The Institute of Domestic Technology
A few days ago, on a whim, I decided to treat myself to a day of culinary adventure at The Institute of Domestic Technology. I’d been wanting to emerse myself in one of their classes, since the first time I read about them in the LA Times.
The Institute was established in 2011 and their mission is “to reignite the passion of how we make food, the ingredients we source and the farms on which they originate”. They provide classes, workshops, tours and events all centered around the domestic arts.
Although they hold classes and events at various locations, their headquarters are based out of the Mariposa Creamery on the grounds of the Zane Gray Estate in Altadena, CA, which is where I attended my day of classes.
Let me just say, I was captivated by the creamery goats. They were very friendly and curious. The one above, named Ice Cream, walked right up to everyone for some attention, or possibly a treat. They were completely adorable!
There are scattered plantings of edibles on the grounds of the estate. I noticed artichokes, rhubarb, citrus and nasturtiums, just to name a few.
It’s also home to a large flock of happy chickens wandering about…
And I loved the vines that climbed wildly up and over the top of the estates main house. It almost gave the feeling of being in another country and I appreciated the fact that the grounds were not neatly manicured like a theme park, but that the landscape seemed to be quite content to meander on it’s own.
Tomorrow, I’ll take you inside the creamery’s kitchen where our classes were held and show you what I made. To give you a hint, they focused on the staples of a healthy diet (or a well stocked pantry)…bread, jam, mustard, and chevre. And it was all delicious fun!
