Treat mum to an exciting hands-on cookery course this Mother’s Day with a gift voucher from the new Ashburton Cookery School in South Devon. Designed to inspire, there are over 40 courses from which to choose such as Express Dinner Parties for home entertaining, Chef Skills for the more advanced and family dinners – a new one-day course ideal for busy mums juggling work with looking after the home.

With a gift voucher mum can select a course and date to suit her lifestyle. Valid for nine months, they can be purchased for the one, two or five day courses, which are priced from £99 per person. Alternatively, vouchers are available in denominations of £25 upwards and can be put towards the cost of any course. You can choose to have a printed voucher sent to either yourself or the recipient direct, while for last minute gifts you can send a voucher via email from the school’s website.

Ashburton Cookery School has just moved to a new, ultra-modern building with three superbly equipped teaching kitchens. The hands-on courses, which are split into five levels of ability, teach fundamental techniques that can be applied when cooking at home, entertaining family and friends or working in a professional kitchen. The popular one and two day course include canapés, desserts, fish and seafood, gastro and modern vegetarian. There are also courses inspired by a country’s cuisine such as Italian, French and Thai.

To order a gift voucher call the Ashburton Cookery School on telephone 01364 652784 or visit www.ashburtoncookeryschool.co.ushe sk. B&B accommodation is available at the school from £59 per night.

Yorkshire South Tourism unveils a new regional Food Trail which offers a fresh perspective on the culinary offerings, local suppliers and fresh produce available in the region.

The Yorkshire South Food Trail covers the key locations of the region, which includes Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster and parts of The Peak District National Park.

By no means exhaustive, the Food Trail offers a starting point to showcase the diverse foodie options available, sometimes unexpectedly, to visitors to the Yorkshire South region.

Sample gastro cuisine, Michelin starred menus, authentic family run restaurants, organic and locally grown produce from farmshops and delis. With cookery classes and themed dinner events running throughout the year, there’s no excuse not to join in!

Organically Yours

Adjacent to Sheffield Hallam University, the Butcher Works on Arundel Street is a 19th century Grade II listed building and former cutlery works. Recently transformed, it is now home to one of the city’s best kept secrets – Fusion Organic Café, which offers organic food in atmospheric, historical surroundings. Across in Barnsley , Glenroyd Organics are a husband and wife team that have created a fantastic range of organic products which can be purchased online or at food fayres across the region, including the regular Sheffield Farmer’s Market. In Hathersage, just west of Sheffield, The Walnut Club is a Michelin star-aspiring eatery on the edge of the Peak District and is one of the UK’s first strictly Organic Restaurants, where Head Chef John Oates sources wholesome organic food and offers a wide range of vegan and gluten free cuisine.

Fresh from the Farm

McCallums Farmshop in Doncaster is an impressive converted barn that makes a great stop off. Buy homegrown farm produce onsite or online, explore the three fishing lakes and quench your thirst at the onsite cafe. The award winning Cannon Hall Farm Shop offers a real farming experience for the whole family. Situated in the pretty village of Cawthorne in Barnsley, visitors can purchase fresh produce from the farm shop and delicatessen to take home, while kids of all ages can enjoy the adventure playground and farm experience. Still in Barnsley, the place for homebred free range meats is Broad Close Farm Shop which sells Tamworth Pork from free roaming woodland pigs, homebred, free range Dexter beef and lamb. Pick your Own Fruit at Eastfield Farm Shop in Tickhill where a wide range of home grown soft fruits are available to harvest during June & July, and homegrown vegetables are available year round.

Michelin Stars

For a special treat visit Tessa Bramley, the chef patron of Sheffield’s only Michelin restaurant The Old Vicarage in Ridgeway on the outskirts of Sheffield. Her seasonal menus use ingredients from the acres of gardens that surround this country house restaurant, with its stunning countryside views. On the edge of the Yorkshire South region, bordering the Chatsworth Estate in The Peak District stands the stunning manor house and private grounds of Fischer’s Baslow Hall. This renowned Michelin starred restaurant is rated for both its classical favourites and more adventurous dishes using the best of local produce.

Offbeat & Quirky Views to Dine For

Get away from it all and see the region from a different perspective, with some of the more unusual places to dine in Yorkshire South.

