“Hey stove huggers! Ricky M is cooking again.
Of course the cooking never stops, but now we’re cooking live again with friends old and new. Keen cooks who always enjoy a shared experience ; the culinary curious increasing their hours in the place where it all happens; enthusiastic members of domestic kitchen brigades far and wide looking for inspiration. Great food vibes, chat, fun, know-how from close to the re-assuring blue of the Mediterranean where summer heat has given way in these still crazy days to Spanish autumn sunshine. It’s been a long journey and not exactly plain sailing since 13th March when we ran our last full-scale class for a wonderful group of ladies from the UK just 100m from its shores . That particular day we had to move location at the last minute as lockdown spread; I had no idea that the logistics then were an appetiser for what’s become a way of life.
I want to thank all friends and guests for their support during the first long lockdown and since. I’m sorry that we had to cancel so many bookings for the spring season. From the end of March I spent over three months back in the UK with plenty of cooking time on my hands. It was used to revisit old classics, create new dishes, think about how the cookery school experience can be improved and also plan how to adapt to these times. One thing that emerged was taking on board the available technology to present a new type of class, online.
Lockdown was tough and life’s still not easy for many. Yet during lockdown cooking does seem to have re-assessed its status in the lives of those who were thrown in the direction of the kitchen, enthusiastically or not. That’s got to be positive.
Right now I’m again writing this message from very close to Spain’s Mediterranean shores, but this a welcome to its southern shores, to the province of Cadiz in Andalucia. And my message is very much a welcome to the start of a new journey through the the kitchens, markets, restaurants and culinary life of this country’s diverse regions, starting here.
So how did this happen? Catalunya to Andalucia? All I can say in that just two months into my return at the beginning of July to Sitges, home of Sitges Cooks cookery school, despite all my efforts it was clear that life was not going to be the same because of cv-19 restrictions within the municipal run indoor market. I continued an ongoing search for a new home for the cookery school, but with no joy. Yet without a home we still had some good cooking moments including a class in the villa of my guests on a particularly hot afternoon when all sensible people would have remained in the pool (some guests did between dishes). It was great to soak up that familiar enthusiasm for Catalan, Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine mixed with chit-chat, chop-chop and know-how! And in August I was delighted to meet many new guests at a house overlooking the Med and we talked food and much more over a relaxing meal. This at-home service is something new and I’ll be happy to fit similar relaxed cookery sessions into our schedules, turning up or down the tuition levels as required.
But pleasant Sundays cooking by a pool were not enough. Something different was clearly needed when an idea came to mind to move the cookery school around Spain for a few months, a chance for me to re-tread some old culinary paths and discover some new regional cooking. Out of the blue an opportunity arose to spend an extended stay in Andalusia and within less than a fortnight I was here! Having spent a considerable time developing the on-line classes, the time and place became perfect to add them to the Ricky M Cooks offering. In every sense this is where we are now. A great way to say hello to as many culinary friends as possible from my new Andalusian kitchen; and very exciting as guests will be cooking one or two dishes along with me. Add to that the many options for tailormade cooking classes and cook-dine experiences for small groups under safe covid conditions and Ricky M really is cooking again!
So, I invite you to embrace all that’s good about being by the stove in these crazy days. Learn a little more out of your normal culinary box. Share your experiences. Join me for my unique take on culinary life in Spain and by the Med in 2020”
Ricky M.
