Since the Baby made his dramatic entrance into the world 11 months ago he, quite literally, burst into the Big Ones life, and is always there. While I get one-on-one time with the Baby when the Big One is at nursery it has felt like a long, LONG, time since it has been just me and the Big One. That all changed this weekend thanks to Jones the Grocer UAE.
The Big One and I like to get into the kitchen together, to bake, to cook, to create. We’ve made all manner of (sweet, delicious, gooey) treats together from Toblerone Cheesecake to our Pinterest fail. But baking at home means I have an ear out for the Baby if he’s sleeping, that I could run off at the vital moment. Or if the Baby is awake he is crawling round our feet trying to get involved. So when Jones the Grocer invited us to try out their new Pizza making masterclass we jumped at the chance.
Heading up to Jones the Grocer Al Manara, I don’t know who was more excited myself or the Big One. We were out of the house, we had left the Baby with Daddy and it was just the two of us. Excitedly chatting away about pizza and what we were going to be up to. Walking in to Jones the Grocer, being greeted by the sight of ingredients all laid out ready and waiting for us to start. Fresh cheeses, chicken chorizo, finely chopped onion, perfectly cubed mushrooms.
But first we needed to make the dough, after all you can’t have pizza without a base. Aprons donned then Chef Graeme was on the case and gathered us round. Explaining what each ingredient was in a way that children understood; the fresh yeast was to make the dough big and puffy whilst the salt and the sugar were the food to feed the yeast to help it do it’s job. He patiently told us each stage before demonstrating then letting us loose.
Dough made, it was left to rise so we could take it home with us and “here’s one I made earlier” was given out to us all to roll out into pizza shapes. Cue lots of excitement about the rolling pin and flour flying everywhere.
Then it was time for toppings, after Chef Graeme demonstrated the perfect way to spread pizza sauce on pizza (and the Big One not *quite* following) we loaded up on the fresh toppings.
Pumpkin, three cheese, mushrooms and onions for me. Meat, meat and more meat for the Big One, which surprised me as he isn’t normally like that. Still, his pizza his choice.
Into the pizza oven and a glass of fresh lemonade while we waited to feast on our pizza, chatting with everyone else who was taking part in the masterclass (and playing hide and seek under the tables…..) before perfect pizzas were presented to us.
Which was the point where the Big One announced he wanted to go home, he wanted to show his Baby the pizza and share with his Baby. His Baby needed pizza NOW. So although we could have stayed on to feast, brotherly love won out and we boxed up our pizzas ready to go share. And he did share.
Classes are held on a Friday from 4:30pm to 6pm at various Jones the Grocer locations across the UAE.
Price is 100AED for one adult and one child, inclusive of pizza and a drink.
March dates and locations are:
Friday, March 25 at 4:30pm in Al Manara, Dubai
Friday, March 18 at 4:30pm in Khalidiya, Abu Dhabi
Friday, April 1 at 4:30pm in Al Raha, Abu Dhabi
Please call Jones the Grocer UAE to make a booking
For further event details check out the Jones the Grocer Facebook page.
We were invited to attend for the purpose of this review. All opinions (and floury child) are my own.
Fun! And how lovely to have that time for the two of you.