Combine food with travel and hop aboard A&G Passenger Boats. Their Cruise and Dine packages on the Sheffield & Tinsley Canal run through from the heart of the city and offer a unique perspective to enjoy a British menu. For a real blast, head for the quirky ambience of The Garrison Hotel Sheffield, situated in the Hillsborough Barracks. This Grade II listed building houses a former jail, guardhouse and ammunition building. With many buildings unchanged from the exterior, you can easily envisage troops parading whilst dining in the Jailhouse Bar and Restaurant or enjoy drinks al fresco the Outdoor Terrace. Sprotbrough, near Doncaster is home to The Boat Inn, a 17th Century pub serving quality food on the grassy banks of the River Don, next to Sprotbrough Lock. For true character, history, distinctive surroundings and some lovely riverside walks, look no further.

World Cuisine

Platillos Bar & Restaurant is all about little plates and big Mediterranean and Latin American flavours. Eating with abandon is encouraged and has earned this atmospheric restaurant in the heart of Sheffield ‘Best Tapas Menu’ award and ‘Restaurateurs Restaurant of the Year’ award in the local EatSheffield Food Awards 2009.
No trip to Sheffield would be complete without a taste of Nonna’s. Sheffield’s best loved Italian restaurant serves authentic Italian food, over 120 Italian wines with a Latin passion. It has been critically acclaimed, included in The Independent’s Top 10 places to eat Italian in the UK and named as one of the UK’s Best Restaurants in The Observer Food Monthly Awards 2008.

Doncaster offers some of the region’s most exciting and exotic cuisine. For an authentic taste of Nepal try Balrams Neplese Restaurant. The husband and wife team run a homely restaurant that delivers first class food and service with a smile. With no set sittings, they open when you arrive and close when you leave, and even offer kitchen tours and cookery lessons. For a taste of sunshine, try Doncaster’s first Caribbean restaurant. Banana Boat Caribbean Restaurant & Bar uses authentic ingredients to create traditional dishes such as ackee and salt fish, jerk pork and curried goat. Alternatively, try the Jinja Tree in Bawtry, an oriental infused restaurant, where your personal chef will cook you vegetables, fish or meat dishes on a hot griddle right before your very eyes.

Gastronomic Delights

Tucked away in the heart of Sheffield’s cultural quarter, Silversmiths Restaurant & Bar is housed in the former premises of George Ellis (Silversmiths) Ltd, a producer of silverware and cutlery. Diners can take in the city’s industrial past, with Sheffield made cutlery, artworks and exhibits, while sampling a simple yet stylish contemporary British menu. On the outskirts of the city in a suburb of Dore, lies Moran’s Restaurant & Wine Bar. Its modern European menu has attracted praise from some of the UK’s toughest food critics who have unearthed one of the city’s hidden culinary gems. The industrial heritage of Kelham Island is home to one of the city’s top dining hotspots, The Milestone. This chic gastropub raise their own free range rare breed pigs, offer cookery classes and cocktail evenings. It has recently been awarded a coveted Michelin recommendation, joining fellow Michelin acclaimed Sheffield eatery Artisan, a modern, bistro style restaurant. The stylish Leopold Square hosts The Wig & Pen in the heart of the city, where British recipes are reinvented with a contemporary twist and served in the relaxed Georgian dining room. Further afield is Nordest, Doncaster’s leading gastro restaurant. This former fish restaurant now serves traditional Anglo-Italian food with a modern feel.

A Taste of the Country

Famed for its traditional country inns, the region has become synonymous with real ale drinkers and is responding to the needs of visitors and changing tastes that want high quality fayre in countryside, ambient, historic settings. On the boundary between Barnsley and Sheffield, the former 18th century coaching inn, the Wortley Arms and Montagu’s Restaurant retains a real sense of history with period features including revolving doors, oak beams and open fires. The Spencer Arms is simply one of the region’s finest gastropubs, set in the delightful Pennine village of Cawthorne, Barnsley. The cosy pub atmosphere and bar full of real ales is complemented by an exciting new contemporary dining space. Traditional country cooking is celebrated at The Beaters Restaurant at The Dog and Partridge Inn, on the edge of the rugged northern Peak District, an ancient Inn with a history that can be traced back to the Elizabethan period. As CAMRA award winner, visitors can enjoy cosy log fires, stunning moorland and real ales. Iconic Sheffield pub, The Cricket Inn is located on the edge of the Peak District, with a feel of a great country pub only minutes from city life and is one of the most popular foodie haunts in the area.

