Sticky Rice Cooking School

One of the Hills' most distinctive food experiences doesn't happen in a restaurant at all. At Sticky Rice Cooking School on the old Mount Barker road out of Stirling, you tie on an apron, take up a mortar and pestle, and spend the next few hours pounding curry pastes, mastering the wok and learning the why behind the what from some very good chefs - before sitting down to eat everything you have made, glass of South Australian wine in hand.

Classes run every weekend of the year and roam widely: Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Japanese, Malaysian, Indonesian, Moroccan and Spanish are staples, with excursions into Sri Lankan, Korean and African cooking, plus workshops on bread, cheese and dessert. The school has been ranked among the best food experiences in Australia, and the hands-on format means you leave with skills rather than just a full stomach.

For the full indulgence, a cluster of luxury Asian-inspired villas on the property lets you turn a class into a weekend. Book ahead - sessions fill well in advance - and plan a slow next morning at the Organic Market & Cafe or around Stirling's village neighbours.