Czech Christmas Meal

Pea soup is one of the most traditional Christmas meals in the Czech Republic, served as a smaller appetizer portion before main courses. It is unbelievably delicious and easy to prepare. In this class, we’ll be preparing pea soup alongside a little bit more modern Czech Christmas meal, Schnitzel with homemade potato salad.

Schnitzel originated in Italy and by the mid-19th century got to Vienna, the capital of the Austrian Empire. The Viennese removed the traditional use of Parmesan and made a few other changes to the original recipe, and the traditional Viennese schnitzel was born. Because the Czech and Slovak Republics were once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, this dish remains popular in the Czech Republic’s culinary culture. The Czech name for this meal is “Řízek”, and is commonly prepared from chicken, pork, or veal.

As a side dish, we are going to prepare Czech potato salad totally from scratch.

Note: Suitable for vegetarians – simply replace the schnitzel with fried cheese.

Join us from the comfort of  your home on Zoom and learn from Czech-born Chef Tom Slepicka in these hands-on interactive classes.

Slepicka graduated from culinary school in his hometown, Brno, located in the Czech Republic. While still in school, he established a successful full-service catering company which operated in the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, and Austria. Slepicka moved to the U.S. with his wife in 2014. From 2015-16, he operated the Czech Deli at the NewBo City Market. The goal of his courses is to make tasty and high-quality meals accessible to everyone.

Series VIII is a combination of new classes as well as a repeat of successful Christmas classes from last year. If you missed last years classes or would like a refresher on technically demanding classes such as Vánočka or the May-beetle cookie, this is an excellent opportunity.

This course offers expanded options:
• Sign up for all of the classes: $150 for NCSML members, $180 for non-members. Receive two classes free + $10 gift card to the Museum Store + Christmas cookie cutter set including shipping provided by Cookery Store.
• Select five classes: $100 for NCSML members, $120 for non-members. Receive one class free + $10 gift card to the Museum Store + Christmas cookie cutter set including shipping provided by Cookery Store.
• Purchase classes individually: $25 for NCSML members, $30 for non-members.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to access the class. Participants will need high-speed internet and a computer, tablet, or smartphone to access the course content. To interact with the chef during the class, you will also need a webcam and microphone. The recipe, tools needed, and any prep you might need to do ahead of time will be emailed a week before each class, so you can purchase the ingredients and cook along with the chef during the class.