yorkshire pudding

1. Heat oven to 230C/fan 210C/gas 8. Drizzle a little sunflower oil evenly into 2 x 4-hole Yorkshire pudding tins or a 12-hole non-stick muffin tin and place in the oven to heat through.
2. To make the batter, tip 140g plain flour into a bowl and beat in four eggs until smoothyork art gallery
3. . Gradually add 200ml milk and carry on beating until the mix is completely lump-free. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the batter into a jug, then remove the hot tins from the oven. york art gallery
4. Carefully and evenly pour the batter into the holes. Place the tins back in the oven and leave
5. below the gallery in york undisturbed for 20-25 mins until the puddings have puffed up and browned. Serve immediately. You can now cool them and freeze for up to 1 month
6.  
7. The York Art Gallery houses over 1,000 portrait and landscape paintings that reflect the history of European art ranging from 14th century Italian altarpieces to 20th century works by contemporary artists such as David Hockney. It also contains an outstanding collection of ceramics and miscellaneous drawings and sketches that span more than 600 years.
   
   Over the years, some of the leading names in the art world have been displayed in York Art Gallery including Tracy Emin, Damien Hirst and Dame Barbara Hepworth, and it has hosted exhibitions from the National Portrait Gallery and Tate Liverpool and is a short ten minute walk from both bus and train stations.
   
   
   The 19th Century Grade ll listed building was founded with a bequest from John Burton, a local businessman with a love of 19th century paintings, and first opened in 1879 for the second Yorkshire Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition, being converted into an art gallery in 1892. It overlooks the peaceful Exhibition Square, also inaugurated at this time.
   The square also holds a statue by Stanley Howe erected in 1911, of the famous York painter William Etty who was the first major British artist to specialise in nude painting in the 19th century.
   
   
   
   Since 1911, subsequent curators of the gallery have been acquiring Etty’s paintings and now the gallery holds a collection of 78 works of art and over 1,000 sketches and drawings, plus an assortment of letters and documents by this important artist.
    
   
   

   ---

    
   York Art Gallery is managed by the York Museums Trust, an independent charitable trust that also manages York Castle Museum, Yorkshire Museum and Garden and York St Mary’s. The building and contents however are owned by the City of York Council. The right wing of the gallery is home to the York City Archives.
   
   The collections of paintings are housed in six areas over two floors. The main ground floor gallery was refurbished in 2005 and, along with the Little Gallery on the first floor, is used to display special exhibitions. These are taken from the gallery’s own large collections or are on loan from other galleries and museums. Exhibitions are changed every few months and cover a wide range of genres and themes so it’s quite possible to visit several times a year and always see something different. Next to the main entrance there is also a specially designed Studio that is used for family activities, community work and educational sessions. There is also a cafe at the gallery from which you can view Exhibition Square with its backdrop of York Minster and well-stocked shop.
   
   In the South Gallery, recently reopened after an extensive nine month refurbishment, there are collections of religious paintings and 17th century Dutch masterpieces including oil on panel by Master of Vienna, Schottestift dating from 1470. Displayed under the banner of Sacrifice and Courage, the title reflects the morality and strength of the Dutch school.
   
   A particularly good collection of British paintings dating from Elizabethan times includes 17th and 19th century portraits, a group of Victorian narrative paintings and works completed by the artists of the Camden Town Group in the early 20th century who revolved around Walter Sickert and introduced Post-Impressionism to Britain. These innovative young painters captured the mood of the changing period of British history at the time of World War 1 with images of London buses, dingy interiors and music hall entertainment. A further collection of 19th century French paintings reflects the work of the Impressionists.
   
   On the first floor, the Burton Gallery showcases paintings with different themes. A section named Places displays landscape and pastoral visions created by Romantic artists of the 19th century that demonstrate the harmony of nature. These include works by the British artist John Linnell as well as 20th century masterpieces by painters like LS Lowry and Paul Nash.
   
   An area entitled People houses portraits by artists such as the influential 18th century English painter, Joshua Reynolds who promoted the “Grand Style” in painting which depended on idealisation of the subject. The entire collection of portraits spanning 400 years, offers a fascinating glimpse into the sitter’s social standing, their character and working lives.
   
   Another section named Stories includes paintings from the 9th century and portrays subjects such as family life, social situations and the workplace in a celebration of good times and bad.
   
   The first floor also has an outstanding collection of 20th century ceramics and a Decorative Arts collection of more than 3,000 pieces containing glassware and other items, plus over 17,000 drawings, watercolours and prints featuring landscapes and over 4,000 portrayals of York by artists such as Henry Cave, John Harper and John Browne.  
   
   
8.