Last night I went to the All About Chicken class. I was a little nervous because I went alone, and…read morebecause I'm not that comfortable in the kitchen. Honestly, I don't really like to cook. But I had a gift card so off I went. Patty welcomed me into her beautiful home ... a fire going and nice music, and I met the three others in our class, one of whom also came alone. A sip of wine later and I was facing my own naked bird at my own station in her huge kitchen -- on my own board with my own knives -- waiting to be cut up. Patty was so patient with me ... helping me hold the knife, find the joints ... and before I knew it I had six beautiful pieces ready to be prepared in 3 different recipes. We cooked every last part of those birds along with a delicious rice dish and sat down a few hours later to a leisurely meal admiring our work. We could have stayed there until the wee hours at her table, the four of us and Patty; we felt completely at home. (Except that she cleaned up!) She also does children's classes. My kids went this summer. She was excellent with keeping them all on task and managing her kitchen with six messy little ones having a ball. Oh --- and she does a Thai class ... that's the one I want to do next. I ate as much as I could. I left with the rest of my food in to go containers ready to serve my family today, and with the confidence to cook again tomorrow. I feel so confident now ... I want to try chopping onions and swirling butter and making my own stock at home.

I had the chance to try some of her appetizers and desserts at an event. Everything was amazing…read more.. the arancini balls, the Spanish tortilla, curried chicken sandwiches, the dips, confetti cookies, and hummingbird cupcakes, just to name a few. I asked the event host who made all the delicious treats and was introduced to Patty. She was very kind, personable, and encouraged me to keep eating! I hope to take one of her classes or use her talents for one of my own events.

Always have so many great products. Staff is friendly and helpful. This is a local gem! Forget…read moreAmazon. Buy from Cookshop unless they don't carry it! Then buy directly from the vendor if they don't have something. I have bought a lot of great sustainable cooking products from here. They have lots of excellent quality products from Europe & Australia. I have small to large items from here- pepper grinder to electric water kettle.

Their Knife Sharpening is worse than terrible. My knives…read morewere duller after the 'sharpening' and close to ruined. They are Wüsthof knives and Wüsthof- Trident of North America store in Norwalk is the place to go for professional sharpening.

Cathy is a real pro. She can create just about any design on a cookie. Our niece loved the Elf on a…read moreShelf personalized cookies she made for me at Christmas time. I've seen many of her designs and remain in awe of her abilities. Cathy is reliable, honest and dedicated to outstanding service to her clients. I highly recommend her.

Cathy was so easy to work with and her work is BEAUTIFUL! I gave her an idea of what I wanted but…read moretold her to use her own creativity and design and they came out better than I could have expected. Her communication was clear and professional and pick up was so easy. Highly recommend her for your next event!

The first time I had something from Let's Start From Scratch was at Hartford's Open Studio last…read moreyear. Molly makes such amazing treats, some of which are GF & vegan which is great. She is so sweet & creative, and you can really tell she loves what she does! She makes edible cookie dough, chocolate peanut better cereal bars, cookies, fruit popsicles, tons of baked goodies & prepared meals as well! One of my favorite treats are her berry bars, packed with berry goodness. They are the perfect healthy treat! Follow her on Instagram @letsstartfromscratch to stay updated about where she'll be next, and to see some amazing food porn! She's usually at events in the Hartford area like Know Good Market etc. If you like healthy homemade food, that actually tastes good & is packed with flavor you have to try one of her creations!

Ok, let's just talk about the chocolate peanut butter cereal bars. I may have eaten 5 in one day,…read moreand I've got no regrets. Let's Start From Scratch is a joy & Molly is just the best. I came across them as a vendor at the West End Farmers' Market (a 2 minute walk from my home) last summer where they've got a weekly rotating menu of from-scratch baked goods, fresh popsicles in fun, inventive flavors, spritzers, sauces and so much more. Let's Start From Scratch also features an amazing lineup of prepared meals that inspires me to eat a bit healthier without sacrificing great flavor (there's this one sweet potato / brussels sprout / cabbage coconut curry dish that's to die for). Plenty of vegan, vegetarian & gluten free dishes as well! Did I mention homemade choco tacos and macaron ice cream sandwiches? Molly is going to be a vendor at WEFM again this season so don't miss out!

Really cute location and bakery within the area. Not a ton of seating but there are some booths to…read moresit of play games. Definitely go early as they will run out of items. Did enjoy a pasty of a chocolate expresso scone which was really good but did feel a little rushed out as I came late even though they were open for another hour. Overall good and recommend!

Dad and I stopped in here for a caffeine fix and more…read more As a triple decade amateur baker and recipe creator this "sniffs in" at 4.5 stars... We showed up at 11:30am and per the worker it was a little thin but still many acceptable options. LEMON BLUEBERRY MUFFIN: -- nice irregular shaped appearance -- visually appealing -- not too sweet -- pronounced balance of both flavors which is rare with these two flavors when combined -- oftentimes the lemon dominates the blueberry -- tastes even better than it looks -- quite moist without being oily or greasy RATING = A JASMINE HONEY LATTE (HOT): -- smooth and just enough flavor and scent of both -- tastes natural and authentic -- smooth java RATING = A+ Quaint and country vibe inside. Very roomy space. Conveniently located near the airport for this weary traveler.

