Pattacakes Cookery School

2010-01-14T14:58:00.002Z

NEWSLETTER
January 2010

Happy New Year and welcome to our January email newsletter keeping you in touch with everything new at Pattacakes Cookery School. This newsletter gives details of all our current news and the dates of our new up and coming workshops with details of how you can sign up for them. If you know anyone else who would like to read about what we are up to then please tell them about our website www.pattacakes.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Pattacakes is now 10 years old

We are very proud that Pattacakes Cookery School has stood the test of time and unlike many children's activities is still going strong 10 years on. We started with just 2 courses to see what the interest would be and were quickly overwhelmed with children wanting to come along. Since then we have developed many new activities and now offer parties, adult workshops, schools workshops and much more.

The last year has seen us going from strength to strength:

As well as offering our usual workshops we entertained over 200 children with birthday parties throughout the year

In July we taught well over 100 preschool children at the 2nd Childrens Food Festival in Oxford
(see www.childrensfoodfestival.co.uk)

We have reached 100's of school children with our very popular school workshops and after school sessions

In September we staged the strangest cookery demonstration ever as part of Anthony Gormleys art exhibition on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. Chosen from over 30,000 people we promoted the fun and creative aspects of getting children to cook. We will be featured in a book later this year celebrating this arts project.
(see www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/jane_t )

We have featured on a number of radio programmes debating the importance of getting children to cook from an early age

We are anticipating an equally exciting 2010 so watch this space for news as it happens.

New Course dates for Growing Cooks (age 5 - 12 year olds)
We are offering 2 new courses this term for children aged 5 - 12. These themed courses teach special skills and are both great fun and educational.

Develop your creative side whilst you prepare some beautiful 'naughty but nice' treats.
CREATIVE CUPCAKE WORKSHOP

A 2 hour workshop where you get to make and bake a tray of delectable Pattacakes cupcakes which we then show you how to decorate just like the professionals. You will take home a box of cakes that will rival any bakery and are guaranteed to taste delicious too!
Saturday 27th February 10-12am at St Georges School, Harpenden
£22 per child

Explore Italian cooking and amaze your family with your new found skills

PASTA MAKING WORKSHOP

A 2 hour workshop for 5 - 12 year olds where you will make fresh pasta dough from scratch and learn how to turn it into tagliatelle, spaghetti and tortellini or ravioli. You will then use the pasta to make some delicious dishes which you bring home to share with your family.
Saturday 24th April 10-12am St Georges School Harpenden
£22 per child

For more details or to book a place phone 01582 769855 /762986 or email us info@pattacakes.com

After School Cooking Clubs
We have been asked to run after school cooking clubs for a number of schools in the area. These last one hour with the children making sweet and savoury dishes with a focus on healthy proper food cooked from scratch. Sessions are fun, educational and usually very popular. If you are interested in setting one up at your school get in touch. There is a chance that your school may qualify for some funding for these clubs provided by the government sponsored initiative 'Let's Get Cooking'. We can let you have more details if interested.

NEW DATES .....
LITTLE COOKS COOKERY CLUB

Our very popular cookery club for preschoolers is about to restart. As before it will be every Thursday from 1.45 - 2.45 at St Nicholas Church Hall, Harpenden. This means lots of fun for your little ones and lots of delicious dishes to make and taste. The club will run from 21st January with NO club happening on 4th February and 18th February. To guarantee a place you can book for the whole term or if you prefer you can sign up the week before; we just ask that you let us know if you're planning to come in case we are full and to ensure we bring enough equipment and ingredients.
Each week the children, who attend with a carer, get the chance to taste and learn about food in a fun way and to create a tasty dish to take home and enjoy. Pattacakes Food Coaches ensure that all techniques are appropriate to the age and ability of the children taking part and most importantly taste really delicious! We cover a mixture of sweet and savoury recipes taking into account healthy eating guidelines. We provide all ingredients, equipment, aprons and containers to take the food home in. Younger siblings are welcome to come along with you as well. We can cater for most food allergies but need to know when you book.
To sign up for the first session call us on 01582 762986 or send us an email us

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY....HAVE YOU BEEN ON ONE OF OUR UNIQUE COOKERY AND CERAMIC PAINTING WORKSHOPS YET?
These highly enjoyable children's workshops, for 5 - 12 year olds, are run in conjunction with pottery painting company 'Made by Me' and always book up quickly. During the 3 hour workshop children create a piece of painted pottery and make two dishes under the supervision of expert tutors. We have a date for our next course which will be on Saturday 20th March from 2 -5 pm at St Nicholas Church Hall, Harpenden. If interested see our website or give us a call on 01582 769855 / 762986

