Culinary Anthropologist

Archive

  1. Curing & Smoking masterclasses, Sat 3rd & Sun 4th June 2017

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    IMG_2301

    At this masterclass you will learn all the basics of salt-curing and hot-smoking – both of which can easily be done at home using simple DIY kit.

    You will learn how to cure and smoke fish, meat and dairy products, how to make different cure mixes and about different wood smokes.

    The class will end with a delicious lunch featuring our cured and smoked foods, and there will be pancetta to take home.

     

    Menu:

    Gravadlax with mustard dill sauce

    Hot-smoked salmon, trout and mackerel

    with horseradish crème fraîche

    Home-made bacon

    Hot-smoked chicken & kohlrabi salad

    Hot-smoked egg & bacon salad

    Roast carrot & smoked yoghurt salad

    Like visiting old, and very well informed, friends for lunch, turning up early, pitching in and learning how to make everything. Great food and people. I had done a bit of smoking before but still learned loads.”

    Many thanks for a lovely day. Especially liked the radioactive eggs. All great and as ever beautifully made simple for us mortals to follow.”

    Thanks for such a great class, it was brilliant fun and I learnt a lot.”

    Relaxed, very hands on approach – doing it yourself does lend confidence.”

     

    Event:Curing and Smoking masterclass
    Date(s):Saturday 3rd, repeated Sunday 4th June 2017
    Time:10am - around 2.30pm
    Location:London N5
    Price:£120, or two for £216 (includes lunch with wine)
    Book now
    flagPlease read the booking terms & conditions before booking your place. Thank you.
  2. Pig Day, Sat 4th & Sun 5th February 2017

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    smmattsausagemakingJune20110019Join Catalan culinary expert Rachel McCormack and Anna for a glorious day of pig cookery and general piggery.

    We will celebrate the pig by using its various parts for a delicious breakfast, hearty lunch and sausages to take away, as is done at the annual pig slaughter in villages around the world.

    The class includes learning how to make, stuff and hang your own sausages and salami, as well as how to cook some of the lesser-known parts of the pig – pork cheeks, pork liver and pork trotters.

     

    We will make:

    Frit Mallorquin – a breakfast fry-up of liver, peppers, fennel & potatoes

    Trotters a la Catalana – a warming rice dish with classic sofrito

    Polenta nera – pork cheeks in a red wine and blood sauce, served on polenta

    Classic chorizo – to cook fresh or to hang up to cure

    Sweet pig’s blood pancakes – for dessert, with ice cream

     

    smpigdaymincing0001.jpgRachel is originally from Scotland but spent most of her twenties living in Barcelona, where she caught the Catalan obsession with food. She now lives back in Scotland where she writes about food and whisky. She is also a regular panelist on BBC Radio 4’s The Kitchen Cabinet, for which Anna works as food consultant behind the scenes (having had the idea for the show).

    Rachel has run many popular Pig Days at other venues for crowds of 20-30 people. This event will be in Anna’s home teaching kitchen and is limited to just 8 guests. It will be a very hands on class, with plenty of pig for everyone to get their hands into. Not for the squeamish.

     

    See photos from our previous Pig Days here and here.

    What a fantastic and unique day. I really enjoyed the food, conversation and having the opportunity to dive into masses of pig meat and fat. It was a great experience.”

    Yesterday was lovely … welcoming hosts, a lovely atmosphere, and we made sausages! Which was very cool. The kitchen worked well, and looked nice too. The wine was lovely and the sherry. The rice dish was delicious. … I would recommend the day to anyone, it was great fun, and I feel a big sense of achievement!”

    Event:Catalan Pig Day
    Date(s):Sat 4th / Sun 5th February 2017
    Time:10am - 4pm
    Location:London N5
    Price:£120, or two places for £216 (includes breakfast and a late lunch with wine)
    Book now
    flagPlease read the booking terms & conditions before booking your place. Thank you.
  3. Home Bread workshops, Sat 4th & Sun 5th March 2017

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    home bread loaves

    Five min breadWe will focus on how to fit making your own bread into a busy life. Who has the time to knead dough after work every day, let alone wait for it to rise twice before you bake it? At this class you will learn cunning techniques and recipes for making your own delicious bread effortlessly, and without using a bread machine!

    After this hands-on intensive workshop you will have the confidence to make a range of breads, and know how to fit them into a busy life with ease:

    classic white boules

    wholegrain bread with nuts and seeds

    olive & rosemary focaccia

    tomato & mozarella pizzette

    no-knead crusty sourdough

    malted rye tin loaf

    You will work with a range of top quality organic and stoneground flours including wholewheat, rye, malted and spelt.

    What’s more you will go home with a homemade bread-making kit specially sourced by Anna which will include all the essentials you need to get going immediately, even your own tub of bread dough to last you the week and wooden peel for loading bread into the oven. Plus of course there will be plenty of the freshly baked bread you have made to take home.

