We’re all about a nontraditional classroom here at Local Flavor, especially when that classroom is a kitchen.
Keystone College’s hospitality business management program and professional development institute are offering Kitchens at Keystone cooking courses for the community, with different themes such as “Martinis 101” and “French Wine & Dine Date Night.” Local Flavor was interested in a buzzier theme, though: “Cooking with CBD” and the recipe for Pear Arugula Salad with Walnut CBD Dressing.
The recipe — which earned the college’s program a $50 gift card to Riccardo’s Market, 1219 Wheeler Ave., Dunmore, through Local Flavor Gives Back — comes from course instructor Chef Melodie Jordan.
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a chemical compound found in the cannabis sativa plant and is legal in all 50 states. It does not contain mind-altering tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and will not get you high. However, its benefits for anxiety and pain relief make it a go-to for those looking for respite. Adding it to food allows you to reap its benefits in a tasty way.
Jordan warned those looking for the highest-quality CBD should look to a higher price-point and shop for CBD at a respected retailer. She also hopes the course and its dishes help to end the stigma on CBD.
“I was apprehensive myself at first, but there’s so many benefits to it,” she said. “It’s about educating people and giving them something new to try.”
Kitchen at Keystone classes are for all skill levels and instructed by industry professionals. Classes will be held inside the college’s hospitality center, 120 College Ave., Factoryville, a former firehouse revamped into a commercial kitchen and event space. It’s also open to the public for courses like these as well as to rent out for events, which show off what Keystone has to offer.
“This is a really fun, different night out, and people are looking for those kinds of experiences,” associate professor Brenda Lidy said.
Keystone College’s Pear Arugula Salad with Walnut CBD Dressing
For dressing:
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1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
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3 tablespoons CBD-infused honey
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3 tablespoons walnuts
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3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
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1/2 cup walnut oil
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1/2 teaspoon fresh tarragon leaves, minced
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4 milliliters CBD oil of choice
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Salt and black pepper to taste
Put mustard, honey, walnuts and vinegar in a blender.
In a separate bowl, combine both walnut and CBD oil.
Blend ingredients in blender for about a minute. Then, while the machine is running, drizzle in the oil. When all the oil has been incorporated, scrape down the sides and process until it has a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste and fold in fresh tarragon.
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For salad:
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2 to 3 ripe but firm pears
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Juice of 1/2 lemon
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4 cups arugula or other baby lettuce
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1/2 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half
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4 tablespoons walnuts
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4 to 8 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese or Gorgonzola cheese
Cut pear into quarter-inch slices. Sprinkle slices with lemon juice to prevent browning.
Arrange arugula on plates and top with pear slices. Scatter grapes, nuts and bleu cheese over plates. Drizzle with dressing and season with fresh cracked pepper. Serves 4.
Kitchen at Keystone course schedule
Cooking with CBD: Saturday, Feb. 22, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tea-Based Cocktails: Sunday, Feb. 23, 4 to 6 p.m.
Plant-Based Homemade Classics: Saturday, Feb. 29, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Wonderful Welsh Cookies: Sunday, March 1, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
To sign up, call 570-945-8380 or email pdi@keystone.edu.
Gia Mazur is an award-winning staff writer and beauty obsessive who joined The Times-Tribune’s Lifestyles department in 2015. She’s a product enthusiast who can’t live without an eyelash curler. A proud Virgo, Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk is her go-to. Contact: gmazur@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9127; @gmazurTT