Wood fired outdoor cooking courses at Deer Park Hotel

The recently revamped, seriously stylish Deer Park Country House Hotel just outside Honiton in Devon has called on wood fired oven cooking expert, David Jones of Manna from Devon Cooking School, to add another exciting dimension to their utterly fabulous courses. A series of new, outdoor wood fired oven courses will start in April and run through until the end of September 2014.

During the varied range of exciting new courses, which will take place during the week, David will share his infectious passion and enthusiasm for cooking with The Bushman wood fired oven which has recently been installed at this hugely desirable hotel. What could be better than learning from wood fired oven specialists in the stunning gardens of a quintessential English country house?

A long standing tradition in many countries around the world, cooking with a wood fired oven has become extremely popular in recent years and is now one of the latest trends to take the UK by storm. Throughout David’s classes you’ll be taught all about wood fired ovens and how to prepare and cook with them. The five hands-on cooking classes (£95 per person per course) are ‘The Devon Larder’, ‘Grill like a Gaucho’, ‘Pizza and Flat Breads’, ‘From Coast to Countryside’ and finally a ‘Deer Park Tandoori’ experience.

Celebrating the county’s delicious local produce and wonderful artisan producers, The Devon Larder course will teach you how to create an array of tasty seasonal ‘Devonian’ dishes including a traditional Homity Pie and souffled crab frittata.

Grill like a Gaucho is the perfect course for meat lovers and those wanting to embrace the char and wood ash of the fire. Throughout the South American inspired course you’ll master how to char grill steaks, sear squid and create the South American chimmichurri steak sauce.

Situated in Kingswear overlooking the River Dart, Manna from Devon will bring their favourite flavours of the sea to the Deer Park Country Park House Hotel. Using whole lemon sole, mackerel and John Dory as well as many other tasty fish varieties, during the From Coast to Countryside course you’ll learn about each fish and how to prepare and cook it using a selection of mouth-watering recipes.

Keen to share his new found knowledge from Manna from Devon’s recent Indian adventure, the Deer Park Tandoori experience will see you grinding spices, marinating meat and cooking traditional Indian recipes including baked samosas, onion bhajis and naan breads.

Although synonymous with pizzas, wood fired ovens can of course be used to cook a variety of appetizing flat breads. During the Pizza and Flat Breads course David will show you how to make, shape and top dough whilst producing pizza, lavash, pita and pissaladiere (four delicious flat breads from across the world).

Commenting on the new cooking courses, Mark Godfrey, Managing Director at the Deer Park Country House Hotel, says: “I have known David and Holly Jones from Manna from Devon Cooking School for years. They are both hugely talented. David’s cooking courses will bring that extra touch to our mid-week breaks here at the Deer Park.” Mark continues: “We have been thrilled with our new Bushman wood fired oven and can’t wait to see it being used at its full potential.”

Set in 80 acres of magnificent grounds, the 18th Century Georgian mansion hotel in East Devon boasts beautiful boutique hotel bedrooms, a stunning Italian garden and desirable restaurant. Influenced by the best of British, the Deer Park Country House Hotel is the epitome of a quintessential English Country House. ‘Cooking with a wood fired oven’ is just one of the courses in the exciting new series of laid back, informal and fun outdoor courses on offer within the grounds of the recently renovated hotel. Open to both residents and non-residents, other mid-week courses include ‘An Introduction to Falconry’, ‘Apple Tree Pruning’, ‘An All Day Country Affair’, ‘Fish, Find and Flame’ and ‘Beekeeping’.

Established in 2005, Manna from Devon Cooking School is run by Holly and David Jones who teach cooking skills to small groups in the relaxed environment of their Victorian home overlooking the beautiful River Dart in South Devon. In addition to the main kitchen there is a second kitchen in the style of a bakery.

For further information on the Manna from Devon courses at the Deer Park Country House Hotel please visit http://www.deerparkcountryhotel.co.uk or call 01404 41266. For further information on Manna from Devon Cooking School go to www.mannafromdevon.com.