"Cypriot grandmothers and old friends Rena and Marina are the encyclopaedic minds behind this home-spun school, which runs many of its classes from the historic capital, Nicosia. The focus is on Cypriot everyday meals like pourgouri, lentils and black-eyed beans, as well as more complex traditional dishes for weekends from moussaka to pastitsio and dolmades. Their classes are usually for up to six people, at the French Embassy's Cultural Centre, but they'll also jump at the request of an outdoor workshop down at the beach. Or you may find yourself cooking to mountain views in the hills, surrounded by sun-ripened vines. It's as informal as courses come, and all the better for it."