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french3Tonya2016-01-12T19:22:31+11:00

Tonya’s Musings

  • Chocolate – how to temper it and why it is important to do so
  • Ras el hanout – the magical Moroccan spice blend
  • Walnut and onion bread
  • Mandarin and Pistachio Flourless Cake
  • Wonderful emails from happy class participants bring a lot of joy to hearts

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Cooking Classes

  • COOK REAL FOOD PROGRAM
  • FOUR HOUR HANDS ON CLASSES
  • FRENCH ODYSSEY
  • ITALIANICIOUS
  • MEDITTERANEAN
  • SPANISH CUISINE
  • MOROCCAN EXOTIC SPICES

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From the Mediterranean-Touch of Spice! A few more From the Mediterranean-Touch of Spice! A few more photos including Turkish dessert almond and date Torte, pissaladiere, za’atar and herb tomatoes, eggplant rollatini… I think jet lag has popped into my posts!! #cookingclassmelbourne #cookingonthebaycookingclasses #mediterraneandiet #mediterraneanfoodexperience #melbournecookingclasses
To capture more of the cooking moments from the we To capture more of the cooking moments from the weekend classes I thought I should post these extra photos. So many photos are taken on the day. It is hard to select the best! #cookingonthebaycookingclasses #cookingclassmelbourne #melbournecookingclasses #italiancookingclass #cookingisfun #melbournecooking
With the end of the year so close, the cooking cla With the end of the year so close, the cooking classes are filling up with bookings, which is wonderful after my recent time away in France. Last weekend we cooked ‘around the Mediterranean’ with the Mediterranean - Touch of Spice cooking class and the Italianicious - Cooking with Passion cooking class. And they certainly did cook with a great deal of passion and zest! They were lively with lots of laughter and great cooking as is typical of the Mediterranean way of life which Centres around the love of good food, generosity, spirit and warm hospitality. The Cooking on the Bay kitchen was definitely demonstrating this love of food in a warm, happy hospitable environment with these very happy cooks! #cookingonthebaycookeryschool #cookingonthebaycookingclasses #mediterreancookingclass #melbournecookingclasses #cookingwithlove #cookingwithkids #mediterraneandiet #mediterraneancookingexperience #italiancookingclassesmelbourne #mediterraneancookingclassesmelbourne
This Saturday morning my cooking class is a Medite This Saturday morning my cooking class is a Mediterranean class… and today in Melbourne it is a dreary, drizzly cool day quite unlike a typical , lovely Mediterranean warm sunny day with blue skies. We will be cooking some great Mediterranean food which will warm our hearts with some spice and those delicious Mediterranean flavours of tomatoes, garlic, thyme, basil, rosemary, eggplant, fennel,, herbs and seeds, plus some of our dukkah and labneh. As Keith Floyd said in his Mediterranean book… ‘ cooking is a way of demonstrating your appreciation of nature and making a gift of kindness and love to those whose company you enjoy. The love of good food, generosity and hospitality is central to the Mediterranean way of life.’ This is what Mediterranean cooking is about and what I believe and practice in all of my cooking classes… food#cookingonthebaycookingclasses #mediterraneancookingclass #mediterraneanfood #mediterraneanhospitality #generosityofspiritbestwaytolive
The French cooking classes last weekend were jam-p The French cooking classes last weekend were jam-packed with the cooking of wonderful food and were lots of fun! Here are some more tempting treats… the next French cooking classes and the last for the year are on Saturday 30 November and Sunday 15 December…. so book a place and prepare yourselves for Christmas feasting. www.cookingonthebay.com.au #frenchcookingclasses #frenchcookingclassesmelbourne #melbournecookingclasses #cookingonthebaycookingclasses #christmascooking
The weekend French cooking classes were a most app The weekend French cooking classes were a most appropriate way for me to return to work after a wonderful six weeks travelling around France. We had the best two days of French cooking classes, one was French Desserts and the other a French Odyssey regional cooking class. Both groups were keen, good cooks and they all cooked great dishes for our lunchtime dining feast. One of the cooks on Sunday was young Leo, who at 14 held his own, and with his mother cooked an excellent crème caramel, nicely and tastefully decorated, a well seasoned and flavoursome duck liver pâté and our all-time favourite the Burgundian Comté cheese gougères. So remember those keen your cooks in your family need to be encouraged and allowed to experiment in your kitchens at home. The menu was my classic menu for all first time cooks in each French class; after this first French class, usually of cheese soufflés, a salade composée of mixed greens, goats cheese, walnuts and pear, duck breast, cooked to perfection, and various desserts sometimes a crème brûlée or crème caramel, etc, the menu changes, to suit the group, plus with the seasons. So a highlight was the return of asparagus on the menu. We cooked asparagus crème petit pots as a vegetable side dish, and this can also double as a delightful entrée alongside, freshly steamed asparagus spears with a hollandaise sauce. The Comté and chorizo canelés are a surprise, as they are savoury and spicey, still with the caramelised and golden exterior and soft custard like inside. A perfect amuse bouche along with the gougères. Desserts included a tart tatin with our puff pastry and a caramel sauce, profiteroles and crème pâtissière, passionfruit soufflés, crème Anglaise, meringue roulade with chocolate discs, pistachio cream, Turkish delight and berries, a crème caramel also with berries, Langue du chats and speculoos. There are always extra desserts to take home as well. #cookingonthebaycookingclasses #cookingclassesmelbourne #frenchcookingclass #frenchcookingclassmelbourne #frenchfoodlovers
