This course is a part of the Mountain Institute for Lifelong Learning at Warren Wilson College

Monday, July 20 9:00 AM - Friday, July 24 3:00 PM

This hands-on course focuses on transforming wild Appalachian ingredients into thoughtful, finished dishes and preparations. Ingredients will be responsibly harvested and selected in advance so we can devote our time to working with them confidently and precisely. Participants will work with wild, hyper-native ingredients and learn how to clean, process, preserve, and cook them using both traditional and modern techniques. The course bridges rustic knowledge with professional kitchen discipline, making these foods practical and accessible for home cooks. Vegetarian and vegan preparations will be included wherever possible.

Throughout the class, we will explore:

• How to prepare wild ingredients for safe use
• Raw vs. cooked applications
• Flavor extraction techniques
• Infusions and quick vinegars vs. fermented vinegars
• Purees, pestos, and oxidation control
• Preservation methods (salts, drying, infusions, fermentation)
• Building pantry staples from native ingredients
• Zero-waste applications
• Creative transformations (e.g., bark crackers, flavored salts, wild condiments)

Participants will leave with practical techniques and a framework for incorporating wild Appalachian ingredients into everyday cooking — without needing to be expert foragers. This course emphasizes confidence, stewardship, and depth of understanding: taking an ingredient from raw state to finished plate with clarity and intention.

Instructor Bio: Gavin Baker