December 18, 2024
Everyone loves a delicious culinary experience. Whether you’re local or a visitor, plan to experience our region through cooking classes or baking classes in Cabarrus County, plus distillery tours and some sweet treats.
Cabarrus Cooking Company
In early 2025, Cabarrus Cooking Company will begin offering cooking classes to the community in addition to their catering business. “We keep our class size small, with no more than 12 students,” says Katie VanAtta, a pastry chef who owns the business with husband and fellow chef Bob. “Our classes range from making homemade pasta to risotto to sweet potato gnocchi.”
They also will hold their third year of kids cooking camp this summer, and will begin offering birthday parties for kids that include cooking and baking experiences. Keep an eye on their Instagram for more!
Basilico Italiano
When looking for a great cooking class near you, be sure to check out Basilico Italiano. This Concord restaurant regularly hosts cooking classes based on local interest. Owner Julia Tinajero started offering classes for children in the community, but, she explains, the adults wanted to get in on the action.
“The recipes we cook together are sometimes things we serve in our restaurant, like our Italian Bread or Cannoli Cream, and sometimes it’s just something out of the box and fun, like bagels or donuts!” Tinajero says.
New classes are announced via their newsletter, so be sure to sign up for updates.
Yummi Muffin
When you’re searching for a sweet treat, head over to Yummi Muffin. They offer a variety of muffins with flavors like carrot cake, chocolate chip and blueberry. But if you’re ready to dig a little deeper, they offer two experiences as well: Yummi Muffin Your Way and Yummi Cookie Dough Class.
With Yummi Muffin Your Way, you can pre-order your muffins the way you want them. “Customers can choose their muffin flavor, sweetener, flour and spice,” explains owner Gina Daniels. It’s the perfect solution for people with dietary restrictions or just looking to get in touch with their creative streak.
At Yummi Muffin’s Cookie Dough classes, you’ll tour the Yummi Cookie Factory, then learn to make your own vegan cookie dough with a choice of gluten-free or wheat flour. Flavors include lemon, strawberry, chocolate chip and banana. (“My favorite is banana,” Daniels notes). Book ahead, as space is limited. And don’t forget their 10x Savings Surprise Bag, an unknown assortment of 10 muffins, cookies and pies, which you can purchase online or in-store.
Southern Grace Distilleries
Head on over to Mount Pleasant for a one-of-a-kind experience at Southern Grace Distilleries, a distillery housed in the former prison that makes award-winning whiskey.
Southern Grace offers a variety of unique tours that combine fascinating regional history with their spirits. But if it’s the whiskey you’re after, check out their signature private tours. The hour-long barrel house tour involves brief visits to rackhouses, a bourbon tasting, and a discussion of the aging process. The bourbon experience – ideal for anyone who wants to know everything about the distilling process – is a two-hour tour that explores every step bourbon takes en route to its final form, starting with the grain. And of course, there’s a tasting.
Hankering for a brew or a glass of wine? Don’t miss the Cabarrus Explore and Pour experience, which features 15 of the county’s breweries, wineries, bottle shops, cidery, and distillery. Simply sign up for the free mobile pass and earn points redeemable for prizes with each visit.
Make Your Stay Delicious
There’s so much to do in Cabarrus for visitors and locals alike. From an annual barbecue festival to live music at local restaurants and breweries, find even more culinary-related happenings on our Event Calendar. Plus, check out our Destination Guide for more delicious restaurants and exciting experiences to check out year-round.
