Valentine's Cooking Lesson

When I was working in the City, we used to take our female clients for Valentine's day treats, get their makeup and hair done. But the men complained there was nothing for them! (Although honestly, truly, we did get one guy come and have his nails done at the salon). So I put on my thinking cap and came up with a brilliant plan, if I say so myself. It was probably my most popular corporate entertainment ever, and I ran this for many years. Now you guys get to have a go.

Not being sexist or anything (and I am not limiting this cooking lesson to men only!), but IN GENERAL, men don't usually cook a lot at home, and are also expected to foot the expensive bill for Valentine's night. So what we did was teach them to cook a meal for their other halves, that they could do for Valentine's night, gaining brownie points AND saving money! What a winner. But - there was a special twist. You will do most of the prep and learning the night before - and take back your half finished meal, with clear instructions how to finish it off at home on Valentine's night and impress your partner!! I challenge you to screw it up. And what else do you have to do on a Monday night?

This is the very international menu that I have devised, in the true style of Parkholme Supper Club. You will do some of it on your own, and some will be a collaborative effort. What I can say is that some of it will challenge and it will all be a lot of fun.

Vietnamese Summer Rolls with prawns

- We will provide all the authentic herbs and you will make them on the night, wrap them in cling film, make the dip and it will be all ready to serve the next night. The rice paper wrapping is quite a challenge, the better you are the better they will look! ;-D but they will always taste delicious.

Italian Baked Fish

We will prepare the parcels ready to go straight into the oven for your Valentine

Steamed New Potatoes

These are great for mopping up the delicious sauce of the fish

Beet and kidney bean salad

this is a delicious adaptation of a Georgian salad, you will make it and take it home all made, and it will look really colourful and pretty on the plate

Apple Strudel Grandma Klar

This is the real Austrian McCoy. You will, as a group, make your very own filo pastry, and make a couple of giant-sized strudels. We'll bake them and cut a couple of portions each for you to take home, to eat hot or cold on the night. It's tremendous fun and extremely messy!

You will leave with the makings of a full meal for 2 people, including 2 fresh fish, in a little bag ready to be hidden in the fridge, and clear instructions (plus the recipes so you can do it again). The cost of the lesson will be £75 (the bulk of which will go to MSF), which is a bargain for a 3-course dinner for 2 on Valentines night, and a cooking lesson thrown in! Not to mention Brownie points if you never normally cook. Cooking time on the night will be just around 30 mins once the oven's hot (not much to do really, but truly you did make it yourself, you will have the beetroot stained fingers to prove it). It will all look so effortless in fact that you might need to cook more often.

This lesson will have to be strictly limited to 8 people so please do book asap.

Start time will be at 6.30 on the 13th Feb and there will be some food provided whilst cooking so you won't starve.

Please mail us with bookings on parkholmesupperclub@hotmail.co.uk