Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of stories about local woman pushing the envelope of home cooking.

Blandine Brutel has opened The French Kitchen, and those who have taken her classes are saying “C’est très bon!”

Brutel, who grew up in Lyon, France, is not new to the culinary scene here. She started Chez Blandine in 2009 and gave cooking classes in people’s homes. The success of this business led her to open a crepe café Wholly Crepes, in the Citadel Mall in 2010. Unfortunately, the little shop didn’t survive the economic downturn.

Brutel took a break from cooking professionally to concentrate on raising her three young children. But she couldn’t stay away from her passion of teaching cooking for long.

In May she launched The French Kitchen in her home. There she teaches French home cooking for busy moms from her own home. The focus is on easy, fast and delicious foods for the family. The small classes, which are limited to six students, are hands-on workshops, some of which are taught in French if you wish. And she even offers babysitting upon request.

One of her most popular sessions is the one-hour baguette class, which costs $25. Yes, that’s right: You make baguettes and take home hot bread as well as dough to make another batch — all in 60 minutes. That’s because, as a busy mom, Brutel knows how to get organized. She has also done some of the work for you. When you arrive, each of the six work stations has a bowl of dough that has risen and is ready to be shaped into baguettes. While those bake, students mix up another batch of dough that they take home to let rise and then bake.

“I love fresh hot baguettes,” Brutel said. “The only place I found baguettes that I liked was at Marigold’s (Restaurant and Bakery). I decided I’d learn how to make them and found out it was really easy. I can fresh bread everyday. And this recipe makes a bread that can be frozen. I love being able to show moms how easy it is to make your own bread.”

And students who experienced home cooks enjoy learning more culinary tricks from Brutel.

“Over the years, I have had some successes (making bread) but have never been able to master the wonderful crusts that most baguettes have,” said Lisa F. Shaw. “Now, I think I can have better results in this area. I appreciate the fact that Blandine was so organized, and that the class was just one hour.”

The classes are even accessible for beginners.

“It was my first cooking class ever,” said Valerie Beck. “My family and I have eaten the bread that we made almost every day in the last week. I’m set to make some more.”

Christine Hall, another breadmaker from Brutel’s class, appreciated how “wonderfully authentic” Blandine is, right down to her “delightful French accent.”

“I thought she was very organized and helped each of us with our own hands-on experience,” Hall said. “It was a thrill to see the end product in just an hour’s time — and more importantly, exciting to taste the yummy baguette. I have already recommended the class to several friends.”