With Schola’s Amy von Lange
When Amy von Lange opened Schola with her former business partner, Jerry Pellegrino, in 2015, it was one of the only businesses of its kind in the Baltimore area — a place where people could come together to learn to cook delicious food and fundamental cooking techniques. Pellegrino has since retired, with chef Andy Thomas taking his position, and the business has moved from Mount Vernon to Lighthouse Point in Canton. But Schola cooking classes remain popular.
“The common experience that ‘the party always ends up in the kitchen’ inspired us to create cooking classes that were fun, very hands-on and accessible,” von Lange explains. “You can come to Schola and dive right into everything or pick and choose how you want to participate. It’s a very friendly and fun experience — especially with a glass of wine; we are a [bring your own bottle].”
Whether you’re a skilled home cook or you barely know how to fry an egg, Schola classes put all of their participants on common ground and make cooking into a fun, social affair.
With its many specialty classes that focus on specific kinds of cuisine, Schola is no stranger to holiday dishes. During December, the business holds a series of Feast of the Seven Fishes-themed classes that spotlight Italian seafood. Von Lange credits this idea to Pellegrino and his Italian heritage.
“His parents were from Italy and they would cook the feast on Christmas Eve every year. I’ve had them on the December calendar ever since, and they are one of the most popular classes we have,” von Lange says.
One of Schola’s other classes focuses on party hors d’oeuvres that can be made ahead of time, which is especially helpful for its catering business.
“By the time December comes around, we’re in full-time private-party mode,” von Lange adds.
Bacon-Wrapped Dates Stuffed With Blue Cheese
There are so many great recipes I love to serve over the holidays. I also think that when entertaining, simplicity is key to keep your stress level low while still having a great time at your own party. There are a lot of different dishes you can prepare ahead to the point that you can pop them in the oven 10 minutes before guests arrive.
The bacon-wrapped dates are so easy and always a crowd pleaser, and you can use substitutes where you see fit. You can use figs instead of dates, goat cheese, mascarpone, or whatever you like instead of blue cheese. A lot of people like these wrapped in prosciutto, but I prefer the bacon because … it’s BACON!
-Amy von Lange, chef/owner at Schola
Ingredients
½ cup blue cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground
black pepper
16 Medjool dates (12 ounces), pitted
8 thin slices bacon, par baked at 250 for 15 minutes then cooled
Gently pull the dates apart and stuff with about ½ teaspoon of the blue cheese. Close the dates around the filling. Wrap a piece of bacon long enough to surround each date and secure with a toothpick. Bake for 10 minutes on 350 degrees or until bacon is crispy.
