You Can Take The Girl Out Of Ballymaloe, But You Can't Take The Ballymaloe Out Of The Girl

The last two weeks of my time in Ireland filled me with a combination of excitement for going home, anticipation of the upcoming exams and a sobering knowledge that I would have to leave Ballymaloe. Whether life presents a difficult challenge or the biggest adventure of your life, time never stands still, and my three months here in Ireland are no exception.  These months, at this time of my life, presented me with more adventure and emotion than I could have ever anticipated.  I am grateful for every bit of it, even though some of those bits were not so easy to chew and swallow.  Yes, I’m talking about some messy stuff, the kind of feelings that aren’t so fun to tackle…like re-establishing one’s purpose at the mid point of life.  Books have been written about this, and a multitude of different remedies attempted to make this segment of life a bit smoother to navigate.  All in all, traversing the midlife phase is a journey we all make; a right of passage, so to speak.  But unlike turning twenty one, it’s not perceived by the masses to be as “fun”.  Yes, I am well familiar with sayings like “happiness is a decision”, “life is what you make of it”, “age is just a number”, “life begins at 40, 50, or 60” and all the other uplifting slogans out there, and there’s a lot of truth in them.   At the end of the day, saying it and really getting it are two totally different things. And the onset of every decade (and to be honest, every day) greets each of us with a new opportunity to sharpen our focus and redefine our course.

For me, turning 50 and becoming a brand new empty nester have catapulted me into a whole new and unexplored territory, and has left my head spinning with a flurry of “what’s next?” type ponderings.   I’m not thinking for a split second that I have any answers – and in addition to solidifying my certainty that I am happier in a kitchen than anywhere else, I have learned a few things…

I enjoy writing!  I am undisputedly pretty darn technologically challenged.  I would say inept, but I am trying to practice kindness toward self!  Writing has always been something that I felt I have to really work at.  I love to talk, and I am always amazed at how different it is to coherently string my words together in a written sentence! Several thoughtful family members and friends have reached out to me, to let me know that my blog has been a joyful segment of their day.  This is an enormous compliment, especially since I really didn’t know if anyone was reading it at all!  This gives me a jolt of encouragement of possibly continuing the blog, only with recipes, tips and general stories of kitchen misadventures.  I am trying to teach myself, rather unsuccessfully at this point, to allow commentary on the blog.  (If anyone is a “Squarespace” wonder, please let me know, as I am stumped!)  Stay tuned, I’ll keep you posted. (ok, please forgive the pun….)

There is a time and a place for elastic pants, compression socks, and clogs.  COMFORT! These are (now) my favorite things!!! Seriously, there really IS always a place for elastic pants, compression socks, and clogs; so much so, that I will say it twice! I think that the nurses in my family would readily agree?

Learning happens on the edge. Whether you’re five or fifty, this is God’s honest truth.  But when you’re five, you can stomp your feet, cry and shout, and most people would just say, “Well, she’s only five.”  Learning when you are pushed to a point beyond what you thought you could handle, while remembering to act like a mature adult, require a bit more composure.  Sometimes that’s not so easy.

Take one day at a time.  In the recent movie “Christopher Robin”, Winnie the Pooh says, “Yesterday, when it was tomorrow…it was too much day”.  When I think about that simple phrase, it makes me smile, and reminds me to just breathe.  And take. Things. Slowly.  It is well regarded that good things come to those who wait.  Life has taught me (over and over again) how and when “waiting” a.k.a. “patience” is a good idea.

You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. I’ve learned that you’re never too young, too old, too short, to shy, too anything to accomplish something that you’ve set your mind to do. My father-in-law would say, “If a man can do it, I am a man, and I can do it”.  I love this attitude toward tackling a challenge, and try to remember it every time I face a difficulty.   I have, more than once, willingly taken four children under the age of ten through Disney World….  trust me, anything is possible!

Teachers are the BEST PEOPLE. My teachers at Ballymaloe were among the most dedicated, hard working and talented individuals. My most sincere thanks to each and every one of them. Jeni, Annette, Gary, Evanna, Tiffen, Mamie, Debi, Justin, Pat, Florrie, Grace, Richard, Pam, Shermin, Sorcca, Tim, and Boonie, I can’t begin to measure what you all mean to me. I will carry your wisdom, your advice, your humor and your passion for amazing food with me always. To Rachel Allen, who tirelessly teaches students hands on and also runs daily multi hour demonstrations. There were sixty four of us students, and you remember everyone of our names, and sprinkle humor, love and skill into everything you do! To Darina Allen and Rory O’Connell, a debt of gratitude for creating an oasis where students can come learn and live, maintaining a standard of excellence, and teaching amazing culinary and life skills to your hungry students.

There’s no place like home.  Truer words were spoken, never.  Home is what makes everything make sense and feel right.  My people are my everything.