Now we’re cooking!

Why not take home some of the region’s top fayre with a day of cooking? The Milestone in Kelham Island, Sheffield offers a range of cookery classes for all abilities. Learn the basics or enhance your skills, with themed classes on meat, fish, dinner party food and more. Or try your hand with a course at Coghlans Cookery School in the outskirts of Sheffield, from a Half Day Chocolate Team Building Day, to Foraging for Wild Foods.

For more information about the culinary delights of the South Yorkshire region, start your visit at www.yorkshiresouth.com/dine

If you would like to recommend somewhere to add to the Food Trail, then Yorkshire South Tourism would love to hear from you. Please send your suggestions to visitor@yorkshiresouth.com

HOLIDAYS TO THE EXCLUSIVE ITALIAN LAKES WITH EUROCAMP, WITH SEVEN NIGHTS ACCOMMODATION COSTING JUST £378 PER PARTY

The Italian Lakes have historically been a popular retreat for aristocrats and the rich and famous, even now it seems that you can’t mention the Italian lakes without also mentioning its celebrity fans such as George Clooney, Madonna and Sylvester Stallone.

Thanks to Eurocamp, you don’t have to be an A-list multimillion pound earning superstar to enjoy the fantastic qualities of the Italian Lakes. With a fabulous choice of Eurocamp parcs in the region, you too can enjoy the stunning scenery and famous Italian cuisine at a snip of the celebrity price tag.
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Eurocamp’s Camping Piantelle parc, on the South Western banks of Lake Garda is a great parc from which to enjoy the lakes, with access to its very own private beach, making it a perfect choice for a sun-filled holiday.

Its lakeside location makes it extremely attractive to watersports enthusiasts, and those who unlike George Clooney, don’t own their own private yacht, can still enjoy trips out on the lake by taking advantage of Lake Garda’s Premier boat service, just a short stroll away in Moniga harbour.

The parc itself boasts an excellent pool area, ideal for making the most of the Italian sunshine, and also offers bicycle hire, a football pitch and a volley ball court, great for those who prefer to keep active, or for working up an appetite before enjoying the parcs choice of eateries; with its own bar, restaurant and pizzeria.

A seven night stay at Eurocamp’s Camping Piantelle parc at Lake Garda, Italy, arriving 5 June 2010, staying in a 2 bedroom ‘Superior’ mobile home (sleeps up to seven), costs just £378 per party, accommodation only.

Alternatively those with children may prefer to holiday during May half-term, with a seven night stay at Eurocamp’s Camping Piantelle parc at Lake Garda, Italy, arriving 29 May 2010, staying in a 2 bedroom ‘Superior’ mobile home (sleeps up to seven), costing just £489 per party, accommodation only.

Ferry crossings, fly drive packages, rail travel and overnight stops – at hotels or parcs en route – can also be arranged through Eurocamp at a supplement.

For further information on Eurocamp, please call 0844 406 0552 or visit www.eurocamp.co.uk

Just a 2 hour flight from regional airports throughout the UK, Sardinia is not a mainstream Mediterranean destination but a sophisticated Italian island with beautiful beaches with azure blue sea, mountainous interior and vibrant towns with local traditions, colourful festivals and warm friendly people.

Sardinia is not a mainstream Mediterranean destination but a sophisticated Italian island, west of mainland Italy and south of Corsica. With over 1000 miles of unspoilt coastline, it is renowned for beautiful beaches, translucent azure blue sea and fascinating rock formations. Yet being the second largest Mediterranean island, it has so much more to offer with an interesting history, wild mountainous interior, vibrant towns with local traditions, colourful festivals. The people are warm and friendly and enjoying themselves in a way of life. A warm welcome awaits you in Sardinia.

Sardinia has a pleasant 6 month summer, hot and dry from May to October but often with a breeze due to its location in the centre of the Mediterranean. The winter months are mild with a good amount of sunshine, particularly in March and April when all the flowers are out and it can be hot during the daytime and cooler in the evenings.

