As the UK pays homage to ‘Great British Food Fortnight’ and all those culinary delights to be found in your own back yard, farmlands or allotments, our neighbours in the USA are also celebrating National Cooking Day on 25th of this month.
Much loved TV Chef, Jamie Oliver is also in search of the secrets of rustic home cooking – the nonnas who have learnt to cook macaroni since they were 5 years old and of course the BBC is currently praising its own discovery of the best British Home Cook along with promoting Leeds own Nadia Hussian and her home-cooking. All this is music to our ears here at Get Cooking because this is central to what we do and have always passed on to our customers.
Rewind several decades and the home cooked meal was the only meal eaten on a regular basis, with take-away and fast food being a rare treat rather than a staple of family life. Now, in between the ping of emails, is the ping of the microwave or your ‘Deliveroo’ or ‘Uber -eats’ notification that food is on the way. Now perhaps we are busier working longer hours and having more commitments, but we don’t want to lose the joy of the home cooked meal.
We asked Emily what she enjoys most about cooking.
‘Taking some time out when you can, to plan and prepare a nice meal is lovely. Sitting down to do some chopping, going to the fish market/ local farm shop or when you can, grow a couple of things in the garden and make something great from them – it’s so rewarding.
I also like the challenge of having a couple of left- over bits in the fridge and making one of your best meals from it, that’s just something I find immensely satisfying.’
Emily regularly makes meals for friends and family and takes pleasure in having a conversation about the day over food. That’s when food becomes more than just about the act of eating – it’s about great food experiences and sharing with loved ones.
Emily remembers; ‘There are many people who are in or have been in my life that have inspired me with food and cooking in one way or another. Lots of people have taught me to cook. My parents showed me how to make things from bread dough and little cheeses to classic Mediterranean dishes to hearty soups whilst other people have influenced me with the whole experience of cooking together and really embracing this lifestyle.
Emily has continued using this casual, relaxed and informal way of cooking in her courses and classes saying, ‘It’s good to get people involved in the kitchen, even if it’s just asking someone to wash some lettuce, tear it up and put it in a bowl, or make a simple vinaigrette as it gives people a sense of ownership and pride when eating. It’s not about being an expert, being cheffy, or creating restaurant standard meals, it’s more about taking home cooking in to your life, you might not have even thought you were into cooking … Well, we’d like to help you to change your mind about that and give you the confidence to go away and create something delicious.
Good experiences can stay with us forever and affect how we see food, how we use it, cook with it, prepare it and sit down and enjoy it.
There are a whole host of cookery classes taking place over this autumn and winter at Get Cooking in Farsley.
You can expect tips for the time pressed, things that a chef wouldn’t tell you and short cuts people can take to get a meal on the table in minutes. You don’t need to have expensive equipment either…
We’re encouraged to take things low and slow on the slow cooking course too which showcases dishes perfect for wet and windy weekends which can be cooked in large quantities for dinner guests.
We are also promised lots of rustic dishes that you would tend to eat more of at home too and not in restaurants. Dishes that might use left- over ingredients, after all, ‘Get Cooking’ is about coming together and sharing the cooking experience because we all have something to bring to the table.
