Christmas cheese and wine at Neal's Yard Dairy
Not sure where to start with your cheeseboard? Neal's Yard Dairy works with some of the best cheesemakers from the UK and Ireland, making them a fount of knowledge when it comes to putting together an unparalleled selection. Held at its Borough Market shop, this special Christmas event demystifies the process with a talk from Francis Percival, food editor of The World of Fine Wine, on cheese and wine pairings, before you get a chance to put his advice to the test with a light meal offering the opportunity to try out a variety of samples.
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Christmas bread and baking class at River Cottage
Located in the Devonshire countryside, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage is the ideal place to connect with nature and learn to make the most of your ingredients. In the run-up to the big day, it lays on a number of Christmas-themed courses. The baking masterclass offers a one-day, whistle-stop tour of a number of festive favourites, which will have you filling your home with the scent of freshly-baked loaves and fragrant gingerbread in no time. The practical activities provide plenty of opportunities to ask the on-site experts for their top tips, and you'll leave the farm with arms full of your creations including Christmas brioche, Boxing Day focaccia and Lebkuchen (a German take on gingerbread).
24 November, £195; rivercottage.net. Photo by Matt Austin
Three-bird roast butchery class at the Ginger Pig
For most, tackling the turkey can be one of the more nerve-racking elements of putting together a Christmas meal. An evening under the guidance of award-winning butcher Ginger Pig, however, will help you put any fears aside. The company runs regular three-and-a-half hour classes out of its shops in Marylebone and Shepherd's Bush that give you a chance to try your hand at butchering different meats in a relaxed and informal setting, ending the experience with a two-course meal with wine. If you're feeling brave try your hand at a three-bird roast - based on partridge, guinea fowl and chicken - which you can then take home at the end of the night.
Various dates until the end of December, £155; thegingerpig.co.uk
Christmas canapes at Leiths School of Food and Wine
Some of the UK's top chefs have passed through Leiths’ hallowed halls. Alongside the school's culinary diplomas, it also offers a number of single-session classes for ambitious home cooks looking to hone their skills. Wow your guests on Christmas Day by learning how to put together creative and accomplished canapes at an afternoon session with food stylist and writer Jennifer Joyce. Her modern takes include combinations such as spice-crusted paneer bites with green chilli, red onion and mint and tsukune (Japanese chicken) teriyaki meatballs with sesame seeds.
8 December, £155; leiths.com
Christmas cake at Squires Kitchen School
Surrey-based Squires Kitchen School has been teaching cake decorating and sugarcraft since 1987, led by some of the most experienced tutors in the industry. For those wanting to achieve a professional finish to their Christmas cakes this year, a one-day course will leave you with the skills and confidence you need to recreate an array of designs. Across the session you'll learn how to flawlessly cover a 6" round fruitcake before adorning it with your handmade festive decorations including Christmas trees, holly and berries.
3 December, £150; squires-school.com
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