Sardinia can be reached by just a 2 hour flight from the UK. There are now direct flights from many regional airports including Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Bristol, Manchester, Nottingham East Midlands, Liverpool, Leeds Bradford, Edinburgh and Dublin. There are 3 airports in Sardinia: Olbia in the north east, Cagliari in the south and Alghero in the north west.

Sardinia is an island that allows you to truly experience the very essence of Mediterranean life. The cuisine offers a rich repertoire of dishes, heavily influenced by the country’s various neighbours including Corsica and Italy, accompanied by impressive local wines. The mixing of game and farm produce (traditional with inland towns) and fish and seafood (traditional with coastal towns) result in a combination of flavours and appearance that is unique to Sardinia.

Sardinia has something for everyone from the jet set world famous Costa Smeralda, with breathtaking scenery and exclusive hotels, to the unspoilt south coast with many deserted beaches and Caribbean-like turquoise sea. Wherever you are in Sardinia, there will be a stunning coastline with beautiful bays and beaches, vibrant yet uncommercialised towns and villages, a mountainous interior with wonderful views of the island, refreshing lakes and waterfalls, and an interesting history.

Just Sardinia www.justsardinia.co.uk offer personally chosen accommodation throughout the island to suit all tastes and budgets with hotels, beach resorts, villas, apartments, rural retreats and yacht charter. Sardinia offers many activities including watersports, cycling, walking, golf, tennis, horse riding and excursions including boat trips, scenic train journeys, 4 wheel drive safaris, trekking and climbing, wine tasting, archaeology sites and Roman ruins.

It is no secret Italians love their food and Easter is no exception to the rule. The region of Liguria takes this time of year very seriously; solemn processions and masses are abundant in the three days leading up to Easter
Sunday and the banquets and celebrations quickly follow with equal gusto.

Visitors to Liguria during the Easter period will have the opportunity to feast on the unique foods and festivities which form important parts of Ligurian culture. Pasqualina (Easter Pie) is served during the lead up to Easter in homes and restaurants throughout Liguria, it boasts a rich and full flavour made with eggs and shredded artichokes. Traditionally meat is not eaten during lent, this means Easter Sunday is an opportunity to indulge and bring those forty days to a gratifying end. Banquets vary from place to place, restaurant to restaurant and family to family. For a typical Easter Sunday meal visitors can expect to start with an array of antipasto (sliced Salami, Bresaola, Prosciutto, Coppa and Arista) followed by Ravioli al tocco di carne (mini dumplings filled both with meat and vegetables with a very ancient receipt of meat tomato sauce). A main course of roast lamb with wild rosemary, garlic potatoes, fried vegetables (zucchini, eggplants and artichokes) and a special salad made with hard-boiled eggs is then served. It does not stop there; Colomba Pasquale (Easter Dove) is an Easter counterpart of the two well known Italian Christmas cake, Panettone. This cake is made in a very similar way to Panettone, omitting the sultanas, then fashioned into dove shapes and topped with coarse sugar and almonds before baking; delicious. In common with the UK, chocolate Easter eggs are given as treats and gifts, usually concealing small Easter themed gifts. The Easter Sunday meal in its entirety is a long withstanding ritual of the Italians, fuelled by devotion to religion and each other the meal still symbolises many of the traditional messages Easter represents.

Easter Monday, also known as Little Easter (Pasquetta) is an official Italian holiday which is usually spent outside in the fresh spring weather with family and friends. Walks in and around the countryside are popular with locals and visitors alike. It is not uncommon to find cars parked along the roadside with groups picnicking near by. Make the most of Cinque Terre National Park by taking your walking boots and picnic apparatus; nearby village shops stock plentiful amounts of locally produced bread, cheese, ham, sausage, pesto, olive oil and wine to be enjoyed over the picturesque landscape.

