There’s no denying it, there’s a whole lot of amazing stuff about Christmas, the presents, the people and of course the food! A lot of people will tell you that it’s the Christmas meal that’s responsible for bringing everyone together and we couldn’t agree more. In Italian culture it seems almost every meal has this same ability to bring family and friends together and not just at Christmas…

Essential Italian Cookery

This is not just a cookery course, it’s a love affair with Italian flavour. The Essential Italian Cookery course is the perfect gift for those with a passion for Italian food and that select group of friends and family who are the top brass when it comes to hosting Dinner parties!

All guests will spend the day with an executive chef and learn all things Italian from pasta, pizza, sauces and wines. They’ll enjoy a hands on guide on how to prepare, cook and most importantly enjoy some fantastic dishes for their very own Italian dinner party.

This course is suitable for everyone, from the Italian enthusiast to the Gnocchi novice!

Example Menu:

Menu subject to change depending on seasonality
Potato gnocchi with Italian sausage and parmesan
Slow cooked chicken and summer vegetable Ragu Rocket and gem salad with courgette, carpaccio and garlic bread
White chocolate mascarpone mousse with raspberries

Woah the festive buzz is really in the air now, only four days until Christmas and still time left to buy some amazing gifts. Today we’re highlighting one of our most popular gift experiences, a perfect all rounder for those friends and loved ones who enjoy good food and big laughs!

Cook, Curry and Comedy Night

This fun filled experience packs in a night of great food, your favourite pint and a whole lot of laughter. Kicking off at The Tennent’s Cook School, guests will meet the Academy Chef and learn how to create the perfect curry using only the freshest ingredients. Working in the state of the art kitchen with professional guidance offers up some great insight and professional chef tips. There will also be plenty of Scotland’s favourite lager to wash down all your food!

The next stop is Jongleurs, Glasgow’s premier comedy club in the Merchant City. All guests will enjoy taxi transport and VIP entry to the club where they can catch some of the city’s funniest comedy acts. If you’re lucky enough you may even catch some of Scotland’s top comedy talent including Kevin Bridges and Frankie Boyle who are known to make the odd guest appearance.

As we all know Christmas is celebrated all over the world, but not everybody celebrates the same way! Take Spain for example, it’s tradition to eat your Christmas meal on Christmas Eve with the main dish being ‘Pavo Turfado de Navidad’ which translates to turkey stuffed with truffles. It’s also common for areas in Spain that are surrounded by water to have a seafood dish as their main Christmas meal, which can range from for shellfish and mollusks, to lobster and small edible crabs. Interesting eh?

Although the way we celebrate might differ, we can agree on one thing, a great cocktail will always make that celebration a whole lot sweeter!

Cocktail Masterclass at Arta

In this gift with a Mediterranean twist you will enjoy three delicious courses as well as learning how to create the perfect cocktail masterpiece! That’s right you’ll learn to shake and make (and drink of course) three specially selected cocktails, as well as drink them of course. As an added bonus this gift experience also includes club entry, perfect for the movers and shakers.

Located in Glasgow’s Merchant City, Arta offers some a taste of Spain with a unique Mediterranean vibe housed across three floors including bar, restaurant and club. The Hacienda bar specialises in cocktails, with a favourite being the Caiprinha! Downstiars in the Canvas club you can get your salsa on with a packed schedule of live latin music , DJs and salsa classes.