Peak District Cottages

Since Hartingtons opened for business our cookery school has been attracting visitors from across the country. Many people love the idea of not only doing an inspirational cookery course but also spending a few days in the fabulous Peak District (who can blame them?).

A number of our students have asked us about places to stay in the Peak District. Well if you are looking at stopping in the Peaks for a few days we can recommend that you have a look at Peak Cottages for their impressive selection of holiday accommodation right across the Peak District.

An inspirational cookery course in the picturesque market town of Bakewell combined with a stay in stunning countryside. What could be better?

Hartingtons Food Experience

Flippin eck......It's not long to Pancake Day!

To celebrate Shrove Tuesday on 21st February Hartingtons will be holding a pancake masterclass under the expert guidance of chef Frank Boddy.

The course will not only show you how to make traditional pancakes and toss them correctly......but you will also learn how to make canape size blinis, flambe crepes suzette, perfect American style pancakes and also make a delicious savoury pancake supper dish.

The event promises to be a great deal of fun....and at the end of the day you will have a selection of your own pancake creations to take home and enjoy on Shrove Tuesday!
Flippin marvellous!

Hartingtons - Food Experience

Hartingtons gets baking!

Yesterday was the first full day baking course at our new cookery school in Bakewell.

Eleven eager would be artisan bread bakers turned up to our converted saw mill in a sun bathed Bakewell full of anticipation and excitement on what a day of artisan baking with local food hero and master baker Andrew Auld might hold.

The day started in a very civilised & relaxed way at 9.30 with chat and merriment over coffee and croissants. Andrew then explained his baking journey from boyhood fascination to now being the owner and master baker of the Loaf in Crich. Then it was very quickly time for our students to get their sleeves rolled up and for them to get baking.

The baking began with the students mixing their white or wholemeal dough and it was non stop until the end of the day when they left with a bag full of their home baked bread. During the day the students baked an artisan white/wholemeal loaf, focaccia and something for those with a sweet tooth: chelsea buns, fruit loaf, apple or cinnamon rolls or fruit buns.

All in all a fantastic days bread baking in Bakewell. The second of Andrew's bread baking course in Bakewell is already sold out but we have just put on an additional bread course on the 29th of March and for those that want to take their artisan bread making skills to another level we have just added a sourdough bread making course on the 3rd of May.

Baking in Bakewell - They are just made to go together!

Hartingtons Food Experience

Sourdough bread making course

The popularity of artisan bread making cannot be denied. One of the most resurgent areas of bread making that has come about is that of sourdough. You can tell sourdough by the irregularity and relatively large size of the air pockets within the crumb of the loaf (see image ).

What is sourdough?

Sourdough bread making uses a naturally occurring combination of bacteria and yeast which was first used as far back as ancient Egyptian times to leaven bread (make it rise). It was used exclusively until the middle ages but now has been replaced largely by cultured or 'bakers' yeast. Sourdough is particularly important in Rye bread making because rye does not contain enough gluten to make leavening with cultured yeast rise effectively.

The popularity of sourdough

Sourdough bread has become more available in recent years with the increasing popularity of artisan bread producers who champion the cause of real bread production and a return to more traditional styles of bread making.

Taste wise it has a more sour or tangy taste than cultured bread. I love it and it makes particularly brilliant toast.

Hartingtons is pleased to announce that we have the Peak Districts finest artisan baker Andrew Auld from the Loaf in Crich taking a full days course in the art of sourdough baking on 3rd May.

So if you want to learn how to make this truly traditional artisan style of bread come along for a full days bread making course in Bakewell and learn something new in 2012.

Hartingtons - Food Experience

Are you a fan of Italian bread?

If you are a fan of Italian Bread but have never got round to having a go at making it yourself then we have just the cookery course for you!!

Join us on Stage 1 of our World Bread Tour when the featured country is Italy. We suspect you all enjoy a bit of a lie in on Sunday morning.....so we've arranged a late start especially for you.

Join us at 11.00 a.m. and learn the techniques behind baking your own ciabatta, focaccia and pizza bases. You will be guided along by chef David Neville who is really passionate about home made bread and at one stage in his career was lucky enough to be taught by an artisan baker specialising in slow fermented breads of Northern Italy.

In addition to your bread making David will also show you how to make a typical Italian soup to have at lunchtime. There will be a further bread making session in the afternoon and all the fresh bread you make on the day will be yours to take home and enjoy.

Finishing around 3.00 p.m. the more energetic amongst you can rest assured that there will still be time to do all your usual Sunday chores...... like washing the car, cutting the lawn and taking Fido for a walk!

Two dates are available for Stage 1 of the World Bread Tour. If you fancy hopping on the "tour bus" we get underway on 12th February and again on 11th March. Both dates are proving popular so if you are interested be sure to book soon!

Ciao for now!

Artisan Bread Course - additional dates

We have been bowled over by the popularity of our introduction to artisan bread making courses. The first two dates have already sold out. But don't fear.......we have just put an additional artisan bread making course on at the end of March. Places are selling fast so don't hesitate too long if you are interested.