Come the second Sunday of May (9th), the annual food festivity Sagra del Pesce (Fish Feast) takes place in Camogli, a town about thirty minutes east of Genova. In a display of kindness, the fishermen abandon their nets for the day in exchange for sieves, flour, oil and a giant five metre saucepan! Excitable local children are on hand to help share out the freshly caught fish, which is fried and offered free to the flocking crowds or locals and visitors. Arrive at least the day before if you intend to drive as there is no private transport allowed in  Camogli during the festival. Regular coastal train (Trenitalia) services stop at Camogli and ferry services operate from various ports including Portofino. The festival attracts thousands of both visitors and locals so get there early to find a good spot! Camogli offers plenty of friendly boutique hotels to choose from, notably Hotel Casmona which is housed in a traditional 19th century Ligurian villa overlooking the Camogli promenade. Hailed as a place to relax and escape from everyday responsibilities, Hotel Casmona has nineteen sea view rooms to make waking up one of the best parts of the day. Prices at Easter start from €90 per night for a double room,
www.casmona.com.

One of Liguria’s culinary charms for all times of year is Stella Maris restaurant, specailising in freshly caught fish and traditional Italian dishes, it is found tucked away on top of the San Rocco hillside with stunning views over Golfo Paradiso, www.stellamaris.cc. Gli Ulivi, another restaurant gem can be found perched high above Riomaggiore on the cliffs of Cinque Terre National Park. The menu consists of ten local dishes which change everyday depending on what is fresh and available, one of the specialities being fresh fish caught in the morning and served almost straight from the sea.

Spending Easter in the city of Genova is just as fascinating. Flocks of people crowd the streets during religious processions on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday before celebrating Easter Sunday. Statues of Mary and Jesus are paraded to and from churches whilst the streets are laden with palm and olive branches. The Bentley Hotel offers five star treatment in Genova’s buzzing city centre, complete with spa and wellness centre The Bentley makes a perfect base to explore the nooks and crannies of Genoa city whilst knowing you can return to utter relaxation.

Alternatively, Hotel Loconda di Palazzo Cicala is an ultramodern and contemporary hotel boasting elegant rooms and can be found in Genova’s historic centre a stones throw from Piazza San Lorenzo, with easy access to the city’s many historic churches and art galleries including the St Lorenzo Cathedral. See if you can find The House of Cristoforo Colombo which hosts a collection of ancient items and documents relating to explorer Christopher Columbus. The San Matteo (St. Matthew) church is also worth an investigation; it was built in 1125 and has a very unusual black and white facade with a striking byzantine mosaic over the door, additional Easter decorations can only add to its splendour.

Easter weekend rates at The Bentley start from €188 for a double room, there is also a 15% on-line discount available for a non-refundable rate (€160),

http://www.thi-hotels.com/hotels/bentley-hotel/luxury-5-star-hotel-genoa.html. Hotel Loconda di Palazzo Cicala has availability over Easter weekend with double room rates starting at €190 per night, visit

http://www.hotels-genoa.co.uk/ for more information.

British Airways flies regularly from London Gatwick to Genova, prices starting from £105 return in February (£150 April), www.britishairways.com. Alternatively RyanAir flies from London Stansted to Genova on a daily basis, prices starting from £40 in February (£140 April), www.ryanair.com.

European activity holidays specialist UTracks has announced its expanded programme for 2010, where more than a quarter of the product is new – including the following hiking trips, which are launching later in the year:

RELIVE THE MIDDLE AGES IN SPAIN…
Caliphs And Knights – Cordoba and Segura (8 days)
Launches: 21 February
An idyllic area little known outside Spain, this inspiring guided walking tour takes you back to the Middle Ages, where you can relive the 13th Century in Andalusia. Explore the historic towns and picturesque villages of eastern Andalusia, dominated by the castles of the knights of Santiago. A central focus of the tour is in Cordoba city, with its unique mosque-cathedral, the castle with its magnificent water-gardens, the picturesque Jewish quarter and the Potro square which captured the imagination of Cervantes. On foot discover the landscapes of two superb Natural Parks, the Subbética Cordobesa and the Sierras of Cazorla and Segura (the biggest in Spain and one of Europe’s largest).
Price: £850 per person
Departs: Seven departure dates between February and December 2010