FOOD IN SCHOOLS
Jane Todd and Sarah Cripps from Pattacakes Cookery School are now recognised as trainers for the Department of Children, Schools and Families 'Food in Schools Primary Training' initiative which ensures all primary schools in the UK have teachers who are trained to deliver food education as part of the primary curriculum. We were very pleased to be asked to join this initiative and will be offering the first courses this Autumn. Courses will be one or two days long and cover the delivery of the food curriculum at KS1 & KS2. The courses are free and are open to all primary schools in the area, specifically those teachers who have a remit for Design and Technology. More details will be sent out in due course but contact us for more information if you are a local teacher or would like your school to participate and are interested in finding out more.

More information about
Pattacakes Cookery School
can be found at
www.pattacakes.com
give us a call or email us
01582 769855 / 762986

2010-01-14T11:44:00.002Z

Welcome
to our Autumn email newsletter keeping you in touch with everything new at Pattacakes Cookery School. This newsletter gives details of all our up and coming workshops and details of how you can sign up for them. We are in the process of trying to set up an after school club for primary age children in Harpenden and will keep you up to date with progress. Do let us know if you would be interested in this. If you are know of anyone else who may be interested in what we do please forward this newsletter onto them.

Pattacakes Cookery School Takes Cooking to New Heights!
Pattacakes recently staged possibly the strangest cookery demonstration ever seen when we were selected to take part in a major art project taking place in London.
Jane Todd, from Pattacakes, was picked from over 30,000 people to spend an hour on the 8 metre high fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square as part of sculptor Antony Gormley's One & Other project. The project sees a different person on the plinth every hour, 24 hours day for 100 days.
Jane spent her hour showing spectators how to make bread rolls, pizza swirls, chelsea buns, fair trade chocolate tiffin cake and a gathered apple pie. As well as the audience in Trafalgar Square, the demonstration was broadcast around the world via the web.
Samples of the food prepared were given out by colleague Sarah Cripps who also had the job of chatting to them about the cookery school .
Jane described the experience as a once in a lifetime opportunity and hopefully one that promoted the importance and enjoyment of teaching children to cook. 'The hour went really quickly and it was rewarding to see the very positive responses we received about the demonstration and the food produced'
To see Jane on the plinth log onto www.oneandother.co.uk/particpants/jane_t

NEW DATES .....
LITTLE COOKS COOKERY CLUB

Our very popular cookery club for preschoolers is about to restart with a slightly different look. It will still be on a Thursday from 1.45 - 2.45 at St Nicholas Church Hall, Harpenden, but will now be on offer EVERY week. This will mean even more fun for your little ones and lots more delicious dishes to make and taste. The club will run for 9 weeks starting on the 1st October (with 2 weeks off for 1/2 term on 22nd and 29th October). The first week will be run as an opportunity for you to try the club and will cost £8 per child. At this session you will then be able to sign up for the rest of the term for £64 per child or £120 for 2 sibings coming together.
Each week the children, who attend with a carer, get the chance to taste and learn about food in a fun way and to create a tasty dish to take home and enjoy. Pattacakes Food Coaches ensure that all techniques are appropriate to the age and ability of the children taking part and most importantly taste really delicious! We cover a mixture of sweet and savoury recipes taking into account healthy eating guidelines. We provide all ingredients, equipment, aprons and containers to take the food home in. Younger siblings are welcome to come along with you as well. We can cater for most food allergies but need to know when you book.
To sign up for the first session call us on 01582 762986 or send us an email

HAVE YOU BEEN ON ONE OF OUR UNIQUE COOKERY AND CERAMIC PAINTING WORKSHOPS YET?
These highly enjoyable children's workshops are run in conjunction with pottery painting company 'Made by Me' and always book up quickly. During the 3 hour workshop children create a piece of painted pottery and create two dishes under the supervision of expert tutors. We have a few places left on the afternoon workshop on 12th December which will be held at St Nicholas Church Hall, Harpenden. If interested see our website or 'made by me' or give us a call on 01582 769855 / 762986 or email us

FOOD IN SCHOOLS
Jane Todd and Sarah Cripps from Pattacakes Cookery School are now recognised as trainers for the Department of Children, Schools and Families 'Food in Schools Primary Training' initiative which ensures all primary schools in the UK have teachers who are trained to deliver food education as part of the primary curriculum. We were very pleased to be asked to join this initiative and will be offering the first courses this Autumn. Courses will be one or two days long and cover the delivery of the food curriculum at KS1 & KS2. The courses are free and are open to all primary schools in the area, specifically those teachers who have a remit for Design and Technology. More details will be sent out in due course but contact us for more information if you are a local teacher or would like your school to participate and are interested in finding out more.

