Persian cooking classes: Sep-Nov 2009
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Sat 26th September, Sat 24th October and Sat 21st November 2009 – 12 noon to 6pm.
This autumn Jamileh Hinrichs, an expert in Persian cuisine, is offering a special series of cooking classes. Class sizes will be kept very small so everyone can join in and learn directly from Jamileh’s extensive culinary experience. You can book the whole course, or pick one date. Feel free to spread the word and invite friends and family.
Persian cuisine is one of the oldest and most sophisticated in the world. The sheer length and breath of the Old Persian Empire (encompassing today’s Iran and parts of Turkey, Greece, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, the Arabian Peninsula and Egypt) has been the cradle of many distinct flavours and cooking ideas.
The old Silk Road made it a switchboard for the exchange of ideas.
Persian cuisine’s influence reached Morocco and Spain via the Arabs,
and India via the Mongols. Biryani, tandoori and roghan josh are all
Persian methods of cooking, as is the practice of mixing meat with
sweet fruit and spices, as found in Moroccan cuisine. Persian food is
as delicious as it is fascinating.
During the classes you will taste and learn how to use typical Persian
ingredients, such as barberries, rose petals, dried limes and sour
plums, all of which can be bought in the UK. You will learn techniques
for making classic Persian rice dishes, stews, salads, breads, pastries
and more. Then you will sit down to enjoy the magnificent feast you’ve
helped create. Expect plenty of aromatic herbs, warm spices, nuts,
dried fruits, zingy salads and home-made pickles, among other flavours.
You’ll go home with a passion for Persian cuisine and equipped with
recipes you’ll be able to recreate at home.
Jamileh has cooked all her life. She remembers “growing up in a family
who welcomed guests and entertained lovingly and graciously, and
witnessing the uncomplicated cooking skills of my mother and
grandmother, who seemingly effortlessly conjured up wonderful spreads,
always from scratch.” Jamileh has travelled extensively and fallen in
love with cuisines as diverse as those of India and Paraguay. Her
cooking respects culinary heritage while incorporating modern demands
for healthy food and time-saving techniques.
Jamileh has years of experience running cooking classes and catering
for large elegant functions, but her heart is in her home kitchen,
where she loves to cook for family and friends every day. Classes will
be in Jamileh’s spacious kitchen, so you can benefit from her enormous
collection of Persian spices, condiments and home-made preserves.
You can download the details here.
Contact Jamileh’s friend and fellow cooking teacher Anna for more
information and to book your place before classes fill up:
anna@culinaryanthropologist.org
Time: 12 noon to 6pm, including snack on arrival and three course early dinner
Location: Rugby, England, very close to M1 and M6 junction
Price: £50 per person per class, with discounts available for multiple bookings
Contact: Anna Colquhoun