Hartingtons is a member of the Real Bread Campaign and we are committed to teaching people how to make better tasting and healthier bread. We are also aiming to put on a sourdough bread making course at the beginning of May so watch this space. In the next few weeks we will be revealing future bread making courses. If you like Italian breads such as Focaccia and Ciabatta why not join our Bread Making World Tour and try one of our Sunday bread making classes.

So why not save some dough in 2012 by learning how to make your own bread and have a great time into the bargain!

First cookery courses - fantastic success!

Hartingtons first ever cookery courses held in our converted saw mill in Bakewell were a fantastic success if the size of the grins from the students were anything to go by.

Our first ever cookery course was a half day introduction to Cooking with Indian Spices. During the morning chef Frank Boddy tutored students on how to prepare a lamb rogan josh all from original herbs and spices (no pastes here). It was fantastic...and I'm not just saying that. The depth of flavours knocked spots off the rather homogenised curries that you get even from your favourite curry house (most of them buy in standard base sauces). All the students made their own Peshwari Naans again from raw materials and they all commented on the delicious pineapple chutney which went with their own spicy cauliflower fritters.

The following days cookery was a cookery course of World Flavours in One Pot. An eclectic mix of 6 dishes ranging from a sausage and lentil stew to a sweet potato curry. My particular favourite was the bread and butter pudding. Certainly not like anything my mother used to make! (sorry Mum).

Our first two cookery courses were a great deal of fun and hard work for all involved. It was a great learning experience for us in the cookery school and for the students. We are already looking forward to next week's sold out Introduction to artisan bread making course when 12 new students under the tutorship of Master Baker Andrew Auld look to acquire the basic skills of artisan bread making.

Are you looking at doing something different this year? Check out our latest list of cookery courses and be inspired in 2012!

Artisan chocolate making course

Do you love chocolate as much as me?

Find out all about our new chocolate making course with Master Chocolatier Barry Colenso.

Barry was Master Chocolatier at world renowned chocolate maker Thorntons for over 20 years.
These days Barry concentrates on creating his own artisan chocolates and passing on the love of chocolate making to a whole new generation of chocolate makers.

This is the perfect chocolate course for all chocolate lovers to find out more about the food that is chocolate and learn the skills to make their own artisan chocolates at home.

Hartingtons - Food Experience

"Just Canapes"

Are you looking to entertain this year?

There can be nothing better than 'kicking off' the show with some cultured canapes. Canapes are guaranteed to get your digestive juices going. They are a a great way of showing off your culinary creativity without filling your guests in the way tapas do.

Under the expert tuition of Frank Boddy our new cookery course 'Just Canapes' will show you how to create some exciting canapes to delight and impress your guests.

Examples of the type of mouth watering ensemble you will be shown how to create include:

smoked salmon blinis with quails egg
seared beef with red onion marmalade and roasted peppers on crostini
empanadillas (mini pastries)
courgette candles
seared tuna with sesame seeds, wasabi, cucumber and radish
crab cakes
hot cheese puffs
puff pastry squares with tomato and goats cheese
teriyaki beef in lettuce cups
prosciutto, pear and rocket rolls

Fancy it? Just book online. They are 'Just Canapes' but more importantly they taste simply delicious.

To find out more about this half day cookery course have a look at the website.

Pork Pie Course Launches

Pork pies are a bit like Marmite. You either love them or hate them.

I was pretty much a hater until I tasted Liberty Foods pork pies at one of our food fairs. I was immediately struck by how light the pastry was and how meaty the filling tasted.

If pies could be made to taste this good.....not at all like the mass produced, blended, over processed ones sealed in a sarcophagus of endless pastry........ then I wanted to know more.

The artisan producer of these genius creations is Simon Barnes. Simon will be revealing his pork pie making secrets in this half day artisan pork pie making course exclusively at Hartingtons. You too can now find out out how to make the unique hot water crust pastry together with which cuts of meat are combined to produce the ultimate meat filling for his pork pies. Simon will not only show you how to make the Great British traditional pork pie but also how to customise the classic so that you will be able to go home and experiment with your own unique flavours.

Become an artisan pork pie maker in less than a day and see why I was transformed from a hater to a lover of the pork pie.

Cookery courses - be inspired in 2012

New Year Resolutions.........

Well first of all.............a Happy New Year to all and our very best wishes for 2012.

So what are your New Year Resolutions? Join the gym? See more of family and friends? cut down on the alcohol?.......all the usual suspects!!

Well this year why not learn a new skill? How about something both educational and fun?

Here at Hartingtons we have a fantastic range of artisan cookery courses designed to inspire you to roll your sleeves up and give it a go!

Learn to bake bread with a local artisan breadmaker, join us on our very popular artisan beer making course, perfect your own truffles with a renowned chocolatier, spend a Sunday learning how to make sushi or even learn how to make your own artisan pork pies!!

Stuck in a rut? Looking for a challenge?..............then check out our cookery courses and be inspired in 2012!