Fantastic Flexible Business Opportunity!
We have already had a lot of interest from people wanting to join us as Food Coaches and Franchisees, but we are still looking for more people. Could this be just what you are looking for? Are you a confident cook or do you know someone who is? Could you create food confident children? By using our range of activities for children you too can bring cookery to life. Whatever your background we will train you to become a Pattacakes Food Coach and provide you with everything you need to run your own profitable Pattacakes Cookery School in your area, providing exciting workshops and parties for preschoolers to 11 years old. For more information visit our website and look at 'Work with Us'

At this time of year there is often a glut of apples and plums. Make the most of them with this easy recipe Let's make
GATHERED HARVEST PIE

INGREDIENTS

For the Pastry
120g Plain Flour
60g Block Margarine or Butter
About 60ml Cold Water

For the Filling
1 large Eating Apple
3 or 4 Plums or Greengages
1 tablespoon Fresh Breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons Demeara Sugar
To Glaze
1/2 beaten egg

How to make your
GATHERED HARVEST PIE
Remember to always ask a grown up to help whenever the text is underlined Start by washing hands, putting on an apron and tying up long hair
To make the pastry, put flour in a mixing bowl. Break the butter or margarine into little pieces and put this into the bowl
Using your fingertips rub the butter into the flour until it looks like breadcrumbs
RUBBING IN
Put your hand into the bowl of flour and butter and rub your fingers and thumbs together. Keep putting your hand back down into the flour and butter so you are always rubbing more butter and flour together. The butter will gradually be mixed into the flour and the mix will be a pale yellow colour. When it looks like breadcrumbs and there is no flour left, you can stop. It is important not to keep rubbing for too long as your mixture will get sticky and your pastry will be tough
Add 8 teaspoons of water and mix well. Add more water if needed and gently mix into a ball of soft but not sticky dough. Put in a cool place while you prepare the fruit
Ask a grown up to help you prepare the fruit. Peel and cut the apples into quarters. Cut out the cores and pips , then cut each apple quarter in half. Cut plums or greengages in half and remove the stones
Put the fruit into a bowl. Add demerara sugar and mix everything together
Sprinkle flour on the table and push with hands or roll the pastry out to a circle about 25cm diameter and 1/2 cm thick. Place on a slightly bigger piece of baking parchment
scatter the breadcrumbs over the centre of the pastry circle
pile the fruit mixture onto the breadcrumbs in a mound, leaving 5cm clear round the edge
bring the sides of the pastry up to cover the fruit all the way around to make a parcel. Pinch the pastry together where it touvhes itself. You can leave a small gap at the centre if the pastry will not reach
Place the parcel on the baking parchment on a baking tray. Brush lightly with beaten egg
Bake the pie for 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove carefully with oven gloves
The pie can be served warm or cold. Serve with custard, cream or ice cream
skills included in this recipe: Rubbing In, Chopping, Rolling Out

© Pattacakes 2009

More information about
Pattacakes Cookery School
can be found at
www.pattacakes.com
give us a call or 01582 769855 / 762986 or email us

2009-07-06T14:50:00.002+01:00

Children's Food Festival
It is now a week since we took part in the Children's Food Festival, and we have just about recovered! We taught nearly 200 children at the Pattacakes Little Cooks Cookery Club marquee which was a central part of the festival. The children, all aged under 5, learnt how to make lots of yummy things including Tabouleh, Flapjack Apples and Pears, Homous and Pitta Chips, Pizza Pate and Blushing Baked Potatoes. Over 14,000 people made their way to the festival site at the Northmoor Trust's farm in Abingdon, Oxford. On offer was a huge variety of foodie related activities all aimed at children, with lots to taste and try their hands at. in addition Sophie Grigson, Raymond Blanc, Annabel Karmel and a number of other celebrity chefs joined in giving cookery demonstrations. The whole event was deemed a fantastic success and will hopefully be repeated next year - watch this space! For photos and more details see www.childrensfoodfestival.co.uk

Food Coaches and Franchisees
We have had a lot of interest in people wanting to join us as Food Coaches and Franchisees. See the website for more details or get in touch and see what we could offer you.

Summer Holiday Workshop
There are just a few places left on our summer holiday workshop which is being held at Wyllyots Theatre in Potters Bar on 4th August from 11.15 - 1.15 at a cost of £12 per person. If you would like to come along booking is essential - contact the box office on 01707 645005 (www.wyllyottscentre.co.uk)

Little Cooks Cookery Club and New Workshops
We will be sending out dates of our new courses in the next few weeks. If you would like to join our mailing list to be the first to hear what is on offer see the main website.

