Wednesday 5th April – Crockham Hill School, Crockham Hill, TN8 6RP After 8 years dedicated to food, Jo Banks brings creative recipe ideas together through fun, clear, interactive presentations and hands-on workshops/classes. “Cookery is a life skill and a subject I feel very passionate about! I have two daughters and I feel the more children can be involved in preparing food – from the beginning – the more likely they will enjoy eating and exploring adventurous tastes and fla

Thursday 19th April – Hazelwood School, Art Room After 8 years dedicated to food, Jo Banks brings creative recipe ideas together through fun, clear, interactive presentations and hands-on workshops/classes. “Cookery is a life skill and a subject I feel very passionate about! I have two daughters and I feel the more children can be involved in preparing food – from the beginning – the more likely they will enjoy eating and exploring adventurous tastes and flavours.” This time

Another week has whizzed past, sticking with no alcohol and watching the calories, who said this was a good idea? I have had to look harder at hardy winter vegetables that are in season and thinking about more adventurous recipes in the kitchen. Love all the swede and turnips particularly butternut squash, sweet potatoes and of course carrots, cauliflower, chard, kale, leeks, and parsnips. So easy just simply roasting these vegetables and I do like Brussel sprouts but you may

We made these at my after school club with the children and they were all voted ‘very yummy’ by the children and all the Mums and Dads collecting. I talked to the children in small groups about refined sugar and the benefits of using dried fruit instead to sweeten naturally, a few of them were not convinced until they tasted… I don’t think many flapjack trays got all the way home for trying later. Irresistible and healthy with no refined sugar. The recipe is flexible you can

Thursday 16th February 2017 – Crockham Hill Primary School After 8 years dedicated to food, Jo Banks brings creative recipe ideas together through fun, clear, interactive presentations and hands-on workshops/classes. “Cookery is a life skill and a subject I feel very passionate about! I have two daughters and I feel the more children can be involved in preparing food – from the beginning – the more likely they will enjoy eating and exploring adventurous tastes and flavours.”

Hopefully Christmas cake is made and pudding too, if you make it from scratch.  I have also made homemade mincemeat this year which I love and makes a real difference in those mince pies! I have enough jars to get me through the holidays. Another delicious recipe idea is Christmas muffins. A delicious way to use up leftover jars of mincemeat after Christmas or to christen a new jar, whichever way, they are great with a cup of coffee over the Christmas period. As you know I ha

Thursday 8th December 2016 Christmas Cake Decorating Workshop – Harris Room, Crockham Hill Village Hall Sally Boulton and I will be running this ‘hands-on’ workshop. Starting the morning with plenty of coffee and homemade shortbread (of course) and watching Sally in action. Showing us some beautiful festive decorating tips and ideas for your Christmas cake this year. Come and learn how to marzipan, ice and decorate a rich fruit and a madeira sponge cake. You will go home with

Saturday 3rd December 2016 – Crockham Hill Primary School After 8 years dedicated to food, Jo Banks brings creative recipe ideas together through fun, clear, interactive presentations and hands-on workshops/classes. “Cookery is a life skill and a subject I feel very passionate about! I have two daughters and I feel the more children can be involved in preparing food – from the beginning – the more likely they will enjoy eating and exploring adventurous tastes and flavours.” J

This was an extremely busy week. Back to normal after half term, and Halloween on a school night, which I can never remember! It didn’t cramp our style too badly but I think we had a lot less visitors… The Spirit of Christmas has been on all week at Olympia in South Kensington. I got up for the day with Sue and we had a great day, although slightly rushed – I realised my watch was still on summer time, so we missed the Champagne Tasting. It really got me in the mood, I cannot

These rich chocolate flavour cupcakes with beetroot added have a moist, fluffy light texture and a fresh raspberry hidden inside. Ingredients: 200 ml sunflower oil plus extra for greasing 175 g self-raising flour 75 g unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 250 g golden caster sugar ½ teaspoon baking powder 250 g vacuum-packed cooked beetroot in natural juices (total weight), drained and juice reserved 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 24 fresh raspberries (about 85 g total weight),

Had a lovely chat on the phone this afternoon with Great British Bake Off winner, 2011 – Jo Wheatley. She was down to earth, chatty and we even had a few giggles! Winning the GBBO was ‘life changing’ and she has become a confident business woman with two cookery books and a cookery school too! Jo told me that being on the show was completely nerve wrecking! To have the competition, Paul and Mary coming up and wanting to ‘chat’ during a task as well as sometimes 8-12 camera cr

Thursday 1st September 2016 – Crockham Hill Primary School After 8 years dedicated to food, Jo Banks brings creative recipe ideas together through fun, clear, interactive presentations and hands-on workshops/classes. “Cookery is a life skill and a subject I feel very passionate about! I have two daughters and I feel the more children can be involved in preparing food – from the beginning – the more likely they will enjoy eating and exploring adventurous tastes and flavours.”

Fancy sitting in your own kitchen or living room with your friends and learning some new entertaining ideas over a glass or two of wine?  When I am finished you sit and enjoy the rest of the evening eating all the delicious prepared food. All ingredients are included and a glass of fizz on arrival, recipes to take home, and I bring all my own utensils, everything I need (take it all away with me too). Party Themes Available – Canapés, Summer Entertaining, Pimms & Puds, Thai S

What a find! Hidden in the Kingscote Valley just outside of East Grinstead is the Kingscote Wine Estate. The Estate with over 150 acres with fishing lake, paddocks, vineyards and apple orchards I really was impressed with this secret I had discovered! The reason I hunted this place down was to meet Jethro Carr of Kitchen Academy and see the beautiful Tithe Barn cookery school. It was worth the visit with a professionally equipped kitchen, seating for 120 in the barn and flexi

“Wow what a day! Not only is Mark Tilling quite the celebrity at the moment staring in BBC Two’s Bake Off – Crème de la Crème, he is also Squire’s Kitchen’s Master Chocolatier and resident tutor, but he is down to earth, enthusiastic, fun and an excellent teacher. Creme de la Creme at Squires Kitchen I really enjoyed learning the skills and will be tempering chocolate and making some more homemade chocolate gifts going forward. Mark was patient and really helpful in terms of