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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/jun/01/food-and-drink-queen-diamond-jubilee-halifax-men-cooking-cupcakes
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| The men of Halifax queue up to cook | The men of Halifax queue up to cook |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The women of Halifax have a reputation for sturdiness dating back to the Industrial Revolution when they were hailed in a piece of local doggerel (also applied to Castleford, it should be noted) which went thus: | The women of Halifax have a reputation for sturdiness dating back to the Industrial Revolution when they were hailed in a piece of local doggerel (also applied to Castleford, it should be noted) which went thus: |
| The lasses of Halifax So fine and so fair They wash in the Calder And rinse in the Aire | The lasses of Halifax So fine and so fair They wash in the Calder And rinse in the Aire |
Anyone who did that at the time, was a braveheart indeed. | Anyone who did that at the time, was a braveheart indeed. |
| True to this historical form, they are now being credited with unusual success in getting their menfolk to learn to cook properly. So says the Cooking School at Dean Clough, that icon of the north whose arts, business and manufacturing units employ more than 3,500 people in the titanic former Crossley carpet factory on the right where you come in from Bradford and Leeds. | True to this historical form, they are now being credited with unusual success in getting their menfolk to learn to cook properly. So says the Cooking School at Dean Clough, that icon of the north whose arts, business and manufacturing units employ more than 3,500 people in the titanic former Crossley carpet factory on the right where you come in from Bradford and Leeds. |
| A fish-cooking course last month had men as half the students, compared with a usual ratio of 80 percent women to 20 percent men, and it wasn't a series of sessions in how to run a fish-and-chip shop (historically more of a male occupation, though not exclusively). Indian cookery courses have also seen more men involved, as have the 'Taste of..' adventures into global cuisine which the school runs on Monday evenings. | A fish-cooking course last month had men as half the students, compared with a usual ratio of 80 percent women to 20 percent men, and it wasn't a series of sessions in how to run a fish-and-chip shop (historically more of a male occupation, though not exclusively). Indian cookery courses have also seen more men involved, as have the 'Taste of..' adventures into global cuisine which the school runs on Monday evenings. |
| Organisers have had a look at bookings and concluded that women buying a course as a gift is partly responsible, a good way round the familiar problem of men expressing great enthusiasm to have a go, knowing that they will be refused because of the probable mess and incompetence. The school's chef manager Matthew Benson-Smith also suggests that there may have been a bit of 'Look how clever he is..' goading in front of TV sets at home, as celebrity hunks show off their cooking skills. | Organisers have had a look at bookings and concluded that women buying a course as a gift is partly responsible, a good way round the familiar problem of men expressing great enthusiasm to have a go, knowing that they will be refused because of the probable mess and incompetence. The school's chef manager Matthew Benson-Smith also suggests that there may have been a bit of 'Look how clever he is..' goading in front of TV sets at home, as celebrity hunks show off their cooking skills. |
| He says: | He says: |
| Our curry course with Prashad's restaurant in Bradford always sells out – it's a Gordon Ramsay's favourite and was a finalist in his Channel 4 TV series. We've also noticed that women are buying open cooking school vouchers for their men so that they can choose the course they attend themselves. | Our curry course with Prashad's restaurant in Bradford always sells out – it's a Gordon Ramsay's favourite and was a finalist in his Channel 4 TV series. We've also noticed that women are buying open cooking school vouchers for their men so that they can choose the course they attend themselves. |
| As well as curry and fish, popular choices are bread baking and knife skills – maybe that is the hunter-gatherer thing. It's great that men feel more at ease coming to a cooking school and building on whatever skills and knowledge they have. I'm betting it's a great recipe for a happy relationship. | As well as curry and fish, popular choices are bread baking and knife skills – maybe that is the hunter-gatherer thing. It's great that men feel more at ease coming to a cooking school and building on whatever skills and knowledge they have. I'm betting it's a great recipe for a happy relationship. |
One bonus, or possibly precaution, is that students are given their efforts as a takeaway at the end of the session, ideally to take home, although some may have finished up with the fish in the Calder (minus wrapping). | One bonus, or possibly precaution, is that students are given their efforts as a takeaway at the end of the session, ideally to take home, although some may have finished up with the fish in the Calder (minus wrapping). |
| Is this going on round your way? Or is it stale buns and long ago the norm– for example in advanced parts of the world such as San Francisco or Hackney? Please let us know. Meanwhile, for striving mancooks in Halifax and elsewhere, here is how to make Diamond Jubilee cupcakes for 16 (so plenty of room for errors) for the weekend. It comes from an excellent blog called Chronicles of a Reluctant Dad which is here and has lots of alluring cupcake pictures. It's a Dad's Blog finalist, so let's hope it wins. | Is this going on round your way? Or is it stale buns and long ago the norm– for example in advanced parts of the world such as San Francisco or Hackney? Please let us know. Meanwhile, for striving mancooks in Halifax and elsewhere, here is how to make Diamond Jubilee cupcakes for 16 (so plenty of room for errors) for the weekend. It comes from an excellent blog called Chronicles of a Reluctant Dad which is here and has lots of alluring cupcake pictures. It's a Dad's Blog finalist, so let's hope it wins. |
| Ready, steady, bake! | Ready, steady, bake! |
| With... | With... |
| 175g softened butter 175g golden caster sugar 175g self raising flour 1tsp baking powder 3 medium eggs. | 175g softened butter 175g golden caster sugar 175g self raising flour 1tsp baking powder 3 medium eggs. |
| 1. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffly. Sift in the flour and baking powder. Add the eggs and beat until thoroughly mixed. | 1. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffly. Sift in the flour and baking powder. Add the eggs and beat until thoroughly mixed. |
| 2. Spoon into cupcake cases. Bake in a preheated oven at 170C (160C for fan ovens)/Gas 3 for 25-30 mins. Check on the cakes after 20 mins and take out when springy to the touch. | 2. Spoon into cupcake cases. Bake in a preheated oven at 170C (160C for fan ovens)/Gas 3 for 25-30 mins. Check on the cakes after 20 mins and take out when springy to the touch. |
| 3. When cool, decorate with buttercream icing, coloured red and blue. | 3. When cool, decorate with buttercream icing, coloured red and blue. |
| All profits from the Cooking School at Dean Clough go to the Focus on Food Campaign which, each year, teaches over 42,000 young people to cook and 2,500 teachers across the UK to teach cooking. | All profits from the Cooking School at Dean Clough go to the Focus on Food Campaign which, each year, teaches over 42,000 young people to cook and 2,500 teachers across the UK to teach cooking. |
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