Breaded Plaice Fillets Served on Scandinavian Rye bread

We made breaded plaice fillets, served on Scandinavian rye bread with a fresh remoulade

It is fresh outside.  An autumn nip in the air.  I am running about trying to find my makeup bag when Carmella arrives.  Of course I am late.  I wonder if I am ever going to get out of the door.  Before we head off the cat needs feeding.  She meows pathetically as though I haven’t fed her for a week.  The chickens get last nights leftovers and Polly needs cleaning up after but I am not cross - she is just nine weeks old.  I kiss the children and promise something delicious for supper to my husband. Goodbye, goodbye..  a day without children ..  hurrah  ..  and we’re off.  It’s going to be a fishy day.

Cambridge is just a fifty minute drive and we head to The Cambridge Cookery School.  Today is all about fish. It’s a subject that I need some confidence with.  I seem to stick to the same old, same old when it comes to cooking fish, with variations a theme, baked salmon, salmon teriyaki, fish pie and Lucas Hollwegs fabulous prawn risotto. Carmella and I arrive just in time.

We spent the morning learning to fillet fresh mackerel, and plaice.  The fish are wonderfully fresh with bright eyes, dark gills and firm skin.  They smell vaguely of the sea.  I know that part of the reason I stick to the same thing over and over with fish is that I can eat only the freshest fish.  The mere wiff of old fish and I flee the fish counter as though I am being pursued. We share our sources of fish with each other and I recommend Martins Seafresh.  The fish I have had from them is the freshest I've ever seen, saving catching it myself. 

The atmosphere in the school is bright, and I really like is that the school is absolutely spotlessly clean.  It’s one of the things I notice, and everything glistens.  Our teacher, Tina bubbles with information and clearly enjoys herself. We make fish stock, prepare mussels, make plaice en papillotte with our fillets, cook off the best place fillets in bread crumbs and make our own mayonnaise which we then turn into a remoulade.  My favorite is the mackerel in sweet and sour sauce, it’s a shame we have to eat it straight away because marinated overnight would mean the saffron and oranges would get right into the flesh and really get to tango together.  Nevertheless it is absolutely delicious and we eat our fish for lunch.  Tina pops a fresh lemon and fruit tart on the table left over from the pastry course and I find myself wondering about booking a day of pasty, it is just the perfect finish  to lunch.  We chat and enjoy the fish and agree that the trick to fish is getting it really fresh, and keeping it simple.  There is a tendency to over complicate things says Tina, but let the fish take centre stage.

We were finished by 2 o’clock, and I leave inspired.  With no children Carmella and I have the perfect opportunity to sneak off into Cambridge, so like a pair of schoolgirls skipping double maths, we spent the afternoon shopping.  I bought a new hat and bag, and some huge plump figs and I popped my head into Christ Church College. Sadly it was closing so I photographed the outside and decided that I must go to Cambridge more often, and I must cook fish more often.

Click below to listen to Tina's advice on how to make fresh mayonnaise. 

listen to ‘Making mayonnaise at the Cambridge Cookery School’ on Audioboo

The Cambridge Cookery School Baking Course for Children

I’m often asked to review cookery classes.  It’s something I love to do, but when I was asked to review a fish class at the Cambridge Cookery School a few weeks ago I wasn’t able to attend.  I called quite dismayed at having to cancel. Not to worry said Tina Roche, the founder of the school.  She pointed out the children’s class, and asked if would I like to bring the children along in the summer holidays to one of the baking courses. She thought that my children might enjoy it..  they certainly did!

The school was started by Scandinavian born Tina Roche.  Tina originally trained at Leiths in London and as I flicked through the local glossy I read her columns about her passion for local food and passion for Scandinavian dishes. She formed the school in 2008 and her partner Liz just joined in May of this year. The school has been based at the old stone masons just outside the centre of Cambridge since 2010. It is beautifully designed with light from the huge industrial windows flooding in to a wonderfully open clean and easy space.

Oh the look on Isobel's face says it all !  

Of course I have taken the children to cookery classes in the past, and to be fair I include the children in so much of what I do. Cooking is second nature to them.  However there have been several occasions when they have been somewhat frustrated when on a children’s course.  Let’s face it kids cooking is always messy and some courses just don’t let the children go for it.  Yes cook, but really cook  .. get your hands in, mould, feel taste, prod, poke and bake.  That is what kids need to do to learn.

Well the Cambridge Cookery School course did just that.  The children got to weigh out ingredients, touch, taste, mix, knead, shape and bake. Every single stage was theirs to do.  I think that it was one of the best kids cookery courses ever.  The prices are also very reasonable at £31 all inclusive.

 Beautiful Scandinavian Ceramics. 

All three of my children were bursting with pride as they come home with armfuls of baked delights.  stomboli, beetroot and feta bread, sun dried tomato and olive rolls.

On the way homeI was listening to the children as they were chatting about the best bits.  My eight year old son just loved that they made a gazpacho soup for their own lunch and my eldest daughter really enjoyed relaxing in the sunshine in the amazing gardens.  She even spent her lunch break drawing one of the amazing garden structures.  They were dying to know when they could go again.

William loving getting hands on!

My youngest daughter Isobel, age 5, was literally bursting with pride as my poor husband was subjected to a no win breadathon tasting when we got home.  All three of them watching intensely, all wanting him to declare that their bread was best. It’s a good job he’s such a diplomat, because they all won. The course was fabulous. The venue was really spacious, light and airy and the people teaching really did seem to enjoy the day as much as the children.  I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Libiana said it was the best day ever.