Featured in the Melton Times, the local paper in Jane's home town, Melton Mowbray, England
JANE PUTS MELTON ON AMERICAN MAP
On arriving in America, Jane was taken on by American Family Insurance in the firm's corporate office, but before long the 38-year-old began to miss the catering/cooking environment she had enjoyed back home.
Jane, whose parents still live at the family home in Newport Avenue, attended St Francis Primary School and De Lisle before going on to gain catering qualifications at South Fields College in Leicester.
She said: "I worked part time at the Manor Oven (now Bakers Oven) as a waitress during my early teens. I worked at the Harboro Hotel in the kitchen while attending college and when I left I college I was taken on full time at the Sysonby Knoll Hotel. Just under a year later I moved to the George Hotel."
But despite enjoying her chosen career path, Jane and Colin left their Buckminster Close home and headed for America.
Jane added: "We had no family members in the states and had only travelled to the area twice previously looking for a new home.
"We lived happily in St Joseph for seven years and then relocated to St Louis which sits on the Mississippi river.
"Upon arrival I contacted Dierbergs, a local supermarket chain that also has a number of cooking schools. The Americans are very receptive to my English accent and it was felt that with my catering background and keen interest in food that I should be employed as a freelance demonstrator."
Jane taught her first set of classes in January and February, entitled Afternoon Tea, and they were a sell out.
"Everybody enjoyed hearing about the English custom and enjoyed the dishes I prepared."
During one of her subsequent classes one of the participants asked about foods from her local area.
"This prompted me to offer a class featuring foods from Melton Mowbray. After some experimenting, along with some helpful tips from Dickinson and Morris, I have managed to recreate a Melton Mowbray Pork Pie.
"During the At Home in England classes I serve a sample of my home made pork pie and show the customers how it's made. I also serve Stilton cheese, which is available in the states, as well as a number of recipes using the cheese."
Jane tries to return to England once a year and always visits Melton.
"My daughters enjoy visiting the County Park which is very close to where their grandparents live. It's nice to get back to Melton."
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Featured in the Collinsville Herold, Collinsville,Illinois
Cooking classes focus on practical, exotic
Tea room chef passes along skills
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| Mike Terry / journal Chef Jane Muscroft slices onions during a cooking class at the Oatman House Tea Room restaurant in Collinsville on Thursday. During the class, guests learned how to make chicken satay with peanut sauce, blackened fish, jasmine rice and Malibu banana. | ||
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mterry@yourjournal.com
Whether it's how to slice an onion without bringing tears to the eyes or what spices bring out the right flavor in Indian barbecue, Jane Muscroft has a seemingly endless supply of cooking advice stored in her brain.
For the last few months, the chef has been letting those tips out through monthly cooking classes at the Oatman House Tea Room Restaurant in Collinsville.
She has already grabbed several regular followers who said they are thrilled with their newfound ability to serve up nutritious entrees, soups and pastries.
"It's a dying art," said Muscroft, of Glen Carbon, adding that most folks have forgotten about home cooked meals and rely on pre-packaged meals and fast food. "It isn't hard. You just have to want to do it and make the time."
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Because of space restraints and her own hands-on style, Muscroft requires advanced booking and allows no more than 12 people per class. She normally likes to create five new seasonal dishes for each session, taking time to pass them around after each step so students can more easily remember the consistency and appearance.
"I always make everything from scratch," she said. "That way they can see the whole procedure, go home and recreate it time and time again."
Caseyville's Patty Cannon has been coming to the classes since they started.
"I like the way she teaches," she said. "It's not like out of a textbook, but like a plain person."
After class, Cannon likes to take the recipes home and try out the best ones on her family members.
"Everything I've made everybody likes," she said. "It's a lot of fun. You do learn things and you get a nice dinner when it's all done."
Born and raised in England, Muscroft moved to the United States in 2000 and began teaching cooking classes for the grocery store chain Dierbergs. Last year, she opened her own catering business, Queen's Cuisine, which specializes in private tea parties done in the traditional English style.
The business, which uses the kitchen at Oatman House, has been featured on local television shows such as "Show Me St. Louis" and "Great Day St. Louis."
Muscroft said she would like to expand her classroom teaching skills in the future, where she could better utilize her hands-on style. One of her goals is to hook up with a local school district and teach teenage students about cooking, especially with ideas they could use after going off to college.
The next classes at the Oatman House are July 30 and Aug. 5 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Courses will include lessons on how to make homemade ice cream and lemonade, spicy gazpacho soup and peach chutney.
Learn more
What: Oatman House Tea Room Cooking Classes
Where: 501 E. Main St., Collinsville
Cost: $25 per person
For more information, call 205-6188 or e-mail scones@queenscuisine.us
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Last modified: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 3:14 AM CST More than just good food By Alene Hill In four years, the Historic Oatman House Restaurant and Tea Room has carved its niche and earned a loyal following by serving homemade entrees and confections in a Victorian atmosphere.
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