Bring on a Foodie 2012!

Happy new year to you all!

To kick start 2012, I will be hosting a series of Grazing Asia and London Cooking Club events at my home in Islington in the next few weeks and months, and I hope to see some of you there.

After an inspiring two-month stay in Tokyo, I have returned to the UK with lots of new ideas and recipes to try out. If you would like to learn more about Japanese dining beyond sushi and sashimi, the Japanese Supper Clubs in January, February or March will be a good place to start.

If you would like to celebrate the Year of the Dragon, Malaysian by May's Chinese New Year Special events on the 27th and 28th January will be for you.

Or if you fancy honing your cookery skills at one of our London Cooking Club events, there are a few events scheduled in the next few months which might be of interest. From Burmese to Jewish, Neapolitan and Filipino, I hope you will find something to tickle your palate.

I am also looking for budding home cooks or professional chefs who would like to host one of our London Cooking Club events in 2012 at my home in Islington, so if you would like to share your food passions with other like minded foodies, please get in touch.

Grazing Asia

Japanese Home Cooking Supper

21st January 2012
3rd, 11th, and 25th February 2012
23rd, 24th, 30th and 31st March 2012

Hosted by Luiz Hara of The London Foodie

Location: my home, Islington, from 19:30 hours

Cost: £35 donation, BYO

Book: e-mail luizharaAThotmailDOTcom

Malaysia by May - Chinese New Year Special

27th and 28th January 2012

Hosted by May of Slow Food Kitchen

Location: my home, Islington, from 19:30 hours

Cost: £35 donation, BYO

Book: e-mail mayATgrazingasiaDOTcom

London Cooking Club

How It Works

Every month, I choose a theme, cookery book or cuisine, and have a group of readers of The London Foodie come to my home to cook, eat a delicious meal, drink and talk. I distribute a suggested menu a week or so prior to the event, the participants choose their dishes and I e-mail out all recipes. Each person contributes a dish and accompanying bottle of wine. There are no fees to pay.

If you are a foodie (an amateur home cook or a professional chef), passionate about good food and would like to share some of your culinary repertoire with us by hosting one of our London Cooking Club events at my home, please get in touch, I would like to hear from you.

If you would like to take part in one of these evenings, please contact me on luizharaAThotmailDOTcom using LONDON COOKING CLUB in the subject line.

12th February 2012 - "Jewish Cooking Club" - Hosted by foodie extraordinaire Stella Newman and Ira Dubinsky who will be devising and introducing us to a fantastic Jewish menu and recipes for London Cooking Club members.

Jewish novelist  Stella Newman is the author of Pear Shaped, a novel about love, heartbreak and food. Stella also writes her own popular food blogs Stella Newmans Blog and Pasta Friends.

A former political staffer in Canada, Ira now spends his days in London studying for an MBA and his nights studying new recipes. Ira is an amateur charcutier, occasional caterer, and DIY smoker construction expert.

18th March 2012 - "A Neapolitan Easter" - Hosted by Gina (@Gigi_nav) and Italian food blogger Fede Rilli of Pasta Bites, Italophiles and resident experts on their home cuisine.

15th April 2012 - "Discovering the Cuisine of The Philippines" - Hosted by Tina P who is devising a magnificent Filipino menu to show us what her native cuisine is all about.

Tina grew up in the Philippines but has since then lived in the US, Singapore, France, Hong Kong and now London. Growing up in a family of 9, she's had some good practice preparing large meals for a (critical) audience and now enjoys sharing her knowledge of Filipino cuisine with friends from all over the world.