However, Eades wasn't the teacher this day. Instead, the lifelong cook became the student, hoping to learn some new tricks she doesn't get from her favorite TV chef.
"I could never be with Gordon Ramsay, he's too mean," Eades laughed. "They're very nice [here], very nice."
The food pantry started hosting a cooking class for the first time ever in May. It invited in the Food Wise program through UW-Extension to lead the classroom portion, which is always followed by actual kitchen work.
"I cooked for years and years and years and it's kind of funny because it's really not my favorite thing to do," instructor Terri Lindner said.
Lindner's Food Wise crew brings recipes from their websites, which are balanced, healthy and fun, while using food available right at the pantry itself.
"I learned how to cook on a budget and making do with things and improvising recipes and that's what we really try to do here," Lindner explained.
Thursday's batch of "Cowboy Caviar", seasoned dips, and homemade tortilla chips called for plenty of veggies from the community garden. It also brought some twists, like using plain yogurt, Fran Eades plans to take home.
"You pick up little things that you don't realize you learned," Eades said of the classes.
The twice-monthly classes bring people of all different skill sets, including those who never used a kitchen knife before. That hardly matters in this room, as long as you come with an open mind and a hunger to learn.
"We really try to make everybody feel comfortable and part of the group. We joke, we laugh, we get to know each other, and then we have another friend in the community, it's been great," Lindner said.
The classes are free and include a giveaway each time, but you must sign up in advance because class size is limited to eight.
The next class will be August 15 from 10 a.m. to noon. The food pantry is located at 627 Coon Street in Rhinelander. You can call 715-369-7237 for more information.
