Cook
in
France
A relaxed friendly hands-on cooking holiday in the Dordogne, France
Jim Fisher (chef/owner)
Tel: 0033 (0)553 302405       Bombel, 24290, St Amand de Coly, Sarlat, Dordogne, France       (GPS: N45° 01.915/E001° 15.295)

A Wine and Food Matching Course in France

Learn how to match wine and food in the very cradle of wine and food itself - France.

Set in our magnificent recently converted stone barn, our wine and food-matching course is designed to be relaxed and friendly and far from stuffy.

If you have always dreamed of being able to successfully match wine with food, but thought it beyond you, or that it would take too long to learn, then come on our wine and food-matching course where we will definitely change your views.

Two experts on the same course...

Cookinfrance has teamed up with former marketing director of Sainsbury's, Julia Jenkins. A wine expert, who runs her own wine import/mail order wine business Flagship Wines from her base in Hertfordshire, Julia has more than two decades' experience in the wine trade behind her.

"Once, during Prohibition, I was forced to live for days on nothing
but food and water." (W.C. Fields)

Matching wine with food is one of Julia's most impressive skills. We worked with Julia for some time on our joint Wine & Dine venture. She has an amazing palate and nose, and can match a wine with just about any food - even chocolate!

She also has that unique ability to denude this most complex subject and make it seem as though you've known about wines all your life.

Great wines, simple food, grape vines in the hot sun...

So, on our wine and food-matching course Julia and I will guide you through a range of wine and food matching combinations.  We'll also cook some great food, and Julia will help you match a suitable wine for us to drink with it. Or maybe, we'll choose a wine, then cook a dish to complement it.

There will be trips to wine producers and vineries in Bergerac (including Julia's own tame vintner, Pascal, at Chateau d'Eysard), and local wine tastings to compare rustic country wines with their rather more up-market Bordeaux cousins.

Sample menu with wines to go with it...

Here's a sample menu - one we regularly cook here as part of the cooking holiday - with wine notes by Julia (all the wines, and more, can be purchased from Julia at www.flagshipwines.co.uk):

Starter

Pear and Walnut Salad
with
Roquette and Parmesan Shavings
and a
Walnut Oil and Dijon Grain Mustard Dressing

Wine
Jansz Fizz NV
"A delicious Tasmanian sparkling wine made from Champagne grapes, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The climate is distinctly cool (it was when I was there!) so the grapes retain natural acidity for a refreshingly crisp yet fruity style".

Casablanca Gewurztraminer 2003, Chile
"Jim's old favourite, still going strong. Aroma and palate show lovely ripe fruit flavours reminiscent of lychees with a hint of spice.  Great as an aperitif or with dishes such as this lovely starter".

Main course

Grilled Seabass
with a
Vanilla Vinaigrette

Wine
Willows Semillon 2000 Barossa Valley
"From one of the most under rated wineries in the Barossa - Peter Scholz produces award winning wines with great finesse, flavour and varietal character. It has lemony ripe fruit with complexity and length".

Beaujolais non Filtre Manoir du Carra 2001
"This superb wine is made from vines that are 70-100 years old. A gold gold medal winner, it is better than most in this appellation. Glorious gently rich oak aged wine whose taste lasts and lasts".

Main course

Pan-Fried Magret
with
Stir-fried Seasonal Vegetables
and a
Three Citrus Jus

Cuvee l'Ancienne Macon Charnay 2002
"Elegant mellow Chardonnay with a lingering taste - a really delicious example of Macon white wine. Great value".

Seifried Estate Pinot Noir 2002
"New Zealand pinot at its best - vibrant fruit that has a soft velvety texture with a little balancing acidity".

Dessert

Glazed Lemon Tart
with
Basil Ice Cream

"My wine-of-the-week for this menu is:
Concha y Toro Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2000
This luscious yet light dessert wine is ideal for lemon pudding as it has a rich ripe fruity taste balanced by the natural acidity retained in the Sauvignon Blanc grapes.
Perfectly in tune with the lemon acidity in the dessert".

Prices
Prices start at just £120/175€ per person.

You can choose from our flexible range of one-day, two-day or three-day cooking courses, or come for our great value five-day/six-night cooking holiday. 

Courses and holidays can be residential or non-residential - it's your choice.  Non-cooking friends/partners welcome.

A cooking holiday can be cheaper than you think - find out how much our great value cooking holidays actually cost - you'll be pleasantly surprised!


Your chef, Jim Fisher