Dancing Trousers Cookery School

Slightly random one but can anyone make use of a load of audio books on cassette? Charity shops won't take them as it's an obsolete format (their words), I've tried local hospices but they don't have a way of playing them and I'm really trying to avoid them going to landfill. There are 76 of them (no, I'm not going to list them all). I don't want any money but if you need them posted it will cost £10 (they weigh over 11kg) I just don't want them to go to the tip! Everything from Chaucer to Joanne Harris, Austen to Le Carre and everything in between.

Blimey there are #plastic bottles of ready to make #pancake batter in the shops. You don't need 'em my friends, pancake batter is easy to make yourself and will taste much better, won't be full of nasty additives and won't create #plasticwaste. This is my Mum's recipe and still the best I know, and you'd batter believe it 😀
Pancake batter - makes 8-10 pancakes 115g plain flour 2 large free-range eggs... 280ml milk (you can use 200ml milk and 80ml water for a lighter version) 1 tablespoon melted butter pinch of salt Sunflower oil 1. Sift the flour and salt together twice. Make a well in the centre. 2. Lightly beat the eggs together and add to the well. Start adding the milk and with a fork start drawing the flour in from the edges gradually. When you've added around half the milk, get a balloon whisk in and give it a good whisking. Add the butter. 3. Whisk in the remainder of the milk and the final batter should be the consistency of single cream. Cover and keep cool for 30 minutes. This resting is important, it helps the starch absorb the liquid and gives the pancakes a better texture. It makes life easier to put it into a jug after this, makes the pouring into the frying pan simpler. 4. I cook my pancakes with sunflower or corn oil, not butter because it burns too easily and we've already got a little in our batter to add flavour and richness. 5. Heat a 20cm non stick frying pan with a thin coating of oil. Let the pan get really hot - then add around two/three teaspoons of oil, roll it around to cover the whole surface then pour all the excess into a jug to leave a fine layer. The oil should be really hot, almost smoking. 6. Pour a small cupful or about 1⁄3 of a mug of batter into the pan, (it should sizzle like a good'un if your pan is hot enough) and immediately roll it around the pan to coat the whole base evenly. Keep over a high heat until it’s brown on the base (you can peek using a thin metal spatula or palette knife). Loosen around the edge and underneath with your palette knife and turn it over or go for the tossing method! It'll need around 30 seconds on the other side. 7. Refresh your oil from the jug, pour out the excess again and repeat. Serve with lemon juice and sugar, or chocolate spread (I love Mr Organic's dairy free), my friend Mariella Bliss - Blissful Italian food nocciolina hazelnut spread or anything else you fancy! © Dancing Trousers Cookery School
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Well done Quaker Oats UK the only brand I could find in the supermarket that comes in a cardboard box not #plastic if they can do it ...... #plasticnevergoesaway

Just tried a vegan product; 'no chicken nuggets' from the Vegetarian Butcher. I struggle with that brand name, which seems to kind of defeat the object, but they are actually good (had mine with a bit of delicious chili jam made by the lovely Sarah Jarman Alexander).

Haven't made this dessert since I did my training. It's a three day labour of love, genoise sponge, sugar syrup, blackcurrant puree into custard into mousse with Italian meringue, then a layer of blackcurrant jelly to glaze the whole thing. Then fingers crossed it comes away from the acetate Ta-da! Rather pleased with her. Delice au cassis.

This is me and my lovely neighbour and friend Don cooking up a storm in the Filkins Village Hall with the brilliant Moira and Pauline front of house. We turned out a full Christmas dinner for 48 village residents - on a domestic sized cooker! (And there's no dishwasher! 😳) It's a great #community event and our first anniversary of doing these lunches 🎉 Thanks to everyone who came and supported it and Happy Christmas!

What a fabulous last class of 2018. We made #panettone, Pastiera di Grano, amazingly well defined criss cross decorations (Nonna Gina would approve), Parmesan shortbread with 36 month matured Parmesan and last but not least, panpepato with spices, black pepper, really good dark chocolate and lots of stirring. Grazie Mariella Bliss - Blissful Italian food the undisputed Regina of the Italian Kitchen 🏆🥇

Today we ran our last class of 2018 and what a treat. We made #panettone, authentic and beautiful. No one else teaches it and we know why, it takes time, patience and really good ingredients to bake the real thing. Look at this beauty and then watch the new dance craze, the 'successful crumb' rhumba! Not just panettone but we made Pastiera di Grano with the beautiful criss cross decoration, Parmesan shortbread with 36 month matured Parmesan and the amazing panpepato with honey, nuts, dark chocolate and black pepper. All #authentic, all fabulous. Thank you to my good friend and wonderful teacher Mariella Bliss - Blissful Italian food for another great year of working together and thank you to today's lovely customers. Happy Christmas one and all x

There's a lot of baking action this week, today panettone! We're teaching this beauty on Sat 8th but the class is sold out, sorry!

So this is my first attempt at #vegan meringues using aquafaba (chickpea brine) flavoured with vanilla (aquafaba does have a slight taste that you need to mask) it's like eating sugar air! #chuffed

Here it is, the final garnishing and dressing of the #struffoli an authentic Neopolitan christmas dish full of candied fruit, honey, sugar sprinkles, liquorice 'cannellini beans' and more than a touch of magic. A great team effort and a fitting end to our Edible gifts course with Mariella Bliss - Blissful Italian food #italiancuisine #ediblegifts #christmas #youhavetoseeittobelieveit #cookeryclass

How much fun was this course? Lots is the answer. Such a wonderful group of customers, fun and fabulous festive food from Mariella Bliss - Blissful Italian food (and a little bit from me too!). We enjoyed a glass of prosecco, some of Mariella's delicious focaccia and Parmesan and everyone went home with torrone, panforte, ketchup, ricciarelli cookies and of course the madness that is struffoli! (watch the video). Grazie Mariella and all my fabulous customers. #italiancuisine #ediblegifts #christmas #cookeryclass

We have just one space left for our final course of the year; Italian Christmas bakes with Mariella Bliss - Blissful Italian food You'll learn to make beautiful panettone, pastiera the pretty decorated Italian ricotta tart, fabulous savoury Parmesan shortbreads and a spicy, chocolate panforte. Enjoy them yourself, and they make perfect gifts #homemadegifts #ediblegifts Don't miss out, book it now! https://bit.ly/2FGOyr0

Wowsa that was a labour of love! Lemon sponge, fresh raspberry Italian meringue buttercream, fresh raspberries, freeze dried raspberries for garnish. #Birthdaycake

Our last #macaron course of the year is Sat Nov 10th. You'll learn how to make them In time to give them as lovely #homemadegifts for #Christmas. Just four spaces available https://bit.ly/2PFjWXz

This bristle, wood and metal washing up brush is a most pleasing thing. Bring on the washing up! #plasticfree

Just 1 space left for our popular fresh pasta making course with the wonderful Mariella Bliss - Blissful Italian food - join us on Thurs 11 Oct for an evening of fun and #authentic #italianfood just £75 bit.ly/2P49SHq

I've just tried the first batch of damson jam and I declare it good. Thank you to the lovely people in Fyfield who were giving their beautiful damsons away outside the house, I love a freebie! And if you make damson jam, remember my top tip, use an olive stoner to get the stones out before you make the fruit pulp, it's MUCH easier than picking them out afterwards.