Food in Schools Primary Training
We have now been recognised as trainers for the Department of Children, Schools and Families Food in Schools Primary Training initiative which ensures all primary schools in the UK have teachers who are trained to deliver food education as part of the primary curriculum. We were very pleased to be asked to join this initiative and will be offering the first courses in the Autumn. Open to all primary schools in the area and specifically aimed at those teachers who have a remit for Design and Technology the courses will be free. More details will be sent out in due course but contact us for more information if you are a local teacher and would like more information.

2009-06-24T10:23:00.003+01:00

CHILDREN'S FOOD FESTIVAL
Just 3 days to go...
We are working very hard getting everything ready for the 2nd Children's Food Festival to be held this weekend (27th and 28th June 2009) at the Northmoor Trust Farm in Abingdon, Oxford.
Pattacakes Cookery School will be running the hands on cooking tent in the Early Years Area and we have lots of tempting dishes for you to make and take home. We are replicating our very successful Little Cooks Cookery Club for preschoolers in a marquee on the farm as part of the festival which will be a really fun day out for all the family.
There are lots of foodie activities for children of all ages and adults with lot of opportunities to get cooking, taste new foods, and meet lots of celebrity chefs who will be there sharing their secrets. If you or your children enjoy cooking it's a must, or even if they don't this might just be the chance to get them enthusiastic about food. At just £10 per family you can't miss it. Come and see us and join in the fun. www.childrensfoodfestival.co.uk

2009-06-22T16:06:00.004+01:00

Latest News and Recipes June 2009
27th & 28th June 2009 Children's Food Festival
We are delighted that Pattacakes Cookery School has been recognised as experts in teaching young children to cook by the organisers of the 2nd Children's Food Festival,which takes place in Oxford this June. We have been asked to host the under 5's cookery area at this exciting and unique event which aims to transform young people'sapproach to food. Celebrity chefs Raymond Blanc and Sophie Grigson will be fronting this celebration of food and cooking which includes cookery demonstrations, information areas and lots of hands on cooking activities for children. This is a really fun event forall the family and we recommend it to absolutely everyone with children. Put thedate in your diary now. See The Children's Food Festival website http://www.children'sfoodfestival.co.uk for more details about the weekend.

Fantastic Flexible Business Opportunity!
Are you a confident cook or do you know someone who is? Could you create food confident children? You'll find our recipe for sucess is simple: We've made cooking fun foreveryone. By using our range of activities for children you too can bring cookeryto life. Whatever your background we will train you to become a Pattacakes Food Coach and provide you with everything you need to run your own profitable PattacakesCookery School in your area, providing exciting workshops and parties for preschoolersto 11 years old. For more information visit our website http://www.pattacakes.com/ and look at 'Work with Us'

Try making our easy pizza inspired pastries
Let's make PIZZA SWIRLS
You will need a 16cm round baking tin base lined with a piece of baking parchment

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DOUGH
175g Strong Flour
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Fast Action Yeast
95ml Warm Water

FOR THE FILLING
1 tablespoon Tomato Puree or Sundried Tomato Paste
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
175g Strong Flour
25g Mature Cheddar Cheese
25g Block Mozarella Cheese
Few leaves of Fresh Basil(Optional)
Black or Green Olives(Optional)
1 Sundried Tomato (in oil)
½ teaspoon Salt

How to make your PIZZA SWIRLS
Remember to always ask a grown up to help whenever the text is in italics
Start by washing hands, putting on an apron and tying up long hair
Turn the oven on to Gas 6, 200°c

TO MAKE THE DOUGH
Put the flour, oil, salt and yeast together in a bowl
Add the tomato puree and warm water and mix together with a mixing spoon.
When the mixture starts to come together use hands to mix to a soft dough.
Sprinkle some flour on the table to prevent the dough from sticking.
Knead the dough on the table for about 5 minutes until it is smooth and elastic

KNEADING To knead dough, fold it and punch it down with your fists, turning round each time, or if easier keep rolling the dough into a sausage and folding it in half until the dough is smooth and stretchy.