    The workshop includes a delicious seasonal lunch showcasing different types of bread. You can see pictures from last year’s Home Bread workshops here.

    The bread course was life changing – I haven’t bought bread since as I’ve been making my own… and it’s much nicer.”

    I thought it was great value for money and it more than met my expectations. I learnt more than I’d hoped. Loved the fact that we came away with options for very quick dinners as well as breads. Fridge dough is a revelation.”

    Since the course I did with you on basic bread-making, I have become the family baker – there are six of us, and I bake anything up to eight loaves a week! The children love the fresh bread and beg me not to stop. And it’s a source of great pleasure.”

    Event:Home Bread workshops
    Date(s):Sat 4th / Sun 5th March 2017
    Time:10am - 4pm
    Location:London N5
    Price:£120 per person per class. Or £216 for two.
    Book now
    flagPlease read the booking terms & conditions before booking your place. Thank you.

    smHomeBread2ndFeb20140019  focaccia smpotsourdoughs0016

  4. New Nordic Spring, Sat 20th & Sun 21st May 2017

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    smNordicchicken0001

    This May we’re going to cook up a modern Scandinavian springtime feast. Provisional menu:

    Pine shoot cordial

    Spelt & nettle crispbreads with home-made butter

    Open sandwiches with crab and white asparagus

    Chicken fricassée with spring vegetables & herb oil

    Rustic spelt baguettes

    Crisp radish & herb salad

    Brown butter, hazelnut & potato cake with rhubarb ice cream

    New Nordic cuisine showcases the finest indigenous Nordic ingredients in fresh, light menus which balance delicate flavours and contrasting textures to superb effect. Many of these ingredients also grow in Britain, or can be easily sourced, and adopting this approach to cooking makes for a refreshing change from heavier fare and our more usual Mediterranean and Middle Eastern inspiration. However many New Nordic restaurants and cookbooks focus on overly complicated preparations which most mere mortals cannot hope to recreate at home!

    Mia black-whiteStep in Mia Kristensen. Mia’s company CPH Good Food offers Nordic cuisine classes in Copenhagen to help home cooks translate the “new Nordic diet” movement into do-able, delicious and healthy home cooking. Culinary Anthropologist has been working with CPH Good Food for several years now to bring new Nordic cuisine and its innovative use of all things seasonal, wild, smoked and cured to Anna’s home teaching kitchen in London.

    “I am passionate about Nordic cuisine – its seasonality, lightness of ingredients and symbiotic relationship to nature. Nordic foods contain all five basic tastes and this makes it complete. Many ingredients are found in nature, which encourages wonderful family trips, cooking in nature and of course eating together,” says Mia Kristensen.

    With an MSc in Food Science, Mia will share her knowledge of the whys and wherefores of cooking during our hands-on class, providing an insight into the culinary magic of restaurants like Noma.

    The Scandinavian class was quite outstanding, such good fun, informative as always and the most delicious dinner.”

    Thanks for an inspirational afternoon. So many tips, such a lot of fun – and such nice people!”

    I shall definitely be rustling up some of the dishes we created. My taste buds totally appreciated the flavour combinations.”

    Event:New Nordic Spring
    Date(s):Saturday 20th, repeated Sunday 21st May 2017
    Time:10am - 2.30pm
    Location:London N5
    Price:£120, or two for £216 (includes generous lunch with wine)
    Book now
    flagPlease read the booking terms & conditions before booking your place. Thank you.

    Photo credits: Mia Kristensen

  5. Winter Preserving classes, Sat 28th & Sun 29th Jan 2017

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    winter preserving jars

    In partnership with Riverford, the organic veg box people, I offer seasonal preserving workshops. We cover all the basics of preserving fruits and vegetables and together we make five you can take home.

    You will learn about sterilising jars, using sugar, salt and vinegar correctly as preservatives, reaching ‘setting point’ for jams and jellies, safe bottling and more. Class sizes are kept small (max 8 people) and very hands-on. As well as your filled jars, there are recipes and guidance notes to take home.

    At the Winter workshops we will make (subject to produce availability):

    Seville orange marmelade

    Clementine jam

    Blood orange & port jelly

    Spiced pickled oranges

    Moroccan preserved lemons

    See photos from previous Winter Preserving workshops here.

    Thanks again for such a brilliant day and for sharing your wonderful skills. I can’t believe how much we made and how much I learned in your lovely kitchen!”

    Great fun! My preserves are looking so pretty on my shelf I don’t want to eat them! Thank you again for a fabulous day. Your relaxed but professional style of teaching was just perfect. Looking forward to visiting again.”

    The pace was just right- a good combination of a bit of the science behind preserving, a hands on approach to learning, and the opportunity to chat and discuss. I think the size of the class was ideal.”