LAKE COMO AND MORE…
Italian Lakes Walk (8 days)
Launches: 11 March
The great lakes of northern Italy have been a popular holiday destination since Roman times. This weeklong self-guided walking programme takes in the highlights of Lake Como and Lake Lugano: away from the affluent holiday centres there is a feast of walking trails exploring the forested valleys, mountaintops and traditional villages, which have retained their unique character. Still used today by the local people, the old tracks offer exceptional views, while with accommodation provided in small, family-run hotels, there is ample opportunity to experience excellent regional cuisine, allowing a complete appreciation of this beautiful area.
Price: £790 per person
Departs: Daily from 11 March to 31 October 2010

DISCOVER THE LANDSCAPES THAT INSPIRED BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA…
Transylvania Castles and Mountains (6 days)
Launches: 8 May
The legends of Transylvania are an enticing reason to explore some of Romania’s most stunning mountain landscapes and soak up its unique culture. Offering one of the best ridge walks in Europe, the dramatic Piatra Craiului (meaning ‘royal stone’) rises sharply from the forests and plains below, with exceptional views along a series of gorges and ridgetops. The Bucegi mountains are home to a diverse range of landscapes from pine and beech forests to flower laden meadows and high limestone cliffs – and it is also where you can find Bran Castle, connected through folklore to the fictitious character, Dracula!
Price: £420 per person
Departs: Daily from 8 May to 10 October 2010

TAKE IN THE VERY BEST OF SOUTHERN ITALY…
Southern Italy Volcano Trail (11 days)
Launches: 8 May
The best of southern Italy… the wonder of Pompeii, the summit of Mount Vesuvius, the stunning Amalfi coastline, the bustling city of Naples… and this is only the beginning! Follow the volcano trail to the Aeolian Islands and combine relaxing moments on stark black beaches with exhilarating ascents to the active craters of Volcano and Stromboli. Concluding in Sicily, at Mount Etna, one of the world’s most famous active volcanoes -with evidence of past eruptions clearly evident in the unusual landscape on its flanks- there will be time to explore the seaside town of Taormina, with its ancient Greek theatre and typical Sicilian atmosphere.
Price: £1,590 per person
Departs: Seven departure dates between May and October 2010

MONT BLANC FOR ALL THE FAMILY…
Mont Blanc Family Walk – France To Italy (7 days)
Launches: 4 July
Few walks in the world offer the incredible views and high alpine vistas found on the Tour du Mont Blanc. Guided along mountain trails, this relaxed itinerary starts in the Chamonix Valley and provides awesome views of Mont Blanc with overnight stays in high mountain huts. Carrying only a day pack, mules will transport your bags and supplies and you will have plenty of time to enjoy the small villages along the way, stay in local refuges and gîtes and feast on French and Italian cuisine. The itinerary is suitable for active children from age 7 and up and provides an exhilarating alpine walk with unforgettable vistas around every bend.
Price: £605 (Adult), £445 (Child)
Departs: Every Sunday in July and August 2010

Quoted prices are inclusive of accommodation, most meals, equipment rental, experienced mountain guides, luggage transfers between hotels (where applicable) and clear maps with images. Flights from the UK are not included but can be booked on request.

ASHBURTON COOKERY SCHOOL, SOUTH DEVON

Treat mum to an exciting hands-on cookery course this Mother’s Day with a gift voucher from the new Ashburton Cookery School in South Devon. Designed to inspire, there are over 40 courses from which to choose such as Express Dinner Parties for home entertaining, Chef Skills for the more advanced and family dinners – a new one-day course ideal for busy mums juggling work with looking after the home.

With a gift voucher mum can select a course and date to suit her lifestyle. Valid for nine months, they can be purchased for the one, two or five day courses, which are priced from £149 per person. Alternatively, vouchers are available in denominations of £25 upwards and can be put towards the cost of any course. You can choose to have a printed voucher sent to either yourself or the recipient direct, while for last minute gifts you can send a voucher via email from the school’s website.

Ashburton Cookery School has just moved to a new, ultra-modern building with three superbly equipped teaching kitchens. The hands-on courses, which are split into five levels of ability, teach fundamental techniques that can be applied when cooking at home, entertaining family and friends or working in a professional kitchen. The popular one and two day course include canapés, desserts, fish and seafood, gastro and modern vegetarian. There are also courses inspired by a country’s cuisine such as Italian, French and Thai.