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!