A Little Taste Of Heaven

I'm probably quite hard to buy presents for. Outside of work I don't have any particular hobbies, and to be honest not much time to pursue them even if I did.

So you can imagine how impressed and pleased I was when Frances thought outside the box, and arranged a weekend cookery course with the Ashburton Cookery School down in Devon.

Not only was it a really relaxing weekend get-away in the beautiful Devon countryside; but I learned a huge amount, had so much fun and spent most of the time eating something wonderful!

The course was called "Express Dinner Party".

On the Saturday we made:

• Lunch:
• Pan-fried Duck Breast, with Cranberry Sauce

• Canapés:
• Tapenade Palmiers
• Marinated Pork, Courgette and Baby Corn Kebabs
• Butternut Squash Veloute
• Herb Breaded Mussels

Breaded Mussels, Pork Kebabs and Tapenade Palmiers

• Main Course:
• Salmon Parcel, stuffed with Anchovies, Olives & Sundried Tomatoes
• Desert:
• Chocolate Mousse, with Orange Segments in Cointreau and Chocolate decorations

Chocolate Mousse with Frances's Amazing Decorations!

Then on Sunday:

• To Start:
• Skate, in Black Butter, with Capers and Parsley

• Middle Course:
• Pan-Fried Scallops, Aubergine Cavier, Quail's Egg

Scallops & Quail's Egg (I broke my egg - sadness!)

• Main Course:
• Fillet Steak, Griddled Baby Vegetables, Wasabi Mash and Grain Mustard Sauce

Action Shot: Griddling Veg

• Dessert:
• Plum Clafoutis
• Tuile Biscuits 

Frances got the hang of these. I attempted a bunny - it didn't end well ...

And the best part of all?

Someone else did all of the washing up! Bliss.

Fin.