Give a guy a fish, and he'll eat for a day; teach a guy to make perfect sushi rolls, and he'll be the culinary king of the cul de sac. Today's Groupon can save you from embarrassing Thanksgivings, disastrous dinners with in-laws, and foolhardy tamale-making face-offs. For $39, you get your pick of one cooking class from a diverse array of offerings at Tspoons (basic classes are $69 to $79). Classes take place throughout the week and over weekends. All the necessary equipment is provided, and at the end of class, you sit down with all your new spatula-wielding friends to show your work, then eat it—just like in algebra.

Tspoons' cooking classes cover a wide range of topics both commonplace and arcane. All About Desserts is dedicated to satiating sweet teeth with treats like lemon mousse and cappuccino panna cotta. Mastering Chinese Cuisine, on the other hand, translates technique into taste with classic Chinese dishes like Mongolian beef, kung pao chicken, and vegetable chow mein.

After a course at Tspoons, accomplished chefs will inch closer to pro status, while those who've chopped more fingers than potatoes will have their clumsiness exorcised thanks to patient instruction from Tspoons' enlightened gurus of all things edible. They'll help you figure out why your soufflé always falls (hint: it doesn't hate you) and impart the basics of braising and roasting and the dark arts of broasting. Confront the power of bechamel alone with today's Groupon to Tspoons, or buy another and bring a friend who may become more than a friend once the smell of rosemary scents the air and your hands casually brush while reaching for the paring knife…and linger for a breath too long.

Reviews

The Orange County Register and the Ladera Times recommend Tspoons. Yelpers give Tspoons five stars:

• The sizzle of the pans and the aroma from the ovens were incredible and it wasn’t hard to truly enjoy oneself in the beautifully appointed working kitchen and expert help all around!..."T" has succeeded in creating an intimate setting in which one can enjoy a culinary experience while making new friends. Cheers to Tspoons! – Christina Supe, Ladera Times
• After much hard work - but mostly laughter and talking - it was time to taste our delicious creations. Chef Averill had proved to us that despite complicated names and iron-chef looking results, making a three-course French dinner doesn't have to take more than 1 hour and can be done by amateurs like myself. – Marie Ekberg Padilla, Orange County Register