???The smell of home cooking drifted through Hadley Village Community Center Saturday afternoon, as students strapped on their aprons and made fresh pasta sauces and salad dressings from scratch.
???The free session, hosted by Campus Dining & Shops (CDS), was the first of a four part series, teaching students how to prepare various dishes, shop for fresh produce and cook on their own.
To prepare for the session, quick and simple recipes were chosen by Chef Jean Stone of CDS.
"This was kind of a trial run for future sessions," Stone said. "I chose dishes that are easy to make and that most students enjoy. The hope is that students can see how easy it is to prepare these meals and won't be afraid to do it themselves in the future, instead of relying on fast food."
Stone gave each student a set of measuring cups, a recipe sheet for the day's food and a book filled with basic cooking vocabulary terms, food safety, kitchen safety and tips to become a better cook.
"I think this session does a good job in promoting healthy eating," said Melissa Goutos, a senior environmental design major. "By cooking their own food, students can be more aware of what they are eating and what is going into their food."
Students were divided into groups and assigned a particular sauce or dressing to make. Four stations were set up for students to prepare Alfredo sauce, marinara sauce, vinaigrette or balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
The aroma of herbs and garlic spread through the room as the amateur cooks saut?(c)ed and added spices into their sauces and dressings, while Stone walked around to each group, assisting with measurements and making sure the proper ingredients went in at the right time.
"The session is an interactive experience in which students gain hands-on cooking skills and learn that cooking can be a fun, creative and healthy way to know what is going into their diet," Stone said.
Stone has been working for CDS for 5 months and has been in the cooking business since her college years. She obtained her bachelor degree in culinary arts from Paul Smith's College in the Adirondack Mountains. She spent time in France working in several different restaurants, then came back to the US to work in Denver, but ultimately decided to stay local and took the job at UB.
The Hadley Community Center quickly became a busy kitchen as the student chefs bustled about preparing their dinner, some finding the cooking to be easier than expected.
"It's pretty simple to make a vinaigrette dressing," Goutos said. "I never thought of making one, but it was really fast and took less time than I thought it would."
After cooking, students got to enjoy their Italian-inspired creations and headed to the conference room to indulge. As they dug into their flavorful work, Stone demonstrated the proper way to frost a cake, giving tips on how to avoid collecting crumbs on the knife and how to get a smooth finish with the frosting, then served the cake for dessert.
???More cooking sessions will be held in weeks to come, on Saturday, March 28 at Flint Village, April 4 at Creekside Village and April 11 at South Lake Village. All sessions are free and begin at 2:30 p.m. Each session will offer new lessons and different meals.
"This is a good college and community experience," said Ray Kohl, marketing manager for CDS. "Students who live in these apartments have likely come from dorms and now have more freedom to cook on their own. We would like to see that happen more often, and for students to not rely on dining out."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
