Elena DeRosa

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My quest to find the perfect bearnaise sauce has finally come to an end. And no, I haven't discovered it at any local restaurant. Thanks to the instruction of chef Jeff Bland, I now have to go no further than my kitchen to create it myself.

Espagnole, veloute, tomato, bechamel and hollandaise were the star sauces 14 students learned to prepare after attending the three-hour "Mother Sauces" cooking class recently held at Foodies.

Open since September 2004, Foodies focuses on recreational cooking classes, being offered every Tuesday and Thursday evening, said owner Chris Berry. "We try to offer a constantly changing variety of classes," he said.

Variety indeed. Basic knife skills, the art of saute, sumptuous sides and decadent desserts are just a few of the many unique classes scheduled.

Bland, who Berry said was the most frequent teacher besides himself, was the tour guide for the evening, "offering cooking tips you can't get anywhere else." Bland said, "I'm not afraid to share my culinary knowledge. I'm going to pass it on to you. I want you to get as much out of this class as possible."

A five-page handout filled with terminology, historical facts, recipes and tips helped guide everyone through the class.

Southwest County resident Diane Dowling, who "bakes but doesn't cook," has attended several classes and said, "I've learned a lot already, great shortcuts, and chef makes it look so easy."

Actively participating in the hands-on class, Dowling removed her white jacket as she joined Bland to crush plum tomatoes by hand. Except for Berry, whose shirt suddenly sported red spots, the rest of the class sat at a safe distance from the splattering. With three cameras feeding into two high-tech monitors flanking the stove hood, everyone was able to monitor the action.

Melanie VanGuilder relocated to Roanoke from the Raleigh-Durham, N.C., area last summer and plans to attend all the classes.

"It was a way to meet some people and learn more about something I love to do," VanGuilder said. "I wanted to learn more techniques and get inspired."

Berry's advice to people who would like to learn how to cook is to just relax and not get so uptight trying to follow recipes. He said, "It should be a creative process and not a scientific experiment."

Since Foodies recently expanded next door with its new retail store, Foodies 2 Go, getting creative just got a lot easier. Besides carrying hard-to-find ingredients, Foodies 2 Go offers an extensive and constantly changing menu of items, including homemade pasta sauces, soups, salads, appetizers, meat, seafood and desserts available for pickup.

"We'll keep a lot of it here fresh," Berry said. "We'll be selling a variety of prepared foods, mostly things cooked right here. We'll also be offering some things that are prepared by a couple of other local cooks and caterers.

"The whole idea is to concentrate on things that are not available anywhere else, not necessarily high-end items, not necessarily expensive items."

Although cooking continues to be a lifelong passion, Berry was concerned that he was missing a portion of his 16-month-old son's childhood, so he's re-evaluated his priorities. "I'm trying to rearrange the business and schedule in a way that allows me to spend more time at home," he said.

Berry said Foodies has been a great learning opportunity.

"I've had a lot of fun with it so far," he said. "It's too soon to say if it's ever going to be a wildly successful business, but it's something I enjoy doing and certainly have no regrets about it."

Foodies is at 4054 Franklin Road, 776-3693, www.cookingmadefun.com. For more information on Foodies 2 Go, visit www.Foodies2Go.com.

Elena DeRosa's column appears regularly in the South edition of Neighbors.