As another year comes to end, and what a great year it was here at the Gascony Cookery School, it’s time to really indulge in what most of us love, and that’s food and drink. When you constantly work with food and those that love to cook and indulge perhaps more than some, it’s very […]
Carrelet au Velouté de Poisson – Plaice with Fish Velouté As the winter months are upon us we thought we’d share one of our popular fish dishes. Simple and tasty, we know you will enjoy this hearty meal. Ingredients: 1 Whole plaice (fillets removed) 120g Onions (chopped) 2 Shallots (chopped) 1 Small leek (chopped) Trimmings and bones from fish […]
Lemons are so versatile. Packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre and other health-promoting nutrients, lemons are available throughout the year but summer is their peak season. Eat them in slices, drink lemon juice water, make fresh lemonade, garnish food particularly fish, caramelise their peels, and use their juice and peels in cooking. All this, and […]
The Gascony Cookery School is in full swing, with another Foundation Cookery Course 1 being successfully completed last week. There was a distinctly Celtic ambiance with students from Northern Ireland and Scotland creating some wonderful dishes, including ballotine of chicken. Although this term usually refers to a boned and stuffed chicken thigh, at the Gascony […]
Cooking can be experimental sometimes, particularly if you are able to make dishes without using a recipe or measuring every ingredient out. Adding this or that in different quantities can have a dramatic effect on the taste, look or even the consistency of any dish you’re preparing. Some of us are afraid to use herbs […]
As children, it’s common to dislike some foods even without trying them – it may be its smell, appearance or consistency that just simply puts you off. Once tried it’s often the texture or taste that can totally ruin any chance of it appearing on your plate again any time soon! Plus, taste can also […]
If you love cooking and are interested in finding out more about different culinary techniques then the Larousse Gastronomique is the book for you. It’s most definitely one of the world’s largest classic culinary reference books available from bookstores, practically the ‘Holy Grail’ of cookery books. In fact, just in the UK alone it has […]
You can tell it’s going to be Valentine’s Day soon! To be honest you can’t really miss it can you?! Virtually every shop is splashed in red Valentine marketing including everything from hearts to roses. It’s become such a commercial affair but it’s still a great time to tell those closest to us how much […]
As we hurtle towards the end of January, the short chilly days and long dark nights seem to have been with us for months. So, with only a few weeks until we can look forward to longer days and more temperate weather, it’s likely we’re all still looking for some hearty and warming recipes to […]
It seems that every country around the globe celebrates the festive Christmas period a little differently to each other. The French are no exception and so have their own Christmas traditions to enjoy. Here are some of them: In some regions such as Flanders and Alsace, gifts are given to children on December 6th, the […]
Getting to grips with good manners and etiquette away from home can be challenging. It’s probably a good idea to inform yourself of the niceties before you get there rather than offend anyone, especially your host! Mealtime Etiquette Don’t start to eat until the host says, “Bon appetit!” When you’ve finished lay the knife and […]
All over the world different countries, cultures and religions use food as a symbol of their beliefs, values and traditions. Shaped by geography and historical events, France today has many regions each with their own cultural and religious observances, language and accents. However, like many countries, France also has several celebration days on the calendar […]
It’s a well known fact that Frog’s legs and snails are a French delicacy and have been for centuries. Well, they remain on the menu today but go hand in hand with some other gloriously delicious dishes too. It’s almost a rite of passage when visiting France to at least try ‘escargot’ or snails. To […]
Many of us are lucky enough to have visited France and enjoyed freshly baked bread or croissants still warm from the Boulangerie oven. This tradition is now fast becoming popular around the world as we find them available in cafes, restaurants and shops almost anywhere and at any time. Croissants are most probably the most […]
Many of us like a sweet indulgence now and again and often find ourselves propelled towards a café for a cuppa and a decadent cake or pastry whilst shopping or just simply for a treat. In the UK we have an abundance of cafes and bakeries to choose from however, Pâtisseries are fast becoming a […]
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