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Yotam cooking day, Thursday 16 March 2017

Dear Sandy

On behalf of the CATS, I want to thank you for such a wonderful day in the Cornucopia kitchen. The email I got from Ann that evening, to my mind, sums it up: “… who would have thought a day cooking could feel like a holiday. Such a brilliant surprise, and it really was, because although I knew it would involve food, not knowing where or what made it as much a surprise as if I hadn’t known cooking was involved! The atmosphere at Sandy’s, and the recipes we cooked, made every bit of it a pleasure.”
It was a day of three delightful discoveries – Ottolenghi, Cornucopia and that the CATS’ can have such fun in the kitchen – even me! And Tina added that “Apart from anything else, our adventure was ‘something completely different’ and the perfect way to obliterate the daily stress and strain”. And finally Chris pointed out that “in theory, it was a treat for Ann although, in practice, it was a big treat for us all”.
As you can tell we loved it and little emails have been toing and froing with details of who’s eaten what and when of their take-aways! For me it’s chicken tonight!
Many thanks again and, who knows, you may well see the CATS again …..!

Cooking like Yotam day, Saturday 25th February 2017

Dear Sandy
Thanks for a great day on Saturday, I really enjoyed it and was deeply impressed by your masterly logistics and timing, to say nothing of your wonderful culinary skills.
Please include me on your mailing list Sandy. My daughter Harriet and her cousin both want to do the course with you sometime in the early summer so it would be good to know what your programme is.
Thanks again – it was a treat, and everyone was impressed with the chicken dish for supper.
best, Helen

One to one cooking afternoon

It was a triumph!! I hadn’t said anything to Joel about the fact I had even been to the class. We sat down properly at the table (no lap trays that evening!) and I brought the food in to comments of ‘Wow – that looks fantastic! Smells great’ etc, etc. Everyone helped themselves, and they all thought all the dishes were superb – extremely tasty, with subtle nuances of flavour and nothing too overpowering. They were all very impressed :0) Joel thought the array of so many super-foods was excellent, and had no issue at all with the choice of class – he wants the recipes! They thought the delicate flavours in the couscous (which they often eat) were lovely. And the baklava went down very well too – I think we got through the best part of two of the rolls during the rest of the evening.

All a huge success, so thank you very much for your time, instruction and advice. I am sure I will come again to one of your classes in the future, and maybe avail myself of some of your freezer dishes/ready meals on occasion too!

Shirley

Vegetarian cooking day March 2017

I enjoyed our day with you very much. Jessica & I put into practice some of what we learned while we were on holiday. The wonderful smell of fresh vegetable stock wafted through our rented apartment and we cooked daily with delicious fresh tomatoes.

The family and some friends who sampled the delicious food we bought home at the end of the day were most impressed.

Thank you for making the day so enjoyable. I look forward to returning for pastry class when numbers permit …

With very best wishes.

Emma

One day cooking class for mother and daughter, April 2016

I couldn’t have enjoyed our day with Sandy more. I felt engaged from start to finish without feeling overwhelmed by lots of difficult new things. The day was tailored to suit our interests and our skill level. At no point did I feel out of my depth but I certainly felt challenged and also that I came away bursting with new ideas. I really enjoyed that once we had made a spinach, ricotta and pine-nut tortilla, we sat down and all had lunch together. It was a lovely way to break up the day and I couldn’t have felt more welcome in Sandy’s kitchen. Her recipe for Melanzane Parmigiana, which we made in the afternoon, was my favourite dish of the day and it has not failed to impress friends and family since. I really appreciated how willing Sandy was to improvise on the day: when we expressed interest in humus, Sandy showed us how to make it from scratch! All in all, I had a fascinating and productive day and would recommend the experience without hesitation to anyone and everyone.
Best wishes,
Jessica (daughter)

Yotam Ottolenghi inspired cooking day, March 2016

Dear Sandy
Yesterday was such informative & confidence building cookery fun!
You have a great talent as a teacher.
Happy Easter & I look forward to seeing you again in the not too distant future.
Best wishes
Donald
PS thanks to Graham for organising the Old Boys!

Dear Sandy

Thank you for sending the recipes as an attachment.It was a really superb day, very educational and the dishes were delicious!And what a handsome bunch of lads!!
I would strongly recommend your Yotam Ottolengi course to anyone who wants to learn about imaginative and subtle cooking.
Kindest regards
Gerald

Dear Sandy
May I echo Donald and Gerald’s thanks to you for giving a group of old lags such a fun day’’s cooking, chatting and eating.
The dishes we have tried at home so far have even been a success with the boss.
Looking forward to my harira for supper tonight.
All good wishes,
Graham

Thank you for laying on such a well thought out and enjoyable day. Your balance of instruction and demonstration (tasting the olive oils was an eye opener) and letting us get on with it was just right and you cleverly got us doing slightly different things, not only to bring out the differences but also to highlight the fact that we can use a little more or less of some ingredients without fear or trembling; that we don’t need to slavishly measure out tablespoons of oil for instance! You have the experience and intuition to pass on some of your skills, giving us the confidence to try and do our own thing. All this in a relaxed and easy going atmosphere! I learnt a great deal.
Max

Skills cooking morning

The morning was spent improving knife skills, developing flavours in meat and veg cooking and exploring different thickening techniques.

Dear Sandy
Just a note to thank you very much for a wonderful and instructive morning, I loved every minute. My wife and I enjoyed the beef this evening and I gave the other portion to my son and daughter in law. All enjoyed it very much indeed. I feel encouraged, informed and enthused. Thank you very much indeed.
With best wishes
Nigel