In Reply to: in Ubud at Casa Luna posted by Hippiechick on Wednesday, 4. July 2007 at 12:05 Bali Time:
We did 2 cooking classes at Casa Luna or more accurately the Honeymoon Hotel + the market tour. It was one of the highlights of our holiday. We were met with tumblers of hibiscus tea to keep us cool, Jenet de Neefe ran the first class with assistance from her Balinese family and employees. I was happy because I got to see, feel and try all the spices and plants that I had only previously read about, We received a cook book of all the receipes they teach plus gained many interesting insights into life in Bali and the ingredients used. The cook book was handy because after 2 classes my mind was a blur with all the different sambals and pastes. It was made all the more interesting by the hotel minor bird who wolf whistles and mutters 'selamat detang' in a very sleezy voice!
The market tour is a must if you can work it in. We were able to buy a heap of spices at much cheaper rates. Sadly all my vanilla bean pods were confiscated at the air port - too moist (reckon the quarantine girl would have taken it home, it was just too fresh and lovely) but they let us keep the peppers and nutmegs.
By the way, the coffee at Casa Luna is proper (important for caffeine fiends if you know what I man ....)
Happy cooking!