Twenty-four students of The Culinary Institute of Montana at Flathead Valley Community College spent over 900 combined hours last week preparing for the 100th Anniversary Titanic dinner which took place April 13 at the college. The exquisite seven-course dinner represented one of the many opportunities our college’s culinary arts program provides our students to learn valuable catering skills through hands-on, real-world experiences. My students showcased their skills and talents beautifully as they prepared and presented the historic meal.

 

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Feet raced across a scuffed floor in a second story studio in downtown Whitefish. Each stomp, kick and move was matched by the beat of a nearby boom box, and watching it all was Dance Elements instructor Amy Arriaga.

Arriaga, 30, is originally from California where she first began dancing as a kid. Early on she grew a liking to hip hop, back when it was called street funk. Arriaga said dancing came naturally and soon she realized that “I never wanted to do anything else.” While in California she started teaching, before moving to the Flathead Valley in 2000. After a few years in Montana, she started her own dance school, with a focus on jazz and hip hop.

 

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There are almost as many different versions of savory stuffed pastries as there are cultures around the world. Eastern Europe has the pierogi, the Irish have the pasti, in India they make samosas and in Spain and Latin America empanadas are very popular as street food and in tapas bars for a delicious late night snack. As part of our most recent Spanish dinner at the Culinary Design Studio we made this version of empanadas, filled with spicy chorizo and sweet corn and garnished with organic baby arugula for an amazing start to our meal.

 

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The rich history of the Salish, Pend d’Oreille and Kootenai tribes comes alive at The People’s Center in Pablo, just south of Polson. The museum, visitor’s center and gift shop is open Monday through Friday during the winter, as well as on Saturdays from May to October.

 

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Hundreds of art pieces, from photography to jewelry, will be on display at Flathead Valley Community College as part of its spring student art show. The show kicks off on April 19 in the Arts and Technology Building with an open house featuring live art demonstrations by students and faculty.

Every semester the FVCC art department hosts a show displaying students' recent work and Art Director John Rawlings said the event is more than just a “show and tell.”

“A student show isn’t about getting stuff on the wall to impress mom. It’s an important part of the process,” he said in an interview last year.

The open house event on April 19 starts at 6:30 p.m. inside the Student Art Gallery and Art Department at the Arts and Technology Building. For more information about past shows and the art program at FVCC, check out this Beacon story from December.

 

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Click the image or use the arrows to see more photos from the 20 Grand show at the Bierstube at Whitefish Mountain Resort.

WHITEFISH – On any given night, depending on the mood and makeup of the crowd, the funk band 20 Grand might transition from Aretha Franklin to Rage Against the Machine, alternating from the soulful Kerri Joy singing lead to emcee E Rock grabbing the mic. Despite the diversity of the set list, the band’s nine members – to use an appropriate idiom – never miss a beat. And the crowd never, ever stops dancing.

 

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Friday the 13th may carry some negative connotations, but this year for the Flathead Food Bank and those who support it, the notorious day has less to do with luck and more to do with fun, fellowship and food.

The Flathead Food Bank will hold its 17th annual Soup Supper on Friday, April 13 at Northridge Lutheran Church in Kalispell. The evening’s festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. and tickets cost $25.

 

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Of all of my Mediterranean fish recipes, this one is my favorite. The combination of fresh Alaskan halibut and savory sauce produces phenomenal flavors. I hope sharing this recipe with you will inspire you to create this dish for your friends and family the next time you have them over for a special evening. You will leave them amazed and impressed.

 

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