I was extremely lucky to be given the chance to experience first-hand the new Cookery
School at Northcote, the Michelin starred restaurant with rooms located in the heart of the Ribble Valley.
The Cookery School is nestled in the midst of the renowned Northcote kitchens. As the automatic glass doors slide open it’s a bit like stepping into another world, as you enter the calm of this beautifully designed and compact space and the hustle and bustle of the ‘real’ kitchen continues outside. The school is intimate and cleverly set out and we were encouraged to explore all of the cupboards and drawers - home to every imaginable kitchen gadget I could ever need and more! The oven doors were a particular favourite of mine you simply press a button and the door slides up and back!
The course I attended was entitled “Northcote at Home” and focused on preparing a menu of dinner party dishes, created for those who love to entertain at home and are looking to be more adventurous. The cookery school accommodates up to eight cooks and is led by Head Tutor, Michael Vanheste (previously of the famous Betty’s Cookery School in Harrogate).
Our small group of enthusiastic cooks was greeted by Michael who outlined the schedule for the day and he soon gets us to work on our first recipe of the day – Lime and Ginger Marshmallow. As the gelatine set to work on our mixtures, we then moved onto the Treacle Salmon which would be served with the Lime and Ginger Marshmallow, Pickled Ginger and Coriander. Once the vegetables and herbs were chopped and mixed and the salmon salted, we began to prepare the treacle marinade; the recipe pays homage to local forklore and tales of the treacle eating boggarts who, once upon a time, lived in the treacle mines tucked away in the nearby village of Sabden, at the foot of Pendle Hill.
With our salmon completed, we sat back for a demonstration of how to make black pea hummus, another recipe inspired by the local produce and customs of Lancashire - black peas are traditionally served around Bonfire night! Having worked up a bit of an appetite, the resulting dip is eagerly tasted and doesn’t fail to impress with its subtle flavours that complement the delicious homemade Northcote cheese crackers perfectly.
Before we relaxed too much, we were back on our feet to prepare the lamb which would be wrapped in butter puff pastry and served with a minted mushroom stuffing, honey and penny royale sauce and scorched leeks. A huge sigh of relief rippled through the kitchen when we realised that we wouldn’t actually have to make our own rough puff pastry and we were given a pre-prepared sheet. The lattice cut pastry case looked very impressive as we set off to lunch feeling pretty satisfied with ourselves.
The afternoon focused on apple crumble soufflé, with everyone keen to make sure that theirs didn’t flop! Thanks to Michael’s expert tuition and top tips, my soufflé rose serenely like a hot air balloon.
The day ended with a demonstration of presentation ideas for serving each of the different recipes and then we packed up our tasty treats to take home and impress the family.
Michael was warm, friendly and full of enthusiasm and gave us all an enjoyable day to remember; the perfect mixture of indulgence, demonstration and practical sessions.
I can highly recommend Northcote Cookery School, from the moment you arrive the hospitality and service is second to none. The day was great fun and I went home with lots of new ideas and best of all – no washing up with thanks to the lovely assistant Lucas...think we all agreed it would be great to take him home with us!! As someone who loves to bake I’m keen to know about the courses ‘Let's Bake! (cakes and biscuits); Gourmet Dough and Discovering Patisserie!’
For future courses visit www.northcote.com/cookery-school/cookery-course-calendar
Justina Ma
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