This photo, for me, is just picture perfect and i This photo, for me, is just picture perfect and is one of my . It was taken very quickly from a bridge over the Canal de Garonne in Moissac on our way to dinner. We stayed on this canal some years ago with some friends and had a lovely few days so I guess it’s a very nice memory for me as well. Moissac is in Gascony, south west France . It is a very important town on the Camino route, especially noted for its beautiful Abbaye Saint-Pierre, the abbaye’s beautiful architecture, Cloisters and the monastic buildings surrounding it. #cookingonthebayinfrance #moissacfrance #canaldegaronne #moissac
It was a fabulous six weeks travelling in France. It was a fabulous six weeks travelling in France. Some of it was spent in Paris, some in rural France and there were 12 days walking along the French Camino route from Le Puy en Velay to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Although this distance is approximately 800 km we actually walked about 250 of it. The most picturesque paths were the ones we took so there was beautiful scenery in a peaceful countryside. I thought I would share a few of my favourite photos. From time to time I will post some more as there are many stories to tell.#cookingonthebayinfrance #frenchcamino2024 #viapodensis2024 #walkinginfrance #lechemindesaintjacquesdecompostelle #lepuyenvelay #saintjeanpieddeport #walkinginthefrenchcountryside
Saint Eustache church has a concert or organ recit Saint Eustache church has a concert or organ recital every Sunday at 5pm…. We went 3 weeks ago and loved the organ recital, yesterday was a choral concert. The music and singing was beautiful and a wonderful end to the day. The church is glorious and is Paris’ second biggest after Notre Dame, and is was packed on both occasions. #sainteustacheparis #churchconcerts #churchchoirsinging #parisonsundays #cookingonthebayinfrance
My last night’s dinner, after the fabulous choir My last night’s dinner, after the fabulous choir concert singing at Saint-Eustache church was at au Pied de Cochon, one of my favourite places to eat and right next to the church. .. and also Dehillerin! The oldest cookware shop in Paris where yesterday I purchased a few tools! I did not order a crepe Suzette but the table next to did and so the waiter entertained me with finishing off of the crepes and flambéing the Grand Marnier. He seems pretty happy about it! I choose an oeufs mayonnaise and delicious pork slow cooked trotter dish which came rolled in a light breadcrumb crust with tiny potatoes and sauted mushrooms … It tasted better than presented! #slowcookedpigtrotter#pigtrotters #aupieddecochon #oeufmayonnaise #cookingonthebayinfrance #crepesuzette #flambéing #crêpesuzette
Saturday night dancing in le Place Colette outside Saturday night dancing in le Place Colette outside La Comedie Francaise…. It was a mild evening and people were out to enjoy the music and dancing…it gives you a special joy to see dancing in the streets.#parisdansing #cookingonthebayinfrance #parislastdays
This was the view that greeted me on my walk home This was the view that greeted me on my walk home from dinner and the concert at Saint Eustache tonight … this is looking down my street, Rue de Richelieu, towards the Le Louvre . A beautiful location and what a sunset. Sadly I leave tomorrow after an amazing 6 weeks of learning, dining, touring, walking, pilgrimage, and cathedrals, churches crosses, cruficixes, plus l my wonderful fellow Camino pilgrims in our group on the ‘way’. A very memorable and remarkable journey . #cookingonthebayinfrance #parisisalwaysspecial #finaldayinparis #caminopilgrims #chemindecompostelle #cheminstjacques #parismylove
I am actually having a cafe creme at the Grande Ep I am actually having a cafe creme at the Grande Epicerie across the road from Le Bon Marche! It’s raining today and I need a coffee! This is an amazing huge food store …
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The beautiful sound of bells chiming the hour is s The beautiful sound of bells chiming the hour is still heard in France, especially in small villages . This is our last night on the Camino. We finished just outside the medieval town of St Jean Pied de Port in Banca, a tiny village in the Pyrenees. This is the end of the Chemin Frances, the Chemin de Compostella, the French way from Le Puy. St Jean Pied de Port is the traditional start of the Camino de Santiago de Compostella, the Spanish Way. We have had an amazing 12 days walking this French Camino with countless highlights along the way. I will continue to post these special moments as I have some time in Paris these next few days before I return home and back to work! #frenchcamino #cookingonthebayinfrance #t#caminofrances2024 #pilgrimsway #stjeanpieddeporttosantiago #frenchchurchbells
