Walnut Grove Cookery Course

Gourmet Cuisine and Cooking Classes in Mayenne

Enjoying cooking is all about confidence, being relaxed and understanding your ingredients. Skilfully combining flavours, textures and presentation is within all of us. Our aim at the Walnut Grove is to bring these qualities out, so that you have the ability to follow your own flair and imagination.

Each day, you'll experiment with new flavours and new techniques using the freshest ingredients with expert guidance. Our courses are run with a professional yet relaxed holiday atmosphere, we believe that this is the ideal way of combining a holiday with culinary development.

You'll arrive on Saturday, mid afternoon. After some time settling in to your room, the course begins with an introductory talk to discuss the structure and goals of the program.

On the last day, you'll be challenged to use all the skills and knowledge acquired during the week as you work in teams to prepare and present the last meal with only a little guidance from the chef. 

    

Example Course Itinerary

The itinerary may be subject to change according to the seasons in order to take advantage of the seasonal/regional foods.

Day 1 - Saturday

Arrive

17.00 Introductory talk with complimentary champagne  and canapés Discussing aims and course structure 

18.00 Dinner 6-course gourmet dinner

Menu

Homemade Foie gras terrine with Sauternes jelly

~

Seabass filet, mussel risotto and a pink grapefruit beurre blanc

~

Gin and Tonic Sorbet

~

Pan-fried breast of duck with stir-fried vegetables and an oriental sauce

~

Raspberry and lime bavarois, honeycomb and meringue

~

Cheese and biscuits

~

Coffee and petits fours

Day 2 – Sunday

8.45 Breakfast (to include fresh croissants, breads and preserves, cereals, orange juice, yoghurts, tea and coffee.)

9.15 Kitchen. Welcome, explore kitchen/equipment etc…

Hands-on Basic knife skills; care of knives, safety, sharpening, chop and slice onion, brunoise of carrot, julienne of leek, vierge dressin

11.00  Demonstration Leek and potato soup served with croutons

11.15 Seasoning Techniques How to bring the best out of your ingredients

11.45  Hands-on Bread making; plain, focaccia, caramelised onion & thyme, mixed      seed & nuts, brioche.

13.00       Lunch. Fresh soup produced from our gardens, cheese, pickles, salads  and bread

14.00 Demonstration Chicken liver parfait, chutney

Hands-on Chicken butchery, Stuffed chicken ballotine, drumstick confit.

15.00  Demonstration Prep salmon, Gravadlax of salmon

   Hands-on Scallop in shell lutée, oysters, trout.

15.30          Demonstration Chicken stock, (white & brown), veal glace, fish stock

           Demonstration Crab bisque & home-smoked trout, smoked onion.

16.30          Finish 

17.00          Aperitifs and nibbles

17.30          Back in the kitchen to finish prep

18.00    Dinner

Menu

Scallop in her shell lutée

~

Cheese soufflé and young leaves

~

Pear williams Sorbet

~

Seared fillet of salmon served with artichoke

and hollandaise sauce

~

"Utah Special" Iced Tiramisu parfait

~

Cheese and biscuits

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Day 3 – Monday

8.45   Breakfast

9.15 Menu Explanation 

Kitchen: Demonstration 

Pasta dough

  

10.45 Demonstration/hands-on Tortellini; filled with chicken and foie gras mousse, ravioli and tagliatelle.

Hands-on Menu Prep

Pea purée, beef Wellington, crème brulée, chilli and coconut ice cream, Brandy snap, caramel cages.

13.00 Lunch Tagliatelle with a bacon, tomato and onion sauce, fresh bread and salad, followed by cheese and biscuits.

14.00       Excursion –Visit of a local  sheep farm, cheese and yogurt making visit Cheese tasting 

17.00        Aperitifs and nibbles

 

17.30       Back in the kitchen to finish prep

18.00        Dinner 

Menu

Chicken and foie gras tortellini, pea purée and truffle foam

~ 

Thai Tiger prawn and crab bisque

~

Apple and Calvados Sorbet

~

Filet of beef Wellington, braised shallot, wild mushroom sauce

~

Lemon verbena crème brulée, brandy snap, chilli and coconut ice cream

~

Cheese and biscuits

~

Coffee and truffles

Day 4 – Tuesday

8.45  Breakfast

9.15 Menu Explanation 

Demonstration /  hands-on 

Sugar work, and chocolate piping, honey wafer baskets plus tuile work.

Sweet pastry, choux pastry, teardrop, iced soufflé.

Braised pork belly.

Hands-on Menu prep

Seafood mousseline, dressing, sous vide chicken, pomme fondante, chorizo and lime sauce

13.00 Lunch Selection of charcuterie, salads, homemade bread & pickles

14.00 Hands-on – Traditional French patissier Master-class – making croissants & macaroons 

17.00              Aperitifs and nibbles

 

17.30              Back in the kitchen to finish prep

18.00 Dinner

Menu

Seafood mousseline with a tarragon and basil dressing

~

Chicken liver parfait, sweet and sour chutney

~

Mojito Sorbet

~

Medley of chicken with a smoked onion purée & a chorizo & lime sauce
(sous vide)

~

Strawberry and coquelicot chocolat teardrop, pistachio iced soufflé

~

Cheese and biscuits

~

Coffee and petits fours

Day 5 – Wednesday

8.45  Breakfast

9.15                 Menu Explanation 

Your challenge, your design, you are cooking...

Hands-on

   Spring rolls, gravadlax, pork sous vide, chocolate tarte, mini croquembouche, sugar work.

13.00 Lunch Barbecue.

14.00               Leisure time, croquet, boules and any final prep.

17.00              Aperitifs and nibbles

 

17.30              Back in the kitchen to finish prep

18.00 Dinner

Menu

Gravadlax of salmon scented with beetroot

~

Crispy duck and vegetable spring rolls 

with a sweet chilli sauce

~

 Bloody Mary Sorbet

~

Tenderloin of pork with roasted pork belly
(sous vide) 

~
Mini croquembouche on a chocolat ganache tarte

~

Cheese and biscuits

~

Coffee and petit fours

Day 6 – Thursday

9.00 Breakfast

Departure before midday

These cookery courses can be individually tailored for groups of up to 6 guests. We also offer customized cooking classes for corporate businesses; for example, "Team Building in the Kitchen".