Late in 2019 I arrived on the Isle of Man for my third winter. Usually I don’t work when I am here having spent all summer running around I like to chill for a few months. That way I can begin again with renewed vigour in Spring. It’s a time for painting, catching up on the piles of books I have acquired on my travels and eating simple food. This winter looked different though, I had received a five year work permit from the Isle of Man government and I fancied getting out and about more.  Before I left in spring I met the unrivalled Mrs Revill, owner of the Cookshack cookery school, macron maker extraordinaire and general all round enthusiast of all things foodie. Fair to say we hit it off immediately and were both disappointed that we hadn’t met earlier. So when I arrived in September she was my first port of call.
Georgie began cooking at home in her kitchen near Bride, she went on to run a successful catering company before  making the natural move in to teaching. The Cookshack was purpose built four years ago. It is light and airy full of state of the art equipment, a brand new Esse and superlative views out to the Point of Ayre and across the sea to Scotland and Ireland.
I sat in on a few of her courses in October. It was the lead up to Halloween and we had plenty of spooky pasta colours, witches fingers and macabre macarons. Within a few weeks I had become part of the Cookshack family. I began by teaching children’s courses, though I think they taught me more than I taught them, how to laugh and not take cooking too seriously being the main lessons. I laughed until I cried at the sheer joy of pasta in technicolour. I learnt how to put tagliatelle through the machine so many times that it ended up as one two metre stripe and took four kids to hold it. It was inedibley hilarious as you can imagine. We made bread and cookies but mostly we made a mess. It took Janice a lot of work getting the black food dye off Georgie’s lovely white surfaces. Thank you Janice!
On the run up to Christmas there were corporate events, hangovers, more laughter and molto, molto prosecco. We were all put through our Christmas paces with a visit from Manx Radio. With thanks to Georgie, Janice, Ruth and family I ended 2019 on a culinary high.
Teaching and cooking, speaking and stirring has its challenges. On a normal course we demonstrate and cook seven dishes. It’s a bit like being a circus performer there is an incredible amount of work that goes on before the big top goes up. Menu planning; taking in to account the theme of the day and any dietary requirements. The shopping is done by Georgie who goes out of her way, literally, to ensure that the produce used is the finest that she can buy and is a local as we can get. She is committed, unashamedly, to promoting Manx produce not just because it is the best but because it’s environmentally sensible to do so. All the recipes are written up and sent out . Canapes are made, the Cookshack is set to ‘welcome’ mode, tall glasses are filled with fizz and the show goes on.
It’s exhausting obviously and I was often asked how I could talk and cook without burning things… generally it works but I did learn to weigh my dessert ingredients before the guests arrived after a bit of a disaster with a clafoutis.
In January I held Vegan, Vegi and French classes all of which were fully booked almost instantly. My French course was one of my favourites. Georgie had managed to source everything from my, quite particular, ingredients list. It made me nostalgic for France and in particular Burgundy. I made a Boeuf Bourguinon and the guests were astounded at how much wine went into it. Some recipes have the ability to transport you to another place. Food, for me, is like a cupboard full of memories. Our sense of smell is so closely linked to reminiscences that cooking can feel like a conjuring trick at times. Try not thinking of Venice when you stir a risotto?
The words company and companion comes from the Latin meaning “One who breaks bread with another†I broke bread, baked bread and shared bread with such a range of companions this winter at the Cookshack. To sit at a table with a group of strangers and to share food is a gift, conversations are formed friendships are developed. I sincerely hope that when I am back on the island for winter I can work with Georgie on other ideas for bringing people together. Watch this space
Thank you to everyone who came on one of my courses and to my new culinary friends Georgie, Janice and Ruth. I look forward to seeing you all later in 2020
For more information about Georgie Revill and the Cookshack please follow the link below
