A lovely friend gave me a voucher for a class at Books for Cooks in leafy Holland Park. It's a gem of a shop selling every cookery guide possible, with a test kitchen and kitchen workshop. There was a huge choice of lessons, ranging from Malay coking to Chinese Dim Sum. I chose the Southern Indian cookery class, led by the owner and head chef of Ganapati restuarant in Peckham. Along with 20 other enthusiastic foodies, I enjoyed the aromatic fragrances, colours and flavours of Masala pastes, chutneys, Malabari Lamb Biriyana and my favourite, the pudding, Gulab Jamun which was semolina balls in a rose syrup. Divine! I was reliably informed that the restaurant is a culinary treat. Next stop - Ganapati!
