Get your lockdown foodie kicks with a YORStory Zoom night
As the current lockdown drags into its third month, simple pleasures like a meal at a restaurant or a trip to the pub are becoming increasingly distant memories. For those of you desperate for gustatory experiences and human contact, YORStory has launched a weekly series of food and drink themed workshops to rescue your Thursday nights.
YORStory Thursdays are Zoom experiences, offering you and a group of like-minded gastronomes the opportunity to interact with leading experts in the world of food and drink, including authors, TV chefs, and panellists from BBC Radio 4’s culinary discussion programme, The Kitchen Sink.
The presenters create a convivial environment telling vivid stories that educate without ever being overtly didactic. They encourage audience participation as well, not just inviting questions but cultivating a lively and enjoyable discussion. This opportunity to engage with strangers has become so novel, that by itself it would provide sufficient reason to sign up for an event.
I attended “The Story of Scotch” hosted by The Whisky Exchange’s whisky ambassador Billy Abbott, and YORStory co-founder, writer, and broadcaster Rachel McCormack. In a freewheeling conversation, Billy and Rachel covered the origins of Scotch whisky, how it is made, and what makes it unique.
They explained how to read a bottle, what “single malt” means, age statements, and how different types of cask can influence flavour. They talked about why the participants liked the whiskies they liked, and recommended other whiskies that they might want to try. There were suggestions for cocktails, food pairings, and even tips for cooking with whisky. This was lubricated with regular “sampling”, by the hosts and participants alike, which ensured an animated and enjoyable evening for all.
Co-founder Rachel McCormack says: “YORStory is all about storytelling… That sense of togetherness is something we’ve all been missing over the past year. We really want to give people the opportunity to have the best time possible with others – you can either find your tribe or bring them along to join the fun. I’ve arranged for some of the most talented people I know from around the world to help you enjoy yourselves whilst cooking, learning or drinking.”
Some events are more academic, such as last week’s presentation by the food historian Dr Annie Gray, who spoke about the life of Georgina Landemare; Winston Churchill’s cook throughout the war years and subsequent period of rationing. Others are more practical, such as this week’s lesson in Trinidadian cooking, where food writer Franka Philip will be providing a list of ingredients so that participants can cook along at home as she makes a traditional Trini lamb stew, live from her kitchen in the Caribbean. In the coming weeks you can join a whisky tasting (with samples provided), have practical lessons in making choux pastry, parathas, or curries, or learn about herbs and how to use them.
Attendees can sign up alone and meet others who share their interests, or as a group and use YORStory as a way to catch up with friends, family, or colleagues. These are amiable, accessible masterclasses, where no question is too simple or geeky for the expert hosts to answer.
Explore upcoming YORStory Thursdays events and register to attend here.