Holiday Baking for the Whole Family

The Free Library’s Culinary Literacy Center (CLC) offers a wide range of affordable cooking classes by enlisting diverse local talent. “We work with everyone from CIA grads to home cooks,” says culinary literacy coordinator Suzanna A. Urminska.

Home cooks turned professionals Keya Blackburn and Shayla Felton-Dorsey are teaching their first class at the library this winter Blackburn graduated from the pastry and baking program at the Art Institute of Philadelphia in 2011 and now runs her own business, More Than Cakes. Felton-Dorsey has a background in early education and opened a catering company last year.

The two women met this past spring while participating in a four-day intensive training at the CLC. The training’s mission was to turn culinary experts into effective home-cooking teachers-part of the CLC's mission to advance literacy through food and cooking around a communal table.

That’s just what Blackburn and Felton-Dorsey will do in their upcoming hands-on family baking class. They’ll guide participants through a few traditional holiday recipes and elaborate cupcake decorating. “We want to make it accessible, but also introduce some new things in a fun community environment,” Felton-Dorsey says.

The free class is part of the Good Food for All series offered by the CLC in partnership with the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger to help people facing food insecurity build skills, strategies and community.

Saturday, December 16, 1 to 3pm
at the Culinary Literacy Center, Parkway Central Library
1901 Vine Street, 4th floor
215.686.5323
freelibrary.org/cook.