Suffolk food blogger to open new cookery school

Linda Duffin is launching Mrs Portly's Kitchen Classes in January 2020 Picture: Made in East Anglia (Image: Archant)

A new cookery school will open in Suffolk in the New Year, aimed at showcasing some of the county's top producers and creatives. Based in a period property in Brockford in mid-Suffolk, Mrs Portly's Kitchen Classes has been set up by food writer and recipe developer Linda Duffin.

The school will provide lessons that span a range of food-related skills from pasta-making and sourdough to preserves and game cookery. Alongside lessons with Linda, a range of courses is on offer from local experts including Steve Tricker of Truly Traceable, Simon Wooster from award-winning Wooster's Bakery, artisan knifemaker Sergio Muelle of Twisted Horseshoe Knives and Instagram photographer and stylist Lindsey Dickson.

"I want this cookery school to be something out of the ordinary," says Linda. "The most outstanding thing about Suffolk to me as a cook is the range and quality of the produce available and the passion that goes into rearing, growing or making it."

Linda, a member of the Guild of Food Writers, regular contributor to Suffolk Magazine and a judge for the past four years of the EAT Suffolk Awards, is opening the school at her beautiful Tudor home.

Lessons will take place in the large and airy farmhouse kitchen set within several acres of grounds including a herb and vegetable garden and an orchard. The use of home-grown ingredients and East Anglian produce underlines Duffin's commitment to seasonal and local cookery.

For students traveling from outside Suffolk to taste the delights, there is an option to stay in the historical building in a range of lovely bedrooms.

Bookings are already open for Christmas gift vouchers and lessons begin in January, running throughout the year with the first class on January 17 seeing Linda inviting award-winning Steve Tricker of Truly Traceable into the kitchen.

Steve will talk about why game management is crucial to our countryside, teaching students about preparing game and butchery, before they get hands-on making dishes to take home. Course content depends on what is in season, but examples include venison pasties, hot-smoked pheasant breast, rabbit rillets and game ragout. Lunch (Truly Traceable game pie), tea, coffee and welcome cookies are included, as are all the ingredients and materials, recipes sheets and aprons. Just take along large lidded tubs and a chiller bag for your creations.

On January 24, Linda leads a Pickles and Preserves class, teaching how to get the perfect set, and the art of transforming humble veg into something magical for the storecupboard.

And on February 21 Simon Wooster of Wooster's Bakery will explain how to make sourdough from scratch, with attendees taking home two finished breads, one to prove overnight and their own banneton and dough scraper.

All courses are £120 and bookable online here.