On a piece of baking parchment roll the dough into a sausage about 20 cm long.
Flatten down to a rectangle about ½ cm thick.
Cover with a tea towel and place in a warm place until slightly risen

TO MAKE THE FILLING Grate the cheese into a bowl - preferably using a rotary grater Be careful - graters are sharp
Prepare the basil by tearing into small pieces, cut the olives (if using) and the sundried tomatoes into small pieces using scissors

TO FINISH THE PASTRIES Take the dough base and baking parchment. Sprinkle the cheese, basil, sundried tomatoes and olives evenly over the dough.
Starting with the long side carefully roll up the dough and filling to make a sausage.
Using a table knife cut the roll into 6 slices
Cut out a circle of baking parchment to fit the bottom of the baking tin and use it to line it. Place the slices in the baking tin cut side down, so that the swirl of filling can be seen.
Arrange 5 of the slices in a circle and place 1 in the middle.
Cover the baking tin and place in a warm place for 10 minutes until the swirls are double in size and touching each other.
Place the baking tray in the oven for about 10 minutes.The swirls will be ready when the cheese is bubbling and the dough lightly browned.Remove carefully using oven gloves and allow to cool before enjoying

Skills included in this recipe: mixing, kneading, grating, cutting (with scissors),chopping (with knife) © Pattacakes 2008

BOOKING NOW !! Little Cooks Cookery Club
Our very popular Cookery Club for preschoolers takes place every other week at St Nicholas Church Hall, Harpenden. This session runs for one hour between 1.45 and2.45 and gives children aged from 2 and half years to school age the chance to taste and learn about food in a fun way and create a tasty dish to take home and enjoy.Recipes have been specially developed by the Pattacakes home economists to ensure that all techniques are appropriate to the age and ability of the children taking part and most importantly taste really delicious! We cover a mixture of sweet and savoury recipes taking into account healthy eating guidelines and children attend with a carer. We provide all ingredients, equipment, aprons and containers to take the food home in. Bookings can be made on a one off session basis or as a series and cost £8 each or £15 for 2 siblings attending together. These clubs are VERY popular so we suggest you book up early. The dates for sessions this term are: 23rd April, 7th May, 21st May, 11th June,18th June, 2nd July. Phone 01582 762986 to reserve your place - let us know if you have any food allergies or intolerances when booking - we can adapt most things as long as we know in advance.

STOP PRESS
New Autumn dates for our exciting Cookery and Pottery Painting Workshops
Our last Cookery and Pottery Painting workshop held on 21st March was as popular as ever. 32 children attended and spent the afternoon creating dishes with an Easter theme - delicious Fruity Filo Nests and a sumptious Chocolate Truffle Torte and then painted beautiful ceramic Easter baskets. These workshops are run in conjunctionwith pottery painting company 'Made by Me' and always book up quickly. We have 2 future dates for your diary - 19th September and 12th December. If interested get in touch.

Has Pattacakes visited your school?
We have been very busy running cookery workshops in local primary schools to compliment their KS1 Technology and Personal, Social and Health Education work. 60 year one and two pupils at Prae Wood School in St Albans recently spent 2 days with us learning about Italian food and making tasty Pizza Swirls which they then took home to enjoy with their families. To celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight in February, St Nicholas School in Harpenden asked us to run special cookery workshops with a banana theme, which supplemented their KS2 design and technology curriculum work. We talked about the importance of choosing fairtrade items and what it means for the farmers of these products with 2 classes of children from years 5 and 6. The children then made over 100 Chocolate Banana Loaves and Banana Fruit Cakes with us! These were then served to the guests at a fairtrade fashion evening staged by Sir John Lawes School much to everyone's enjoyment.
Pattacakes Cookery School has qualified food technology teachers who can run workshops in primary schools on many different themes, starting from just £5 per child. If you would like more information see our website or email us direct to mailto:info@pattacakes.com[mailto:pattacakes@ntlworld.com

Pattacakes hits the radio

2008-10-13T13:57:00.004+01:00

Jane had a successful discussion with Vanessa Feltz on BBC Radio London the other day. She was commenting on the Government policy to give out cookery books to all 11 year olds. As she said, 'This is great but needs to be backed up with education and generally children need to see parents cooking in the home. How many of us have bought cookery books which sit on the shelf.' At Pattacakes we thoroughly endorse the policy to make it compulsory for all children to learn food technology between the ages of 11-14 from 2011 but we should be tackling the supermarkets as well.

The new Pattacakes blog

2008-02-19T12:47:00.001Z

Welcome to the new Pattacakes blog. We will be adding news and information here on a regular basis.

Find out the latest on our workshops where younger cooks learn the basics of cookery and grown up cooks develop their cookery skills and can try their hand at new dishes.

Cooking Parties
Our popular Pattacakes cooking parties can be held for birthdays, Christmas, seasonal fun, sleepovers or simply because you fancy one.