OLLI Experience: Italian Sourdough Focaccia & Grissini: A Gentle Start to Fermentation for Beginners (Corbett Hall Kitchen)

Supplies: Participants should bring a 3–4 quart mixing bowl.

Join Chef Tetiana for a delightful sourdough journey that offers a relaxed and flavorful introduction to natural fermentation. In this hands-on workshop, participants will prepare Italian focaccia topped with olives, rosemary, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan, along with crisp handmade grissini. This workshop focuses on the foundations of sourdough bread preparation without the complexity of shaping. Participants will learn how fermentation works, how to use sourdough discard, and how simple ingredients transform over time into aromatic, nourishing, mouth-watering bread. Participants will receive a live starter, printed recipes, a fermentation guide, and a tools list, and will make focaccia dough to bake at home. The workshop also includes a tasting of freshly baked focaccia paired with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This workshop is a perfect starting point for building a delicious bread-making tradition at home. Friends and family—not to mention your palate—will be grateful you began your sourdough journey.

Tetiana Sherman is a professional chef from Ukraine who arrived in Colorado in June 2022. Formerly the owner of a successful culinary school in Kyiv, she brought her passion and expertise to Colorado, founding Culinary Discovery, where she teaches people to create simple, delicious, and nutritious meals in their own kitchens. Tetiana offers popular sourdough bread workshops and beer-pairing cooking classes that connect food, culture, and community. Her refugee story was featured on Colorado Public Radio, Voice of America, and The Coloradoan, and her traditional Ukrainian varenyky recipe appeared in Cocina Libre: Immigrant Resistance Refugees. An active member of Ukrainians of Colorado and a speaker with the Colorado Refugee Speakers Bureau, Tetiana also supports numerous fundraising initiatives for Ukraine. She lives in Timnath, Colorado, with her family.

Notes

• A current OLLI membership is required to register for all courses and lectures.
• If you do not have a Fall 2026 membership, one will be added to your cart at checkout.
• OLLI membership fees and course tuition are critical to the Institute's sustainability and are non-refundable.

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