To do this week: Learn how to cook

From luscious French cookies to vegan cheese, the cooking classes at Whole Foods focus on a range of foods.

The Salud cooking school at the Fresno store just released its list of August classes and there’s still a few left in July. Most classes are health oriented and often focus on recipes for people with dietary restrictions, such as gluten allergies, low sugar or raw food.

But there’s indulgent ones too, hence the class awhile back about the colorful macaron meringue sandwich cookie with a creamy filling.

The classes range in price from $20 to $35 and are held in a kitchen classroom tucked behind the store’s bakery. Classes are listed in the online events calendar and students can register for them at www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/fresno.

Chef Hillori Hansen oversees the classes and teaches many of them. She also brings in outside chefs and teachers.

Classes usually vary, but there are regularly recurring ones: A wellness herbal hour each month and a sushi class every other month. And the kitchen just got its liquor license, so expect to see more classes involving adult beverages coming up soon.

Here’s what’s up next:

• Summer berry cooking, 4-6 p.m., Saturday, July 25. $30.
• “Tomas,” traditional healing drinks of Mexico, 6-7:30 p.m., Monday, July 27. $15.
• Vegan cheese, 6-8 p.m., Thursday, July 30. $20.
• Let’s do lunch! featuring seasonal fruit and vegetables, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 5. $20.
• Aroma-wellness infusion of vegetarian worldly cuisine, 6-8 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 6. $30.
• Drink to your health: Fizzy fermented beverages, 6-8 p.m., Wednesday Aug. 19. $20.

This story was originally published July 23, 2015 at 9:00 AM with the headline "To do this week: Learn how to cook."