Dinner You Can Do

When the Culinary Stone opened its door nearly two years ago in the Riverstone shopping center, people found a wide variety of cooking utensils, books, seasonings, pots, pans, accessories and wine. While this continues to be the store’s bread and butter, it’s also become one of the unofficial culinary education centers for Coeur d’Alene.

“It’s all about education,” said co-owner Brad Gunn. “Once people learn about quality ingredients and how to prepare a great meal for far less than going out, they’re hooked.”

The Culinary Stone offers a wide range of experiences to its visitors. The store has a gourmet kitchen set up inside where chefs from local restaurants as well as other cooking pros gather to teach eager students the finer points of different regional cuisine. Classes have included learning to roll sushi, Italian at home, Thai, Mexican and seemingly everything in between. The classes are exceptionally popular with just about every one selling out well in advance. There is also free wine tasting on Wednesday evenings from 4:30 to 6:30pm. Each Wednesday the store picks several wine varietals and pairs them with their deli meats and cheeses. This is a great opportunity for guests to learn what style of wines go best with particular dishes and meats.

Jonathan Siegler is the new manager of the deli and especially enjoys this part of the job. “I get to interact with everyone, and it’s almost like people are coming into my kitchen. I learn a lot about people just from chatting in a casual setting.”

The deli features only choice or prime grade meats cut in store, along with house made sausages and a variety of cheeses. “Once people taste the difference in a quality meat, it’s hard for them to go back to what they’re used to,” said Siegler.

With summer being all about the barbecue, Brad is all about sharing his knowledge of the grill. He uses a pellet grill from Ironstone Mountain Comfort so he can really control the heat and add extra flavor to the grill. “The advantage to a pellet grill is I can get it up to 750 degrees, which allows me to sear the meat and lock in the juices and flavor,” said Gunn. Anyone who has dropped by Riverstone on a Thursday evening this summer has probably smelled Gunn’s cooking. He’s out on the patio offering something new each week, from gourmet burgers and chicken to unique offerings from their multiple tap beers and ciders. As always he’s eager to share his grilling advice with anyone looking to fine tune their skills.

As we get closer to fall, the Culinary Stone plans to continue their free weekly wine tasting and ramp up on some additional cooking classes. They also plan to add new soups and gourmet deli platters for football tailgating or having friends over for the game. “People are amazed how great a meal they can make at home for far less than dining out, and we love giving them that knowledge,” said Gunn. Cooking can be intimidating, but with a little knowledge you’ll soon be a more confident at home chef. The Culinary Stone focuses on locally sourced and unique ingredients you won’t find too many other places. Try a wine pairing, cooking class, or grab a bite from the deli and see how easy gourmet can really be!

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