cookery school

COOKING UP A
DELIGHTFUL ADVENTURE

After Lucy Cooks claimed they put the “oo” back into food, CAROLINE INNES ventured up to the picturesque Lake District to find out exactly what was cooking.

Take the stunning Lake District as a picture postcard backdrop, add a state-of-the art Cookery School and one entertaining top chef, sprinkle with a dash of like-minded food enthusiasts and you may just have the perfect recipe for a weekend away.

The whole ethos behind Lucy Cooks Cookery School is sociable eating and I was relieved to discover that those joining me on the Thrilling Three Courses course were just as sociable cooks.

Like me they weren’t there to show off their culinary expertise but to simply master a few dishes that they could then impress friends and family with. Most importantly they were just there to have fun.

Of the 20 people on my course, around half were knowledgeable home cooks and half – like me – were totally incompetent.

As we introduced ourselves over freshly baked scones it became clear that we were all quite nervous about what the day ahead would hold. Who would be the class dunce who burned their risotto or put their oven on 200 degrees Centigrade – when it should have been Fahrenheit? I had my suspicions that it would probably be me!

However just as I was about to make my escape from public humiliation – and possible food poisoning, I was quickly introduced to our chef for the day Nick Martin.

Unflappable chef Nick claimed that it was virtually impossible to mess up on a Lucy Cooks cookery course. And he should know – because believe me people try!

But the entertaining and ever patient Scouse chef had a suggestion to rescue any culinary disaster to ensure that every person on the course went home inspired and with a hamper of food fit for the finest dinner party.

I returned home after just one day’s tuition with poached pears and stilton in a red wine jus, salmon and pea risotto, the tastiest garlic and rosemary potatoes and wait for it – bread and butter pudding with apricots and home-made custard. Yes! Quite an accomplishment – especially as Nick was encouraging us to drink any left-over red wine from the starter. Well it would be rude not to I suppose and the man had worked with Keith Floyd!

The bright and airy school is located in a former bobbin mill in the pretty village of Staveley, near Kendal, and takes its name from Lucy Nicholson, who founded Lucy Cooks in 2006.

The mother-of-four is a firm believer that everybody can cook.

She certainly can.

We met the evening before at her Ambleside restaurant, Lucy’s On A Plate, where again her ethos of sociable eating remained central to everything she does.

Having relocated from the south some 20 years ago, she has built a mini food empire in the Lake District and is clearly well loved by locals and holiday makers alike. Such is Lucy’s attention to detail that the bistro menu is handwritten daily to encompass the day’s specialities and also the names of the day’s diners.

My fiancé and I took great delight knowing that the Smith’s were in that evening celebrating their silver wedding anniversary and the large party on the table opposite were the Harrison clan who were out for Grandma’s 73rd birthday.

It was also here at her lively bistro that I had the best cheesecake I have ever, ever tasted. Seriously Lucy’s baked white chocolate cheesecake was literally to die for. Like everything Lucy seemed to touch it was something really special.

Anywhere that is born out of a combined love of food and people has got to be a great place to visit and Lucy Cooks Cookery School is certainly no exception. It is an incredibly relaxed, warm and friendly atmosphere and that’s exactly the way Lucy wants it.

We had a wonderful weekend break but came away with so much more than memories – a folio of recipes, chef’s top tips, a hamper of our own creations and most of all a new found confidence in the kitchen.

Through Lucy’s love of people and food, a fabulous combination of Delicatessen, Cafe and Restaurant, Outside Catering, Wine Bar and Bistro and the Lucy Cooks Cookery School has organically grown.

This truly is a food lover’s paradise right in the heart of the beautiful English Lake District.

I would recommend a trip to any of Lucy’s establishments to anyone. Whether aged nine or 90 – novice or Nigella, I am sure you will find that the proof is really in the pudding.

Lucy has links with many local hotels and can recommend numerous places to stay to turn your cookery course in the Lakes to a weekend break.

We stayed at the beautiful Lindeth Howe hotel on the banks of Lake Windermere. It was here in 1911 that Beatrix Potter, the then owner, illustrated Timmy Tiptoes.

As well as encompassing a wealth of Lake District history, the hotel also houses a fine dining restaurant award – which has been awarded two AA rosettes - and has the most beautiful lakeside views.

Travel Facts
One-day courses at Lucy Cooks start at around £100.

More information about Lucy Cooks can be found at lucycooks.co.uk or call .

Caroline Innes stayed at Lindeth Howe hotel on the banks of Lake Windermere. For information please visit www.lindeth-howe.co.uk or call the hotel directly on . Prices start at £65 for a single room and £160 for a double.

Article published on Liverpool Echo website, 28th April 2009. To view the original, click here.