Base a languid Lake District holiday or short break around food and cookery in 2012 and head to the scrumptious LucyCooks cookery school in Staveley, near Kendal.

LucyCooks has just published its schedule for January to March 2012 and uploaded details of courses for April and May at www.lucycooks.co.uk. Food lovers, eager cooks and those just starting out are all welcome and will find a full-day or half-day, hands-on course to suit their interests and culinary preferences within a sizzling schedule that should really whet the appetite.

Those inspired by the ‘Great British Bake Off’ are truly spoilt, as a variety of courses will satisfy their desire to bake, whether that is Bread for Beginners (January 11), Classic Cakes and Bakes (January 25 and March 23), Speciality Breads (February 3 and March 25), Tarts, Puds and Perfect Pastry (March 7), or Beginners Baking (April 6).

Others who wish to recreate the flavours of food consumed during foreign forays have riches from which to choose in the form of a range of ‘Taste Of’ courses, which cover delicious cuisine from Italy, Thailand, France, Tuscany, Andalucía, Morocco, South East Asia, India, Spain and the Mediterranean, during the first 5 months of the year.

Then, for visitors wishing to eat the Lake District landscape during their stay in Cumbria, as well as gaining recipe inspiration when it comes to using fabulous produce from the area, there are ‘Taste of Cumbria’ courses running on March 2, April 4 and May 4.

Children can join in with the sheer fun of cooking in a state-of-the-art kitchen by joining their parents or other adult relatives on a Family Fun Day. These run every month, with special twists such as a desserts-only event on February 19, a ‘Mothering’ Family Funday on March 18, and an Easter-themed event on April 8.

Tags: Kendal, Lake District, LucyCooks, New Cookery Choices, Staveley