Gourmet Cuisine in France

Day One

• Arrive at the cooking school on your own.
• Around 5:00 p.m. there will be an introduction to the program and a discussion of the aims and structure of the course.
• Following the introduction, Champagne is served, followed by a six-course gourmet dinner.
• Sample menu:
  • Spinach and cream cheese roulade with a gazpachio dressing
  • Caramelised scallops with a cauliflower purée scented with truffle oil
  • Sorbet
  • Pan-fried breast of duck with stir-fried vegetables and an oriental sauce
  • Passion-fruit and orange bavois with orange crisps and a passion-fruit sauce
  • Selection of cheese and biscuits
  • Coffee and truffles
• Overnight.

Day Two

• Breakfast in the morning. Every day, you will be presented with croissants and breads, preserves, cereals, juices, yogurt and coffee or tea.
• Your first day in the kitchen will start with a welcome and an exploration of the kitchen and the equipment. The class will include:
  • Hands-on: Basic knife skills; care of knives, safety, sharpening, chopping and slicing onions, brunoise of carrot, julien of leek.
  • Demonstration: Leek and potato soup, cheese croutons.
  • Hands-on: Seasoning techniques
  • Hands-on: Bread making; plain, sun-dried tomato and parmesan, basil and olive oil, onion and cumin.
  • Hands-on: Chicken butchery.
• Lunch will follow your cooking class: Leek and potato soup, cheese, pickles, salads, home-made bread, and olives.
• After lunch, return to the kitchen for:
  • Demonstration: Chicken stock, veal glace, red wine and shallot sauce.
  • Demonstration: Preparation of salmon, Gravadlax of salmon.
  • Hands-on: Filleting trout and prepping mussels.
  • Demonstration: Seafood chowder, fish stock, home-smoked trout, and crab bisque sauce.
• Aperitifs to follow.
• Tonight’s dinner menu: Seafood Chowder, roasted quail with wild mushroom puree, sorbet, seared fillet of salmon served with sauteed king prawns and a crab bisque vinaigrette, iced banana parfait, cheese and biscuits, and coffee and truffles.
• Overnight.

Day Three

• Breakfast followed by your next lesson, which will consist of:
  • Demonstration: Pasta dough, salmon, egg and herb terrine, chicken mousse, and rich sweet pastry.
  • Hands-on: Tortellini, ravioli filled with chicken & foie gras mousse, and tagliatelle.
  • Menu explanation: chicken & foie gras tortellini with a truffle foam, Caesar salad, sorbet, medley of chicken with cranberry & celeriac (sous vide), glazed lemon tart with iced lime parfait served in a honey wafer basket, selection of cheese and biscuits, coffee and truffles.
  • Hands-on menu for group 1: chicken dish, Caesar salad.
  • Hands-on menu for group 2: sorbet plates, lemon tart, iced lime parfait, honey wafer baskets, lemon zest.
• Today’s lunch menu: Tagliatelli with a bacon, tomato and onion sauce, fresh bread and salad, followed by cheese and biscuits.
• After lunch, depart for an excursion (can vary according to availability) to an 19th century windmill, producing buckwheat flour in the traditional method, or a local cider farm with tasting.
• Return to Walnut Grove for aperitifs and to finish dinner prep, followed by dinner.
• Overnight.

Day Four

• Breakfast.
• Today’s class will consist of:
  • Demonstration and hands-on: ice-creams (caramelised banana and cinnamon), sugar work, chocolate piping, honey wafer baskets plus tuille work.
  • Tea and home-made biscuits.
  • Possible menu: Duo of smoked salmon and guacamole with a chilli and lime dressing, chicken liver parfait served with a sweet and sour sauce, sorbet, spiced monkfish served with crushed new potatoes, spinach and a mussel cream sauce, Rum and honey bread and butter pudding with cinnamon ice cream, cheese and biscuits, coffee and petit-fours.
  • Hands-on menu prep: smoked salmon, guacamole, chilli dressing, bread and butter pudding, tuile work, orange zest, sugar work, cinnamon ice cream, gin and tonic sorbet OR: chicken liver parfait, sweet and sour sauce, monk-fish dish, deep-fried veg.
• Lunch to follow your cooking class. Today’s lunch menu: cold meats, salads, homemade bread and pickles followed by ice creams.
• In the afternoon, a French patissier will lead a class in croissants and macarons.
• Return to the property for aperitifs and to finish dinner prep, with dinner to follow and overnight.

Day Five

• Breakfast followed by your last cooking class, which will consist of:
  • Possible menu: Crispy duck and vegetable spring rolls with a sweet chilli sauce, Gravalax of salmon with a prawn and cucumber dressing, sorbet, filet of beef with a fresh rocquette pesto and confit garlic, coffee and baileys cheesecake with chocolate and earl grey tea ice cream, selection of cheeses, coffee and petit fours.
  • Hands-on prep: spring roll starter, main course, or Gravalax dish, pudding, sorbet and petit-fours.
• Lunch: Barbeque.
• After lunch, time at leisure for croquet, boules and general relaxing.
• Return to the kitchen to finish the final touches of dinner.
• Aperitifs, followed by dinner.
• Overnight.

Day Six

• Breakfast followed by departure before midday.
• Au revoir!