Cookery Courses in Aracena, Andalucia, Spain

We run several cookery courses per year, for small groups of 4 - 8 persons. It’s a fun way to spend time with friends, and learn about Andalucian and Catalan dishes, try out some local restaurants, and visit a sherry bodega. The finca lies at the heart of the Jabugo D.O. area which produces the finest Iberian acorn-fed ham, and we will visit the most famous producer of all, Sanchez Romero Carvajal, and learn from Juan Mateos Arizón about this delicacy and its production.

Learning that Mediterranean cooking goes beyond the well-known French and Italian influences can be an eye-opener for some people. Here we sometimes use traditional Southern Spanish recipes which are a legacy of the Caliphate of Cordoba.

North African Mahgrebi influences can be felt in the use of spices and nuts and the interplay between sweet and savoury. We learn to cook with pulses and nuts :- “Spinach and chickpeas flavoured with Cumin”, “Butter Beans and Clams with Tomato”, “Iced Garlic and Almond Soup”.

We learn to cook the hearty roasts and cocidos and game dishes of winter, and the light cold soups of summer. We learn about the use of ground and roast nuts or bread fried in olive oil for thickening stews. Fruit is used in savoury meat dishes:- “Rabbit with Apricots and Spinach and Pinenuts” or “Quails with Quinces”, or “Chicken with Olives and Lemons”.

We cook the traditional “Paella” and the less well known “Black Rice”, made with Squid Ink. We put a new twist on the refreshing Mediterranean milk and egg desserts; “Panna Cotta with Saffron”, “Rosemary Sorbet”, “Cardamom and Honey Ice cream”, “Rosemary, White Wine and Chocolate Cream”, “Ginger Custard Creams” Come and share the fun!

Cookery Course dates for 2012

Cookery course dates for 2012 are being finalised but if you want to get an advance information or make provisional booking please contact us via our contact page. Also remember if you can get a group of 6-8 friends together to come on the course, the leader goes free! We can tailor our courses for private groups at any time of year.