Class In Session: Monique Deschaine's Quick Pasta Classes

By Carrie Becker in Food on Mar 10, 2010 5:30PM

Times are tough, the economy is soft and even if we are thankful enough to be employed we consider several times a day, "Shouldn’t I be doing something else. Maybe I should be working for myself for a change? That’s it I’m going to start a cupcake business. Those are really trendy right now."

Rewind thirty-years ago when the economy was in a similar state of affairs and the hot thing wasn’t cupcakes, it was pasta. Monique Deschaine just graduated college, and without a job in sight, took some cues from Italian cookbook author, Marcella Hazan, and her own French mother’s passion for food. Using Marcella’s by-hand cooking techniques, Monique rolled out her first bag of natural, shelf-stable pasta in 1981.

Today, Monique’s Al Dente pasta is nationally distributed to grocery stores and available for purchase online. She is proud to still be in business as a privately held company when all her competitors have either folded or were bought out by major food companies.

We had the pleasure of meeting Monique at one of her Whole Foods healthy and fast cooking classes where she bestowed upon beginner home-cooks some quick tips and ideas for easy weeknight dinners. The pasta was cooked to perfection and was a welcome second place to our own fresh-homemade pasta. We really enjoyed the spicy sesame pasta, which makes a great hot or cold dish, tossed with broccoli, peppers, green onions and ginger dressing.

If you are just starting to dabble in the kitchen, check out some tips below from Monique and information on her next cooking demo.

Stolen Tips: Roasting vegetables can bring out a lot of great flavor. Make sure to spread vegetables, like cauliflower, carrots and red onion, in an even layer on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and, for some color, tumeric. Bake at 475 degrees for about 20 minutes. Eat these tasty veggies on their own or toss in pasta with some Parmesan and parsley.

Next Cooking Demo: Thursday, March 25th at Whole Foods Lincoln Park, 1550 N. Kingsbury, 6:30 - 8pm $10 (Call 773.472.0400)