Hi all,

Over the last two weeks I’ve been involved with various forums looking at food sustainability.  One of the overriding facts that has come out is that because protein has become so cheap, we are eating more protein and fast foods, and less vegetables than ever before. As a nation we are slowly poisoning our systems, a lot of it due to the our high starch diet, as well as all the growth hormones, antibiotics and pesticides used to produce our food.  It is such a shame that in a country where we have such a fantastic climate we have such a limited availability of seasonal vegetables on the supermarket shelves.

“Italian cuisine is by no means vegetarian, but vegetables play an important and integral role in every meal.  This is partly because historically meat was very expensive, but it is mainly down to the immense richness of the Italian harvest.” – From our cookbook of the week, Vegetables from an Italian Garden. Maybe we should take a few lessons from the Italians.

Our recipe of the week is a delicious vegetable and pasta dish, see below.

Our August individual class programme is now live on the website.  We offer a wide selection of cooking classes for the next few weeks, see our programme for July and August.

Find us on Facebook and Twitter – just search for Wickedfood and you will find us. We update the blog on a daily basis and publish it through Facebook and Twitter.

Looking for info on food?

If you have any food-related questions, or a dish that you just can’t get right or even a certain recipe that you are looking for, but just can’t seem to find, then contact us and we will do our best to answer it as soon as possible. Click Here for more information. Hope to hear from you soon.

Wickedfood Cooking School news

The Cooking class programmes for July and August are up on the internet, and bookings are now open. Wickedfood Cooking School runs cooking classes with a minimum of 8 participants and a maximum of 12, giving everyone hands-on experience and keeping the cooking class small enough for maximum learning. These cooking classes are conducted by our senior instructors who have extensive experience in the food industry and share a variety of additional cooking tips throughout the cooking class.

• Monday 22 July at 6pm – The tastes of Europe – German comfort food (R430pp). Cosy gatherings with food and drink are the essence of German Gemuetlichkeit (comfort and cosiness). German cuisine has often been labelled as stodgy and fatty, but Germany has benefited from a close association with Italy and France and adopted many of their spices and cooking methods but with a German twist. Join us in cooking the hearty tastes of central Europe including blinis, green pea soup, Vienna schnitzel, creamed spinach, potato salad and apple strudel.

• Sunday 28 July at 4pm  –Jamie’s Ministry of Food – Easy curries, salads and soups (R430pp). We consider Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of food book his best. It is a perfect book for any beginner. We have taken six recipes from the book and re-interpreted them, with plenty of tips along the way. In this Jamie Oliver cooking class, learning the secrets to successful easy cooking, including a pea and mint soup, vegetable bhajis, chicken korma, lamb Rogan Josh, potato salad and a great vanilla cheescake.

• Monday 29 July at 6pm –30 minute meals (R430pp). Trying to juggle work and home commitments can be tough in this day and age, and the statement of ‘who has time to cook these days’ is on the increase. In this ‘30 Minute meals’ cooking class we show participants how to produce quick and easy 30-minute meals that are delicious and well balanced. Dishes include chickpea and pumpkin curry, grilled beef, grilled tuna and rich chocolate self-saucing pudding with only 5g of fat!

• Monday 05 August at 6pm – Cajun – tastes of the deep south (R430pp).  Cajun Food originates from the French-speaking Acadian or “Cajun” immigrants in the Acadiana region of Louisiana, USA. It is often called a rustic cuisine and locally grown food predominates with simple preparations. This Cajun cooking class is a spicy blend of classic recipes from America’s deep South, including gumbo, blackened fish and pecan pie.

• Sunday 11 August at 4pm  – Easy to prepare Italian dishes (R430pp). Italian cuisine is one of the most common cuisines available all around the world. In this Italian cooking class we learn to cook these 6 great dishes with an Italian flair including tomato pizza, bean and pasta soup, cannelloni, grilled fish, bean salad and lemon tart.

• Monday 12 August at 6pm – The art of dim sum (R430 per person). Literally meaning “to touch your heart,” dim sum consists of a variety of dumplings, steamed dishes and other goodies. They are similar to hors d’oeuvres, the hot and cold delicacies served at French restaurants. This Chinese-inspired cooking class teaches a few of these snacks for a cocktail party with an Asian flair. Dim sum included: steamed barbecued meat buns, barbecued pork, braised chicken wings, spiced pork spare ribs, and spring rolls.

Cookbook of the week

 Vegetables from an Italian Garden

Our cookbook of the week is a fantastic guide to the vegetable garden, from what to grow and to plant when, right through to mouthwatering recipes on how to prepare the harvest. … Click here to read more.

Click Here for reviews of all our cookbooks.

Food quote of the week

“There is a lot more juice in grapefruit than meets the eye.”  – Author Unknown

Recipe of the week

  Pappardelle With Cauliflower and Gorgonzola

Cauliflower and broccoli, work exceptionally well together with pasta.  This quick and easy vegetarian pasta dish is inspired from our cookbook of the week. … Click Here for all our recipes.

Wickedfood Cooking School runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built Johannesburg cooking studio. Cookery classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – teambuilding cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference. Our cooking lessons are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and team building cooking classes these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients. We’ve just launched a new and exciting class, Wickedfood Master Cook. Think Master Chef with a fun twist.