My partner and I participated in another three-day "New England Getaway" at Good Stock Farm this…read morepast weekend. We first participated in one in October 2016 (see my detailed review). Sandy (a James Beard Award winner for his restaurant, Sanford, in Milwaukee) and his wife, Angie, are lovely human beings. They teach themed classes during the year and have a few three-day "New England Getaways" in the fall. Their classes are great for couples as well as small groups of friends who want to cook AND dine together. I cannot say enough good things about Good Stock! Sandy and Angie make you feel like family.

My wife and I were so very fortunate to recieve a demonstration class for Christmas from my sister…read more What a wonderful experience it was and well worth the wait for our May class. Sandy and Angie are a wonderful team and provided an evening filled with exceptional food, great teaching skills, warm hospitality and an unforgettable evening.

Nice merchandise, somewhat reasonable prices, but service is agressive and unfriendly. I picked a…read moreFrench Coffee Press off the shelf and the clerk took it out of my hands telling me that it is the floor model and I couldn't have it. Then she pursued me throughout the storing offering to order it for me. By then, I was afraid to buy anything. I ended up Buying the same coffee press at T.J. Maxx for half the price. Nobody to harass me at T.J. Maxx. So, I'd say they're worse than T-J. Maxx.

We went shopping here, so this review is for the store and not its cooking classes, which we…read moreunderstand get rather a mixed reaction. We came away quite positive about the stock and the staff. And we did make some purchases including several lovely pasta bowls and several utensils. Not a big haul, but one with products we can use and which we thought were fairly priced. You can find lots of items in this roomy store, from coffee makers to aprons, from mixers to cutting knives, and even some prepared edibles. It's all attractively and conveniently laid out. As mentioned, the staff was upbeat and helped us without delay including doing some needed good wrapping on breakable items. The store is located in the Shoppes at Farmington Valley shopping area, and remember, it's upscale not outlet. The cooking class area is really very attractive, but we didn't take any classes.

The owner Nancy was super friendly and fun to chat with the afternoon day my friend and I stopped…read morein. As soon as I walked in I noticed her cute letterpress business cards and we started chatting how great letterpress items are. She has many of her items in store as well as her online site on Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/shop/WeekendKitchen In addition to her great stationary she has an extensive selection of wonderful vintage, antique and new modern home items. I found a darling set of vintage champagne coupes and found glass stir sticks for cocktails. She also sells a great selection of epicurean cutting boards. I almost snatched one up but I had to hold back. It was great chatting with her and I look forward to visiting the store the next time I'm in the area.

More often than not, we hear of local shops shutting their doors, so it was great news to learn of…read moreWeekend Kitchen's move and expansion. We love this destination in Essex for all kinds of kitchen accoutrements, and we love it even more now. Nancy Kirkiles has a knack for mixing vintage finds with kitchen necessities, and the new, larger space has allowed her to flex her merchandising muscles. You'll find an extensive selection of her lovely letterpressed cards on thick stock (and you'll want to stock up), plus a tempting mix of vintage glassware, interesting cookbooks, antique cleavers, teeny silver spoons, crystal salt cellars, linen aprons, essentials for baking; an entire batterie de cuisine. If you're on a spring cleaning rampage, head here for natural bristle brushes and potions with names like "Boys Bathroom" and Superlative Hand Soap. Over the years, Nancy has developed a talented team of collaborators. If you've been to one of her cooking classes or pop-up dinners, you'll know what I'm talking about. Chef Paul Barron will continue to offer classes and dinners through Weekend Kitchen (coming up: Potato Gnocchi and Easy Thai), plus home chef services and (coming soon) grab-and-go meals. You'll find Plenty of Cake, literally. Lesley Moore's imaginative treats will be available and by custom order (her gluten free versions may just be the best I've had), and a refrigerator case is on the way, to be stocked with Arethusa Farm's ridiculous fresh butter, milk, and cheese. I've been known to race over pre-party for a last minute ladle or gravy boat; now I'll just have so many more reasons to visit.

I love this supermarket and shop here all the time. I come here for groceries and for specific…read moreitems that I can't find at my local supermarket. They have a great selection of fresh produce, including vegetables and unique fruits native to Asia that are really cool to see and try. The staff are amazing--very nice, respectful, and always willing to help you find what you're looking for, or point you to where you can get it. They also have a wide variety of fresh fish, meats, and other essentials. The quality of the food is excellent, the store is always clean, and the produce is consistently fresh. Overall, it's a great supermarket and I highly recommend it.

Extremely disappointing experience at 5 Star Supermarket. The customer service is awful, especially…read moreat the checkout. One cashier in particular, a young woman with black rim glasses and COLORFUL PINK hair, is frequently on her phone, speaks to customers rudely, and makes the shopping experience unpleasant. Her behavior has come across as racist and completely unacceptable. Customers deserve to be treated with basic respect, regardless of who they are. On top of the terrible service, the store has an awful smell that makes shopping uncomfortable. Even worse, I have come across expired food still sitting on the shelves. That is a serious concern when it comes to food safety and proper store management. The prices are reasonable, but decent prices do not make up for disrespectful service, an unpleasant shopping environment, and concerns about expired products. Management seriously needs to address the customer service, cleanliness, and food quality issues. I would not recommend this supermarket unless significant improvements are made.