EASY ENTERTAINING - September 10-13

    WHAT THE WEEKEND IS ABOUT...
     
    This course is aimed at people who not only want to eat well at their own table, but who also want to entertain their friends without spending an entire day in the kitchen. We will cover the kind of dishes that are both 'classy' yet easy and relaxed... food that can be planned and prepared ahead or be totally spur of the moment... and above all, food that can be adapted to every changing season... In short, an all-singing-all-dancing course in effortless entertaining!

    The weekend will also contain an element of wine-appreciation. We will spend some time (hand-)harvesting grapes with a local wine-grower and join his group of wine pickers in their traditional (and rather robust!) grape-picking breakfast. We shall also have an opportunity to acquire superb wine-tasting skills (that you shall be using for the rest of your life), taught by a superb professional teacher.
     
    As with all the courses, teaching is based on the 'intuitive cooking' principle in which you learn to match complementary flavours to make dishes that hum with flavour and burst with originality.
     
    Excursions may include visits to foodmarkets, an olive press, a bee-keeper, an award-winning goatscheese farm, saltpans etc. These excursions are flexible and inter-changeable wherever possible... provided all guests concur.

    The course is limited to 8 people. It is informal and fun (and hands-on for those who would like this).
     
    And since we normally experience 325 sunny days in the year, I dare promise you sunshine! Can you think of a more pleasant way to spend a holiday?
     
    WHAT THE WEEKEND INCLUDES...

    • 3 nights accommodation in tasteful surroundings
    • all meals and all wine - both at home and in restaurants
    • all transport to and from the airport and all excursions
    • all demonstrations and tutored winetastings
       
    WHAT THE WEEK COSTS... - 590 euros - ALL INCLUSIVE (except flights)

    ITINERARY
     
    day 1 Friday 10th - after the pick-up from the airport we either head straight to the Corbieres hills for a visit to a superb goatfarm (to sample some of their exquisite goatscheeses) and a nearby honey-maker. At home there will be time to settle in before a talk on "cooking with flavours" and a cookery demonstration, followed by dinner.
     
    day 2 Saturday 11th - after breakfast, a morning visit to Narbonne's colourful, bustling foodmarket. There is time for a stroll to the Cathedral and the shops before lunch in a nice city centre restaurant. When we get home there is time to relax a little - perhaps a short walk in the dappled shade or a siesta (with or without a book!). This is followed by a tutored wine-tasting by wine-expert Wendy Gedney, after which there is another cookery demonstration (with produce bought at this morning's market) and dinner at home.

    day 3 Sunday 12th - after a relaxed breakfast, you are free to do what you want - perhaps a walk along the Canal to the pretty village of Le Somail, some relaxation on the roofterrace, or maybe you would like to join us for a visit to a typical vide-grenier (which literally means 'empty-your-attic' - a kind of treasure trove of antique furniture and old lace mixed with colourful toys and grandma's old shoes). Alternatively we could visit the saltpans of Gruissan (to learn about fleur de sel and visit Gerard Bertrand's wineries of l'Hospitalet. This is then followed by a waterside picnic at the Porte Minervoise on the Canal du Midi, before we return home for another cookery demonstration and our final dinner at home.
     
    day 4 Monday 13th - a lazy breakfast is followed by a visit to the Medieval Citadel of Carcassonne and lunch before leaving for the airport for the flight home.
     
    Guests will take home a pack with all the information covered during the week.
     

     
    For more information, please contact info@petracarter.com