July/August 2006 Newsletters

We received a great response from people on our last newsletter and many of you asked us to update you with information about TV appearances and newspaper articles. With so much going on, we are sending this newsletter out sooner than originally anticipated.

We also promised recipes, hints, and tips in our newsletter, so watch for our article on ‘salt’ later in this newsletter.

Many of you asked us for our class schedule through the end of the year. After taking input from you, we now have our schedule through December 2006. We have a few repeat classes that were requested and many brand new classes for you to enjoy.

We added lots of classes that will prepare you for the holiday season. Okay, it’s only July, but we’re already thinking about the holidays. We have appetizer classes, cookies, candies and even a meal perfect for Christmas Eve. We’ll talk more about these classes when the time comes, but we did want to make you aware that they will be available.

We still have openings in our ‘Grilling Made Easy’ class on Wed 8/9 and Sat 8/12. This class is great for the griller in your family to learn how to properly grill foods from burgers to chicken to desserts. If you are tired of eating grilled foods that are burned on the outside and raw on the inside, this class is for you. Our Saturday class will be held earlier in the day -- from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. so that you don’t have to spend the hot part of the day outside. And since families seem to grill together, we’re having a special on this class. Pay for one person and bring another person free. So sign up early while there’s room. And fill your freezer with your favorite grilling items, because after this class, you’ll definitely be on your way to being a grilling master.

We continue to offer our ‘healthy focus’ classes each month with the July class (7/26 and 7/29) focusing on Stir-Frys.

Kids Classes – you asked for it, you got it! We scheduled two kids’ classes later in July. The first is for 8-11 year olds. It will be held on July 27 from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The menu will feature ravioli casserole, chicken and orange salad, ranch dressing and creamsicle cake.

The second is for kids from 12-16 years. This class will be on July 31 from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The menu will feature Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo, Chicken and Strawberry salad, ranch dressing and brownie tartlets. This was a special request class for teens a few weeks ago and they loved it. Sign your teen up today.

Special Savings Offers – until August 31, 2006, we will be offering a few specials. Besides the buy one get one free for our Grilling Basics Class, we are offering you $10 off a class if you refer a new student to Simply Impressive. They must attend a class before the end of August.

We are also holding a drawing. For each class you attend this summer (again through 8/31/2006) we will put your name in a drawing. The winner will receive a free class from Simply Impressive.

Simply Impressive Cooking School – In Print – watch the East Valley Tribune for a photographic montage of ‘A Day in the Life of a Cooking School’. To date, we do not know if the montage will be in August 5 or August 12’s newspaper.

Simply Impressive Cooking School – On TV – hopefully you did not miss Fox 10 and Sonoran Living when we were on demoing baking a cake and mac&cheese on the grill. If you did, there are more opportunities. Channel 3 came by to see us make an entire meal on the grill. We are currently scheduled to air on August 10 at 4:40 and at 5:40.

We also have a special treat for six kids. We will be on Channel 12 on July 27 starting at 5:30 a.m. and ending about 6:35 a.m. These lucky kids will be in a class making breakfast. It is a live shot so if you’re up that early, tune us in. I’ll be the one with the toothpick in her eyes.

Our website – Check out our new website at www.simplyimpressive.com. That, too, has been a long time in the making. It’s up and running now. You will see that our calendar is now updated through the end of the year. We’ve included class requests wherever possible. If you have anything else you would like to see us offer, just let us know. We are working on the class list for Spring 2007.

Mailing List – If you know anyone who would like to be on our mailing list, please forward this newsletter to him or her and let us know so that we can add them to the list.

If you would like to be removed from our mailing list, please send us an e-mail with ‘unsubscribe’ in the subject line.

We’ve had many questions about salt lately. As you know, generally we use Kosher salt in class, but there are other options. So which salt should you choose? Taste and texture, not nutrition, are the main reasons to use the salt you prefer.

Most experts recommend between 1,500 and 2,400 mg of sodium daily. For those of you who need to minimize sodium content, the following information can be the difference between life and death for you. I am not a medical practitioner, so please do not use this information in place of your doctor’s advice. Discuss salt alternatives with your doctor if you have sodium issues.

While there are many types of salt available, we generally talk about three different types in class. They are regular iodized table salt…you know, the stuff in the round box with the umbrella girl on it. Then there’s Kosher salt, which we most often use, and sea salt.

Table Salt: A fine-grained refined salt with additives that make it free-flowing, is mainly used in cooking and as a table condiment. It's what most of us grew up on. Add in some iodine and it’s iodized salt. A dash of iodized salt has 155 mg sodium while one teaspoon has 2325 mg sodium.

Kosher Salt: Is an additive-free coarse-grained salt. It's used by cooks who prefer its texture and flavor. One-quarter teaspoon of kosher salt varies from 280 milligrams in Diamond Crystal brand to 480 in Morton’s.

Sea Salt: Is the type used down through the ages and is the result of the evaporation of sea. It comes in fine-grained or larger crystals. Sodium can vary significantly, though; it ranges from 230 milligrams in ¼ teaspoon Celtic Sea to 490 milligrams in Baleine Coarse Crystals Sea Salt.

In a side-by-side taste test done in one of our classes, our tasters found that table salt had a harsh, off-taste. Kosher salt had a more clean taste and sea salt was the most salty tasting.

So you decide what type of salt you want to use in your kitchen, and don’t be afraid to experiment to find the one you like best.