The Gift of Cooking

Let's face it, cooking isn't for everyone.  In fact, something I've learnt over the years is not everyone has the same experience in the kitchen as I do, which is why something like The Feed Lot makes some of my friends cringe, while the rest start to clap.

The beauty of The Feed Lot is it forces us to try something new each month - Mexican, Thai, Madagascan, Italian, Traditional Christmas or the humble Pie - with delicious results.

I wasn't always into cooking.  Sure, in high school, I graduated top of Home Economics, and grew up with a great example of home cooked meals from my Mum, who never failed to disappoint at dinnertime.  But it wasn't until recently that I truly became interested in cooking.  I started reading cooking magazines, finding new recipes, trying foreign ingredients and getting a fabulous sense of achievement from producing something delicious.

Something else I've enjoyed along the way is cooking lessons.  Admittedly I've only done a few, with varying levels of hands-on involvement, but I have generally come away with a new skill, recipe or friend.  My first cooking lesson was a wedding gift, a voucher to The Spirit House cooking school in Yandina, Sunshine Coast.  This was hands-down one of the best wedding gifts we received - it was great fun, particularly for my husband who now happily tackles new recipes when the opportunity arises - no longer the spaghetti bolognaise/curried sausage/beef stroganoff man I'd married!

Why not give the gift of cooking this Christmas?  Here are some I've tried, to get you started:

Spirit House Cooking School, Yandina
Gordy's Cafe Deli, Toowoomba
Gypsy Gourmet, Toowoomba

Happy cooking xx