ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE INDULGENCE
Lauren Molyneux visits Northcote and attends a chocolate masterclass like no other! Photography: Allen Markey
Northcote’s Cookery School is regarded as one of the best in the UK. With a variety of inspirational cookery courses on offer, a day in class is guaranteed to improve your culinary skills, whether you’re new to the kitchen or already passionate about cooking.
When considering my experience as a student in Northcote’s Ultimate Chocolate Indulgence Masterclass, ‘indulgence’ is definitely the word to focus on!
Upon arriving at the impressive Northcote I crossed the threshold to receive a wonderfully warm welcome from the maître d, before being invited to enjoy a light breakfast and meet my fellow classmates in the beautiful surroundings of Northcote’s dining room. Head tutor Bruno Birkbeck then offered his hearty hello, before providing a comprehensive tour of Northcote’s main kitchen, where we watched the chefs cook breakfasts for guests and make preparations for a busy lunch service.
The day began with an introduction to chocolate by junior tutor Emma Lawson, who shared with us her vast patisserie knowledge, covering every stage of chocolate production from growing and harvesting cocoa beans to producing the final product. The tasting commenced early, as varying types of chocolate were passed around the group and we were invited to examine the differing textures and flavours.
After a morning of learning the theories of cooking with chocolate, we each took our places at one of the cook stations in the stylish, state-of-the-art demo kitchen and set to work on our recipes. One of the best things about the Northcote lessons is the atmosphere – you may be able to watch the high-pressured Michelin-star kitchen in action through the glass front of the school, but there is no pressure to perform in class. With everyone eager to learn and enjoy their day, we all helped each other when required and laughed along the way.
Our day was peppered with tastings, baking, cooking, enjoying the refreshments provided including morning and afternoon tea, and eating a lot of chocolate! We were also treated to a two-course lunch with accompanying wine – my plaice was cooked to perfection and full of flavour, and the cheese platter was mouth wateringly tasty and varied.
The time spent in the classroom was informative and eye-opening, with Emma highlighting the versatility of chocolate as a product and ingredient as she briefed us on its many different uses and the varieties available. We were also given the opportunity to experiment with flavour combinations. Going ‘off-menu’, we topped our ‘Chocolate Bomb’ creations with savoury smoked almonds – and the contrasting flavours worked a treat!
Northcote’s Cookery School provides a unique and intimate learning experience with the professionals and enables visitors to learn new culinary skills as well as developing existing ones. In class you can expect to receive expert knowledge and industry insight whilst enjoying first class food and drink throughout the day.
The quality of the ingredients used to cook with was of an equally high standard, and we were sent home with some ingredients, as well as the creations we had made throughout the day, leaving my fridge filled with a glorious amount of goodies! My dark chocolate pralines and ultimate chocolate cake in particular were noted for being delicious.
Cookery courses at Northcote are wonderful to experience and are a perfect gift to treat a friend or enjoy with a loved one. The tutors provide valuable lessons that could not be gained anywhere else and are enthusiastic, succeeding in getting students even more excited about cooking with inspirational recipes and top culinary tips.
Now considering myself a dessert expert, my friends and family can expect a box of homemade pralines for Christmas this year!
Northcote
Northcote Road, Langho
Blackburn BB6 8BE
01254 240555
cookeryschool@northcote.com
www.northcote.com