In this region of the Auvergne one of their favour In this region of the Auvergne one of their favourite dishes is the Tartiflette and the aligote. I frequently make the tartiflette in my cooking classes , but I rarely make the aligote which we had yesterday… it tends to proves a challenge for too many of us in Australia as it is so rich. However it is delicious for potato lovers and those who enjoy tons of cream and butter and cheese. You will find my recipe for Tartiflette in my recipe collection on the website. These photos of aligote yesterday will give you some idea as to the nature of this dish. I loved it and had a couple of serves! #cookingonthebayinfrance #frenchcamino #cookingonthebay #aligote #tartiflette #caminofrances #viapodiensis2024 #víapodiensis
Our first 2 days have been beautiful walking throu Our first 2 days have been beautiful walking through the countryside. It has been so lush and green and we have had some rain although we fortunately did not walk in the rain. Yesterday was a 21.8 K walk and very testing as we were climbing up and down rugged slopes which were Rocky at times and so we walked quite slowly. No one wanted any injuries. Happily, we made it exhausted to Malzieu-ville for our dinner and overnight stay. we have a lovely group of 12 people plus a guide and bus driver. Today we walked 13 kilometres in the afternoon after our visit to Laguiole the home of the very special hand made french knives, and our visit to the artisanal Cheese home of Laguiole and aligote cheese, both these places I have not been to before which was great. Our lunch was in a buron, where traditionally they made these cheeses in the mountains before they were made in the town commercially. It was a lovely lunch with a charcuterie platter, pork sausage and the local specialty aligote made with potatoes, garlic and cheese, whipped into a smooth luscious creamy textured potato dish, and desert of lemon sorbet. Up in this mountain area it was freezing cold and wet. We had an hours drive to the beginning of our walk during which time we decided whether we would walk or not. By the time we got to the drop-off point the sun was out so we all decided that we would walk. It turned out to be a wonderful afternoon again climbing up and down over rocks roots and muddy tracks. This night are staying in Saint. Come-d’olt in a beautiful convent. The gardens and the church and the actual convent are really beautiful peaceful and pleasant. Dinner was typical convent food… nothing more to say. It was an early night and as we are all exhausted is that a good thing. tomorrow we walk plus drive to Conques #frenchcamino #cookingonthebayinfrance #viapodiensis2024 #conques
For some reason the head of st. Jacques and the ro For some reason the head of st. Jacques and the roch st Michel were cut off my previous post.. they were the most beautiful and important of all the last phots… so I hope these are fine. Now we are 12 Ks along the track…. A picnic lunch today and I am starving. Beautiful countryside in this Haute Loire region #cookingonthebay #cookingonthebayinfrance #walkingfrenchcamino #caminofrances #caminopodiensis #lepuyenvelay
Yesterday was my first morning in le Puy where are Yesterday was my first morning in le Puy where are Camino walk begins tomorrow. Each morning at 7 am there is a mass in the cathedral and I went yesterday and today as it is a very moving service given by the Bishop blessing all the pilgrims on their journey. Yesterday and today the cathedral had about 300 people in it , all Pilgrims starting their journey. Our journey, our Camino finishes in. St Jean pied de port. At the end of the service, the Bishop ask where all the pilgrims are from and they record the countries and the number of pilgrims from each country. He also presents each Pilgrim with a beautiful tiny silver charm with the scallop shell on one side and on the other is the black virgin, which is a holy relic and sits above the altar. Yesterday I also walked up the volcanic out crop on top of which sits the chapel of Saint Jacques. This chapel was started to be built in about 1000 A.D. it is a quaint beautiful simple chapel with lovely old fresco’s on the walls and ceiling. To reach the top I climbed 267 steps! #cookingonthebayinfrance #lepuycamino #frenchcamino2024
Our day at Giverny plus visiting Monets grave in t Our day at Giverny plus visiting Monets grave in the quaint cemetery. Also there were memorials to fallen RAF soldiers in June 1944… #cookingonthebayinfrance #monetsgarden
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  • COOK REAL FOOD PROGRAM
  • FOUR HOUR HANDS ON CLASSES
  • FRENCH ODYSSEY
  • ITALIANICIOUS
  • MEDITTERANEAN
  • SPANISH CUISINE
  • MOROCCAN EXOTIC SPICES

Recent Posts

  • Chocolate – how to temper it and why it is important to do so
  • Ras el hanout – the magical Moroccan spice blend
  • Walnut and onion bread
  • Mandarin and Pistachio Flourless Cake
  • Wonderful emails from happy class participants bring a lot of joy to hearts
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