Francesca's Terra Verde Farm Club 2014 Cooking Class, Jupiter, Fla. UPDATED

Jupiter, Fla.—Last month’s Francesca’s Terra Verde Farm Club cooking class was fun. It was their first in 2014. Held at Kitchen Works in Jupiter the event attracted a dozen or so South Florida cooking student foodies. R. Francesca Golub, President and founder of the farm club was the culinary instructor.

R. Francesca Golub, President Francesca's Terra Verde Farm Club, talking to
cooking students, Jupiter, Fla.
Copyright 2014 by Helen A Lockey

Golub’s enthusiasm bubbled as she guided guests through the informational booklet and recipes that came with the class. The menu consisted of coconut chicken satay, butternut squash soup, and cauliflower gluten-free muffins.

Hand washing before cooking begins at Francesca's Terra Verde
Farm Club cooking class, Jupiter, Fla.
Copyright 2014 by Helen A Lockey

Then everyone moved to the kitchen to cook but not before they were instructed to wash their hands.

“Alright we’re going to cook fast in an hour,” said Golub, “What we’ll do is break up into groups. Who here has experience with chicken?”

The other two recipes were delegated in the same manner.

Francesca's Terra Verde Farm Club cooking class, chopping squash,
 Jupiter, Fla. Copyright 2014 by Helen A Lockey

Golub energetically ran from group to group showing them, in a lead and follow style, how to prepare their recipes. 

Peeling ginger with a spoon at Francesca's Terra Verde Farm Club
cooking class, Jupiter, Fla. Copyright 2014 by
Helen A Lockey

She also gave out many food preparation secretes from how to find the grain of a chicken breast to the best way to peel ginger—with a spoon to minimize the loss of ginger.

Uncooked cauliflower muffins, Francesca's Terra Verde Farm Club
cooking class, Jupiter, Fla. Copyright 2014 by
Helen A Lockey

The cauliflower muffin recipe, which consisted of a list of ingredients and no quantities, proved a bit too challenging for some cooking students. Golub came to their rescue and said, “Cooking is a sensual art. You see it. You taste it. You feel it. You cook with your hands. It’s all about texture.” Then she demonstrated how much of each ingredient to add to get the right texture.

Butternut squash soup, Francesca's Terra Verde Farm Club
cooking class, Jupiter, Fla. Copyright 2014 by
Helen A Lockey

Then end result, after about an hour, was a large pot of hot butternut squash soup.

Gluten-free cauliflower muffin with coconut chicken satay,
Francesca's Terra Verde Farm Club cooking class, Jupiter,
Fla. Copyright 2014 by Helen A Lockey

And tender coconut rolled spicy chicken satay with a moist, slightly crispy aromatic roasted cauliflower gluten-free muffin.

October 2014 UPDATE:
Francesca's Terra Verde Club is now closed.