Melissa's Kitchen, Inc.

Melissa's Kitchen, Inc. Private chef, cooking instruction, & catering

A little prep for my Quick Pickling class next week at Prairie Food Co-op in Lombard! 🥕🥒🫙This hands-on class is a great ...
09/04/2026

A little prep for my Quick Pickling class next week at Prairie Food Co-op in Lombard! 🥕🥒🫙

This hands-on class is a great way to learn the basics of quick pickling. We’ll cover food safety, explore different vinegars and flavor combinations, and give you the confidence to preserve seasonal vegetables at home.

You’ll leave with a quart of your own pickled vegetables and a booklet of recipes!

Special bonus…we’ll have cookbook raffle including the book Pickles, Illustrated from Chronicle Books 📚

Signup link in my bio and on Eventbrite

📅 Wednesday, September 9
⏰ 6–7:30 p.m.
📍 Prairie Food Co-op, Lombard

🍂 Fall cooking classes are here! 🍂It’s not officially fall yet, but with the sun setting earlier and September arriving,...
09/01/2026

🍂 Fall cooking classes are here! 🍂

It’s not officially fall yet, but with the sun setting earlier and September arriving, you can definitely feel the season starting to shift!
I have several classes coming up over the next few months, including hands-on pickling, focaccia art and sourdough.🍞🥕

A quick note about sourdough: the two classes at Marcel’s are the only public hands-on sourdough classes I currently have planned for the fall. My other sourdough classes will be demonstration-style because of kitchen space and equipment limitations.

🫙 Sept. 9 – Seasonal Pickling | Prairie Food Coop, Lombard
🍞 Sept. 16 – Summer Garden Focaccia Art | Downers Grove | Only 3 spots left!
🍞 Oct. 7 – Sourdough Beginner | Downers Grove | Only 1 spot left!
🍞 Oct. 21 – Sourdough Beginner | Prairie Food Coop, Lombard
🍞 Oct. 27 – Sourdough Beginner HANDS-ON | Marcel’s, Glen Ellyn | Only 1 spot left!
🍞 Nov. 11 – Sourdough Beyond the Basics | Downers Grove
🍞 Nov. 16 – Sourdough Beginner HANDS-ON | Marcel’s, Glen Ellyn | Only 4 spots left!

👉 Check the link in my bio for class details and registration! Links to sign up for all classes are in the September email.

Want to hear about upcoming classes before I post them on social media? 📬 Message me and I’ll add you to my email list! I’ll send class information, new class announcements and registration details right to your inbox.

Thank you for supporting Melissa’s Kitchen! ❤️

September 9 | 6:00–7:30 PMPrairie Food Co-op | Lombard, IL Turn the season’s freshest vegetables into delicious, crunchy...
08/20/2026

September 9 | 6:00–7:30 PM
Prairie Food Co-op | Lombard, IL
 
Turn the season’s freshest vegetables into delicious, crunchy pickles!
 
Join Melissa’s Kitchen, Inc. at Prairie Food Co-op for a hands-on introduction to the art of quick pickling. We’ll work with a variety of seasonal vegetables and learn how to transform them into flavorful refrigerator pickles (no canning required)!
 
You’ll learn the basics of quick pickling, taste a few different recipes, and customize your pickles with different herbs, spices and flavors. Then you’ll roll up your sleeves and make your own jar to take home.
 
Each student will take home:
- A pint of homemade quick-pickled seasonal vegetables
- A small recipe booklet with recipes and ideas to continue pickling at home
 
This is a hands-on class, so come ready to chop, mix, pickle and taste! It’s a fun way to preserve the flavors of the season and add something bright and delicious to your meals.

No prior cooking or pickling experience necessary!!! Signup link in my bio 🫜





🌱 Garden harvest time! 🌱It’s time to plant for fall, which means it was time to clear out the garden. I pulled SO many c...
08/18/2026

🌱 Garden harvest time! 🌱

It’s time to plant for fall, which means it was time to clear out the garden. I pulled SO many carrots, beets, chard, jalapeños, green tomatoes and herbs. 🥕🫑🍅🌿

The only bad thing about a big garden harvest? It takes time to process it all! 😂
Here’s what I’m doing with all of my garden goodies:

🥬 Swiss chard — Enjoyed this as a side with dinner last night. Sautéed with olive oil, onion, salt & pepper and a splash of good vinegar. Simple, healthy and so good!
🌿 Beet greens — Cleaned and stored for later. I’m planning beet green pasta with goat cheese later this week. 🍝
🥕 Carrots & beets — Cleaned, destemmed and into storage bags for later.
🌶️ Serrano peppers — Freezing them whole in a freezer-safe bag.
🌶️ Jalapeños — Dehydrating half and pickling the other half.
🍅 Green tomatoes — Slow roasting them with olive oil. This makes green tomatoes so sweet and delicious!
🌿 Oregano & thyme — Drying in the dehydrator.
🌿 Sage — Drying the old-school way in a big bundle in my garage.
🌶️ Aleppo peppers — I’ve never eaten these fresh, so I’m going to slice them up and figure out something to make with them later this week. 🤔
🌿Basil - made three half pints of pesto.

Now…back to processing! 👩‍🍳🌱




🍂 Late Summer & Fall Cooking Classes 🍂I have lots of fun, seasonal classes coming up this fall! Signups for Downers Grov...
08/11/2026

🍂 Late Summer & Fall Cooking Classes 🍂

I have lots of fun, seasonal classes coming up this fall! Signups for Downers Grove Park District and Marcel’s classes can be found on their web site and links in my bio.

FYI all classes are shared first via email. Please DM me to be added to my list :)

Here’s the current lineup:

Fundamentals of Canning — Demonstration
📍 Marcel’s Culinary Experience, Glen Ellyn
📅 August 19
Signup: Marcel’s web site

Seasonal Pickling — Hands On
📍 Prairie Food Coop, Lombard
📅 September 9
Signup: Eventbrite

Summer Garden Focaccia Art — Hands On
📍 Downers Grove
📅 September 16
Signup: DP Park District web site

Sourdough Bread, Beginner — Demonstration
📍 Downers Grove
📅 October 7
Signup: DP Park District web site

Sourdough Bread, Beginner — Demonstration
📍 Lombard
📅 October 21
Signup: Coming soon!

Sourdough Bread, Beginner — Hands On
📍 Marcel’s Culinary Experience, Glen Ellyn
📅 October 27
Signup: Marcel’s web site

Sourdough Bread, Beyond the Basics — Demonstration
📍 Downers Grove
📅 November 11
Signup: DP Park District web site

Sourdough Bread, Beginner — Hands On
📍 Marcel’s Culinary Experience, Glen Ellyn
📅 November 16
Signup: Marcel’s web site

I hope to see you in the kitchen this fall! 🍂

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Downers Grove, IL
60515

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