Country
Cookery School
Here at the Lodge, food
is a very important part of our daily life. We eat well. We eat
fresh local food that is mainly grown or reared on our own or surrounding
farms. We use traditional country recipes, with many wild herbs
and funghi gathered from the surrounding forest as well as the generous
harvests from our own organic kitchen gardens which draw their waters
from a well dating back to the Moorish occupation.
Our country cooking school is principally about having fun. We offer
an insight into the almost forgotten art of cooking in brick built
wood ovens and ranges. Our kitchens date back many centuries. Our
workshop leader, Frances, who was head chef for more than 20 years
at the Quinta da Horta, often-televised for Channel 4’s “The
Good Life in Portugal” series and previously of the Michelin
rated Beeton Track restaurant Portsmouth, UK.
You may join a one day workshop at the school or combine your Country
Cookery Course with a riding, carriage driving or wild life trail
walking holiday. There are examples of combined holidays on our
web site but we are more than happy to arrange a holiday especially
for you. For more details click here.
After a relaxed start with coffee and nibbles you will be kitted
out with your own “Country Cooking” apron and then perhaps
it’s off to one of the local fish markets or tiny quays to
select the best of the days catch.
Can’t
stay too long as its back to the Lodge, where hopefully the oven
has reached optimum temperature. The well-kneaded dough will have
risen and you will soon be proudly lifting perfect breads to the
table. Next it is time to practice your skills on a brushwood grill
and use some of the endless selection of fresh herbs you may select
along with salads that have that special flavor that seems to disappear
within an hour of picking.
When ever possible we try to arrange our rides and country cooking
workshops to finish about the same time and then we can all sit
down together and enjoy the fruits of our labors together with a
glass or two of an excellent local vintage.
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The
horses and their helpers