click to enlarge Among the numerous ways the pandemic has shaken Americans is food insecurity, which has skyrocketed nationwide alongside record unemployment. With nearly one in eight households lacking sufficient food in the pandemic economy, food pantries are experiencing unprecedented demands in their communities, and the Hudson Valley is no exception. A fundraiser to combat hunger in the Hudson Valley, “Cooking for a Cause” is a five-part virtual cooking instruction series featuring top chefs from the Hudson Valley. The classes, which started on January 12, will take place on Zoom at 6pm every Tuesday during January and February. Each class will feature a different local celebrity chef teaching home cooks how to prepare one of their signature dishes. Tickets, which can be purchased for any of the classes, are $50 each, with 100 percent of net proceeds going to the chef’s chosen food security nonprofit. Once you register online, you will receive a shopping list of the ingredients needed for the class.