    Event:Winter Preserving
    Date(s):Sat 28th / Sun 29th January 2017
    Time:10am-3pm
    Location:London N5
    Price:£90.
    Book now
    flagPlease read the booking terms & conditions before booking your place. Thank you.

     

  6. New Nordic Autumn, Sat 15th & Sun 16th Oct 2016

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    Saltbagt med luftigt bearnaise-smør - nyThis October we’re going to cook up a stunning autumnal lunch together, including making our own crispbreads, salmon rillettes, quick-pickles, apple bread and buttermilk cheese – all techniques any home cook can master. Come along to make and then feast on:

    Salmon rillettes with gin-pickled fennel on seeded crispbreads
    Flowerpot apple sourdough with buttermilk cheese
    Whole salt-baked celeriac with chervil & chive fluffy butter
    Venison & juniper meatballs
    Creamy rye with mustard, curly kale & mushrooms
    Beetroot, plum & red onion pickle
    Fresh and caramelized pear with malt ice cream and hazelnuts

    Deller som mor lavede dem (3)The world’s best restaurant, Noma in Copenhagen, has propelled new Nordic cuisine into the limelight. Chef René Redzepi’s innovative approach showcases the finest indigenous Nordic ingredients in fresh, light menus. Many of these ingredients also grow in Britain, or can be easily sourced. But with dishes such as oyster porridge, veal and blackcurrant cookies and chicken skin sandwich, this is not food most mere mortals can recreate at home.

    Step in Mia Kristensen. Mia’s company CPH Good Food offers Nordic cuisine classes in Copenhagen to help home cooks translate the new Nordic diet movement into do-able, delicious and healthy home cooking. Culinary Anthropologist has been working with CPH Good Food for several years now to bring new Nordic cuisine and its innovative use of all things seasonal, wild, smoked and preserved to Anna’s home teaching kitchen in London.

    Bagte pærer med hvid chokolade og rosmarin-2t“I am passionate about Nordic cuisine – its seasonality, lightness of ingredients and symbiotic relationship to nature. Nordic foods contain all five basic tastes and this makes it complete. Many ingredients are found in nature, which encourages wonderful family trips, cooking in nature and of course eating together,” says Mia Kristensen.

    With an MSc in Food Science, Mia will share her knowledge of the whys and wherefores of cooking during our hands-on class, providing an insight into the culinary magic of restaurants like Noma.

    The Scandinavian class was quite outstanding, such good fun, informative as always and the most delicious and enormous dinner.”

    Thanks for an inspirational afternoon. So many tips, such a lot of fun – and such nice people!”

    I shall definitely be rustling up some of the dishes we created. My taste buds totally appreciated the flavour combinations.”

    Event:New Nordic Autumn
    Date(s):Saturday 15th, repeated Sunday 16th October 2016
    Time:10am - 2.30pm
    Location:London N5
    Price:£120, or two for £216 (includes lunch with wine)
    Book now
    flagPlease read the booking terms & conditions before booking your place. Thank you.
  7. Autumn Preserving workshops, Sat 1st & Sun 2nd Oct 2016

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    smpreservingoct20120079.jpgIn partnership with Riverford, the lovely organic veg box people, I offer seasonal preserving workshops. We cover all the basics of preserving fruits and vegetables and together we make five you can take home.

    You will learn about sterilising jars, using sugar, salt and vinegar correctly as preservatives, reaching ‘setting point’ for jams and jellies, safe bottling and more. Class sizes are kept small (max 8 people) and very hands-on. As well as your filled jars, there are recipes and guidance notes to take home.

     

     

     

     

    At the Autumn workshops we will make (subject to produce availability):

    smAutumnPreserving20130062.jpgBottled roasted tomato passata

    Hedgerow jelly

    Chilli jam

    Piccalilli

    Pear, squash & date chutney

    Thanks again for such a brilliant day and for sharing your wonderful skills. I can’t believe how much we made and how much I learned in your lovely kitchen!”
    Great fun! My preserves are looking so pretty on my shelf I don’t want to eat them! Thank you again for a fabulous day. Your relaxed but professional style of teaching was just perfect. Looking forward to visiting again.”
    The pace was just right- a good combination of a bit of the science behind preserving, a hands on approach to learning, and the opportunity to chat and discuss. I think the size of the class was ideal.”

    smAutumnPreserving20130055See photos from previous Autumn Preserving workshops here, here and here.

    Event:Autumn Preserving
    Date(s):Sat 1st / Sun 2nd Oct 2016
    Time:10am - 3pm
    Location:London N5
    Price:£90, or two for £162 (includes lunch with wine)
    Book now
    flagPlease read the booking terms & conditions before booking your place. Thank you.
  8. Autumn Game masterclasses, Sat 5th & Sun 6th Nov 2016

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    2012-12-01 16.46.04

    2014-11-15 21.28.18 HDRGame cookery can be much easier than you think! All you need is a few simple skills and techniques and a little hands on experience. This class will encourage you to cook game more often and give you the confidence to do so.

