Expand Your Culinary Skills at Our Northern Virginia Inn

Learn something new during your next getaway by spending a weekend cooking with us. These getaways are held during our winter season. The cooking class weekends feature Chef Matt Finarelli. You will eat & learn how to prepare 4-course gourmet meals. Wines from local wineries will be served. See the menus below for the cooking class weekends.

Special classes for groups can be arranged – just ask!

Dates for our 2024 cooking class weekends:

February 16-18, 2024
March 8-10, 2024

What’s Included

2-night stay with full hot breakfast Saturday & Sunday mornings
Wine tasting with an expert from a local winery & hors d’oeuvres on Friday night
Cooking class (mostly demonstration) on Saturday night

What You’ll Do

Arrive on Friday afternoon or evening, when you’ll meet the chef and be treated to some delightful appetizers prepared for your enjoyment. We have arranged a wine tasting of Virginia wines at the inn featuring an expert from a local winery. These wines will be paired with the meal you help prepare on Saturday night.
Enjoy a full hot breakfast Saturday morning.
Explore the beautiful Middleburg area countryside on your own — we have lots of information on fun things to do in the area, such as visiting local wineries & craft breweries, horseback riding, hiking, scenic drives, shopping at the Leesburg outlets or the wonderful shops in the area, or visiting Civil War sites.
On Saturday evening we will gather in The Fox Den at Briar Patch (our event building) for the cooking class where the chef will demonstrate and guests will help prepare (and consume!) a 4-course meal. The chef will discuss the many aspects of preparing gourmet meals, including how to prep, how to pre-cook and hold, and how best to present the dishes. And, of course, recipes will be provided. Wines will also be served with the meal.
Enjoy another full hot breakfast Sunday morning.

These are sure to be fun weekends of good wine, fine food, and new friends.

Rates for Cooking Class Weekends

Lodging:

	Cottage for 2 nights		$295 plus tax per night
	Room with a private bath for 2 nights		$250 plus tax per night
	2-bedroom suite for 2 people for 2 nights		$275 plus tax per night
	2-bedroom suite for up to 4 people for 2 nights		$310 plus tax per night

Cooking Class:

Hors d’oeuvres & wine tasting on Friday night and a 4-course meal with wine on Saturday night – $170 plus tax per person

To make a reservation, email us at info@briarpatchbandb.com or call us at 703-327-5911.

Payment is due upon reservation. No refunds but you may find a substitute if needed.

Menus for Cooking Class Weekends

February 16-18, 2024 — Theme: Out From Under The Tuscan Sun

Friday Evening Hors D’Oeuvres with Wine from Three Fox Vineyards & Brewery:

Zucchini and Onion Tartlets
Toasted Goat Cheese and Shaved Fennel Crostini
Roasted Chicken and Celery Root Salad

Saturday Evening Dinner Menu with Wine from Three Fox Vineyards & Brewery:

Chickpea Soup – This soup of chickpeas and vegetables in a light chicken broth is perfumed with lots of fresh herbs, making it one of my all-time favorite soups come winter.
Balsamic and Rosemary Florentine-Style Steak – Steak preparation has become so overdone in the US, it’s nice every once in a while to see how the Tuscans make an amazing steak with only a few, simple fresh ingredients to get the most flavor out of a great cut of beef.
Fava Bean Salad with Shaved Red Onion – The colors and flavors of this salad make a wonderful accompaniment to steak, and some preparation tricks will help you make better salads all year long.
Panforte – This sweet fruit-and-spice cake dates back to the early 1200’s in Sienna. It’s still a prized dessert of the region, and the truly delicious way to do fruit cake! This is not like a “fruit cake” the way you’re thinking of it. This one is thin and rich, loaded with perfectly crafted light caramelized sugar, and dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Oh yeah, and I serve it with ice cream too, because that’s just delicious!

March 8-10, 2024 – Theme: It’s All Greek to Me

Friday Evening Hors D’Oeuvres with Wine from Molon Lave Vineyards & Brewery:

Melitzanosalata (Grilled Eggplant Spread) served on Pita
Tyrokafteri (Spicy Feta Cheese Spread) served on Cucumber
Mini Greek Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki

Saturday Evening Dinner Menu with Wine from Molon Lave Vineyards & Brewery:

Horiatiki (Authentic Greek Salad) – We’ll get one thing very straight here, a Greek salad is not a pile of Romaine lettuce with a little bit of crumbled feta on it. This salad will have lots of fresh top-quality feta surrounded by the best olives, olive oil, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Not a leaf of lettuce to be seen!
Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta – A great first course, this dish makes a lovely mix to tomatoes and feta that cooks to make a rich, wonderful sauce that then cooks a collection of lovely shrimp. Served with crusty bread, it’s a great dish for a crowd!
Moussaka – This great Greek casserole, is full of great flavors and layers, and is the casserole to end all others! Eggplant, potato, lamb, tomato and cheese come together in ways that will make you wonder why you haven’t had this dish every day all winter long!
Chocolate Almond Baklava (Siropiasta) – Layered chocolate, almonds and filo covered in a delicious honey syrup. Truly one of my all-time favorite desserts.

To make a reservation, email us at info@briarpatchbandb.com or call us at 703-327-5911.