Cooking Classes with Carol

Pasta Making

2 hour (+) class followed by a meal and a glass of wine

Ever wanted to have a go at making your own delicious fresh pasta? Do you have a pasta maker tucked away in your cupboard never seeing the light of day? This could be the opportunity for you to gain the confidence to have a go at making your own homemade pasta.

Think pumpkin, ricotta & spinach ravioli with a herb butter sauce; spaghetti with prawn, olive oil, garlic and chilli; and fettuccine with a fresh basil and tomato passata with lashings of fresh parmesan. What you decide to make on the day is up to you based on your preference and dietary requirements.

In this hands on, workshop style cooking class, you will learn how to make fresh pasta and homemade sauces from scratch. You will then get to sit down, relax, and enjoy the fruits of your labour.

Jacqui at home for personal class making pasta

In this workshop you will receive:

Step by step instructions for making your own pasta dough
A hands on session that allows you to see and feel how your dough should be
Step by step instructions on how to make ravioli and spaghetti or fettuccine with the pasta maker
A hands on session using the pasta maker and creating your own ravioli and spaghetti or fettucine
Step by step instructions on how to make complimentary sauces
Printed pasta & sauce recipes and notes
All ingredients
A meal and glass of wine at the end of your class - lunch or dinner, whatever you decide

Costs and How to Book

Price per class:

1 person - $95

2 people - $80 per person

3 or more - $75 per person (max 6)

Price for both classes on same day:

1 person - $170

2 people - $140 per person

3 or more - $130 per person (max 6)

To book classes or make enquiries: Classes are only available to guests staying at the B&B. Please contact Carol directly to book classes, group size, and discuss your preferred time and format: info@taighnamara.co.nz, or phone 07 8665290 or 021 0610431. Cost can be added to your accommodation booking and paid either by credit card, bank transfer, or cash.

Carol is your host at Taigh na Mara, and has a love of all things food and cooking. She has always enjoyed cooking for friends and family and jumped at the chance to provide meals when she opened the B&B in 2015. Carol has travelled extensively and whenever possible would take a cooking class when she went to a new country. She has now decided to share her learnings and cooking skills with her guests, providing you with the opportunity to get into the kitchen and learn some new cooking techniques for yourself.

There are currently two classes on offer: Pasta making, and Meringue making. Italian food is a favourite of Carol’s to both cook and eat, and she decided to indulge herself further by spending time on a week long Cooking Vacation at Tuscookany, in the heart of Tuscany. Making pasta from scratch was just one of the many techniques learnt on this experience, and something she is happy to share. Creating beautifully coloured and flavoured meringue “kisses” is a skill learnt from Carol’s niece. Stacey was one of the original owners of “Meringue Girls”, a successful London based business which started out by creating stunning meringue kisses. Carol has perfected the techniques and has show cased these meringues in many a dessert, cake, or as a beautiful stand alone display, including providing 300 meringues for a display at a wedding expo.

These sessions are perfect for couples, friends, a girl’s weekend, a winter getaway, with 1:1 sessions also available. With two classes available you could choose to do just one, or combine the two sessions for a whole day of cooking or a full half day. The sessions will generally be around 2 hours each, but the timing may differ depending on the size of the group (maximum 6 people). A great addition to your stay at Taigh na Mara.

Meringue Making
2 hour class followed by dessert (includes dessert & meringues to take home)

Ever wanted to have a go at making your own delicious meringues? Do you have a stand alone mixer or electric whisk tucked away in your cupboard never seeing the light of day? This could be the opportunity for you to gain the confidence to have a go at making your own homemade meringues.

Think raspberry, passionfruit, lemon sherbet, coconut, and cocoa. What you decide to make on the day is up to you based on your preference and dietary requirements.

In this hands on, workshop style cooking class, you will learn how to make flavoured, coloured meringue kisses from scratch and how to serve them in a decadent dessert for all of your dinner party needs. You will then get to sit down, relax, and enjoy the fruits of your labour.

Guests and Carol with meringue kisses on baking tray