    We won’t be boning out or trussing small birds, skinning rabbits or butchering venison. We’ll leave that to the skilled butchers and get on with some easy and delicious recipes to enjoy for a hearty lunch with paired wines.

     

    Menu:

    Pheasant rillettes with pickled quince

    Confit rabbit, green bean and olive salad with tarragon mayonnaise

    Hot-smoked pigeon, persimmon and radicchio salad 

    Wild mallard with quatre épices and port sauce

    Istrian venison and wild boar stew with sage and juniper

     

    HBB_Primary-URL_Horizontal_RL_100pxThis class is offered in association with Hubbub, who deliver fine foods from independent shops across London to your door. I have been using them since they started up several years ago and always been very impressed with their service.

    Anyone attending this class will get a whopping 50% off their first order from Hubbub (for an order of up to £200, with no expiry date)!

    I had a great time yesterday and can’t wait to try things myself at home.  What I got most from the day was more self confidence that I can do it!”

    Of all the people out there teaching cookery, your set up is the one I admire most.”

    Event:Autumn Game masterclass
    Date(s):Saturday 5th, repeated Sunday 6th November 2016
    Time:10am - 2.30pm
    Location:London N5
    Price:£120, or two for £216 (includes lunch with wine)
    Book now
    flagPlease read the booking terms & conditions before booking your place. Thank you.

    Pheasant photo credit: Charlotte Tolhurst

  9. Summer Herbs masterclasses, Sat 11th & Sun 12th June 2016

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    sweet woodruff

    Lavender thyme lemonade tAt this masterclass you will learn how to identify, wash, store, chop, use and preserve a variety of summer herbs including lavender, basil, tarragon, mint, dill, sweet woodruff, thyme and more.

    You will learn a range of techniques for getting the most out of herbs, including sauces, butters, oils, salts, ice creams and liqueurs.

    The class will end with a summery feast featuring some of the things we have made, and there will be herb products to take home.

     

    Menu:

    Herb oils and vinegars for salads

    Herb salts

    Pestos, green sauces and herb butters for pasta, meat and fish

    Sabzi polo – Persian herbed rice with saffron fish

    Herb sorbets and ice creams

    Herb cordials and liqueurs

     

    HBB_Primary-URL_Horizontal_RL_100pxThis class is offered in association with Hubbub, who deliver fine foods from independent shops across London to your door. I have been using them since they started up several years ago and always been very impressed with their service.

    Anyone attending this class will get a whopping 50% off their first order from Hubbub (for an order of up to £200, with no expiry date)!

    I thought it was great value for money and it more than met my expectations. I learnt more than I’d hoped.”

    The perfect way to spend a Saturday! We had an absolutely fantastic time, learned a lot and made a tonne of delicious things (that we were actually able to recreate at home!)”

    Event:Summer Herbs masterclass
    Date(s):Saturday 11th, repeated Sunday 12th June 2016
    Time:10am - 2.30pm
    Location:London N5
    Price:£120, or two for £216 (includes lunch with wine)
    Book now
    flagPlease read the booking terms & conditions before booking your place. Thank you.
  10. Curing & Smoking masterclasses, Sat 7th & Sun 8th May 2016

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    IMG_2301

    Gravlax 2At this masterclass you will learn all the basics of salt-curing and hot-smoking – both of which can easily be done at home using simple DIY kit.

    You will learn how to cure and smoke fish, meat and dairy products, how to make different cure mixes and about different wood smokes.

    The class will end with a delicious lunch featuring our cured and smoked foods, and there will be pancetta to take home.

     

    Menu:

    Gravadlax to eat on rye bread with mustard-dill sauce

    Hot-smoked trout and/or mackerel to eat warm with horseradish creme fraiche

    Smoked eggs to eat in a green salad

    Smoked yoghurt to eat in a spiced roast carrot salad

    Pancetta to take home to finish curing

     

    HBB_Primary-URL_Horizontal_RL_100pxThis class is offered in association with Hubbub, who deliver fine foods from independent shops across London to your door. I have been using them since they started up several years ago and always been very impressed with their service.

    Anyone attending this class will get a whopping 50% off their first order from Hubbub (for an order of up to £200, with no expiry date)!

    Thanks for such a great class, it was brilliant fun and I learnt a lot.”

    Relaxed, very hands on approach – doing it yourself does lend confidence.”

    Event:Curing and Smoking masterclass
    Date(s):Saturday 7th, repeated Sunday 8th May 2016
    Time:10am - 2.30pm
    Location:London N5
    Price:£120, or two for £216 (includes lunch with wine)
    Book now
    flagPlease read the booking terms & conditions before booking your place. Thank you.