Explore the culinary world and bring out the chef, cook or baker in you!

Dive in and indulge in the world of culinary. Take any of the 52 culinary classes offered by District 214 Community Education this fall and experience firsthand delicious aromas, exquisite flavors and mouth-watering dishes.

One of the many anticipated courses is called Baking with Herbs and Flowers (#1088). This one-day demo program on November 14, with Instructor Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh, will explore techniques for infusing herbs into baked goods like shortbread, quick breads, cookies and scones.

"This is my first time working with District 214. I am excited to bring my programs here, as I have been working for years with District 128 as well as local libraries, including the Arlington Heights Library, presenting on herbs and plants," Lautanen-Raleigh said. "I've been sharing and educating about herbs and their many uses since 1996, teaching at Morton Arboretum, Chicago Flower and Garden Show, and Garden Clubs and libraries all over northern Illinois."

Baking enthusiasts can also take Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake (#1620) and learn how to create a decadent chocolate-covered strawberry dessert that includes dipping strawberries in chocolate to top a mini cheesecake.

Discover other baking sessions such as Cupcake Bouquet (#1661) where students learn to make an edible cupcake bouquet. Students will pipe and decorate cupcakes to look like flowers. And, when all the fun is done students will take their finished masterpiece home!

Other new and worthy baking courses include:

• Kolaczki Cookies (#1348)

• Making Yeast Breads (#4014)

• Holiday Cookies (#1239)

• Perfect Cookie Exchange (#1640)

• The Versatile Brownie (#1035)

For savory dishes, sign up for classes such as Chicken and Rice Dinners (#1619) where students will learn to make Thai glazed chicken and honey lime chicken.

Looking to make a different chicken dinner? Take the Chicken Fajita Dinner with Dessert class (#1633) and learn how to make homemade marinade for chicken fajitas and delicious guacamole to go along with the dish. After the savory dish, students will prepare a cinnamon apple crisp dessert.

The fall weather sometimes calls for dishes to warm you up and keep you cozy at home. Take the Easy Homemade Soups class (#1642) to learn how to make hearty soups. This one-day class will cover: chicken noodle soup, mushroom barley soup and chunky Mexican soup with tortilla strips. Enough soup recipes to keep you warm on a cold day!

Also available is It's All About the Soups (#1636) where students will learn how to make butternut squash and white bean soup, Italian chicken and vegetable soup and turkey taco soup.

Community Education is also presenting a number of wine tasting courses for wine lovers and those new to wine.

Wine classes include Wine Overview ; Wine 101 (#1225) and Flavor & Aroma; Wine 102 (#1218). In Wine 101, students will learn about the different wine flavors and aromas. Students will also learn how to pair foods with specific wines. In Wine 102, students will focus their attention on tastes and aromas of wines. Students must be 21 and older to enroll.

New wine classes include:

• Wine and Chocolate (#1226)

• Pin the Country Flag on the Wine (#1643)

• Holiday Happy Hour (#1646)

• Champagne & Sparkling Wines (#1221)

• International Reds (#1237)

• French Wines and Cheeses (#1219)

• Just Say Beaujolais (#1642)

To register for the fall session, visit ce.d214.org or call District 214 Community Education at (847) 718-7700. Classes start Monday, Aug. 20.