Looking back, there were 12-hour days filled with learning, and a million and one tasks to accomplish during my time at Ballymaloe. There were also many quiet moments of self-discovery.  Ample time to muck about in a full spectrum of emotions.  I needed that, and feel blessed to have had enough solitude to reflect coupled with enough work to keep me actively moving forward.  And now that I am stateside again, where do I go from here?

I am beside myself with excitement as I write these next words!  My next adventure will come in March, as I travel to Berkeley, California for an internship at Chez Panisse.   I have long since admired Alice Waters – for a decade at least - and I am honored to have the opportunity to work in her kitchen!  Yes, it means that I will again leave my home, but for only a month this time. California is my home state with loads of family nearby, and so much closer to home than Ireland! Chez Panisse embodies the Slow Food Movement philosophy taught to me at Ballymaloe.  My experience here will further solidify the skills I have learned during my three months at Ballymaloe, and will test my mettle in ways I have yet to imagine.  

Most importantly, I am now HOME, happily soaking up my family while trying desperately to unpack and settle in by Christmas.  It’s a rather daunting task to have been gone for so long and to re-enter life’s routine, especially at a time when there is no routine to be found for miles.  This jet lagged, happy, and yet disoriented chef-in-the-making is making this recipe up on the fly, knowing that the end result will be nothing short of grand.

Merry Christmas to ye all ~ and Cheers to a Happy, Healthy New Year!

My Final Practical Exam Menu: Beef Filet with Béarnaise and Roasted Onions and Cherry Tomatoes, Watercress Soup, Salad, Freshly Churned Jersey Cream Butter and Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce and Freshly Whipped Jersey Cream

I must have spent hundreds of hours in this kitchen!

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face.

May the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Until we meet again, Ballymaloe!

An American In Paris

In an effort to soak up every lasting opportunity, my housemates and I thought it would be a grand idea to skip away and visit Paris for the weekend. For me, it was a welcome distraction to the fact that I missed Thanksgiving with my family – admittedly one of the hardest days of my time here.   The odd coincidence of being assigned Sting Ray for my morning’s menu, however, did make me shake my head in comic relief.  I got to work straight away and tried not to dwell on missing home. I am, after all, so very thankful for what I came here to do, and to my family who has supported me throughout the journey! I got to talk to every last member of my family by the day’s end, and there’s not much more I could ask for than that. 

My friends and I are all quite giddy about going home in a couple of weeks, and are therefore, a bit hyped about Christmas and all its bells and whistles.  The Christmas Markets in Paris were calling, as well as an opportunity to sample some delicious bites.  For the Australian, Canadian and American in question, well, the thought that Paris could be reached in just under 2 hours on a regional jet was just too exciting a thought to be suppressed.  After all, we still have all of next weekend to study for our final exams, right?  Arriving on Friday evening, we proceeded to begin eating our way through the birthplace of fine ‘gastronomie’.  After a solid meal and a good night’s rest, we started out at 9 am the next day – and since we walked until 6 pm, I figure that the caloric intake was most definitively washed out with the number of hours we walked.  Ok, maybe not, but let me be happy in my delusion!  We were six culinary students taking the streets of Paris with curious appetites and cameras at the ready – sampling bites and snapping photos down every road we discovered.  I wandered into a pastry shop and talked myself into the back where an unsuspecting baker gave me an impromptu lesson at laminating a brioche dough with chocolate and praline.  I was in HEAVEN.  My rusty high school French and Disney-esque excitement gave me the ability to communicate with this kind baker, and I’m sure he found me quite amusing.  Looking back, I have to laugh at what I did!

Never a dull moment, our day was a bit derailed by a riot that ensued in the streets.  We witnessed the onset of the activities as several hundred people started marching, and were thankfully far enough away when things started to get ugly.  Visible fires, police armed with tear gas and sirens blaring held us in suspense of just how far things would go.  We kept our distance, but our attempt to returning to our hotel was a bit impeded due to our hotel being on the other side (by a mere two block’s distance!) of all the commotion and closed streets. We had already walked ALL DAY, and so a cab ride back circumvented the center of the riot, but took almost an hour. Therefore, our time at the Christmas market was cut short, but not before perusing the stalls with all the wonderful offerings at arm’s length.  I found that the best deterrent to spending a lot of money was to bring a small suitcase.  I already have all I can manage getting myself back home with my three-month’s worth of stuff!  Coming back will just have to go on my wish list!

I finished my short weekend in Paris by going to church on Sunday morning in a beautiful cathedral.  I’ve always felt that there is something so touching about experiencing a church in a foreign country.  To put it simply, it makes me feel connected to both my family and to complete strangers alike through a mutual faith.  It’s a peaceful and happy experience, feeling close to my loved ones despite being so far from home.   And just like that, with one last coffee and a croissant, my quick trip to Paris came to an end as we jaunted back to the airport and returned to our home away from home. 

 We have one week of class remaining, and I am now organizing myself to begin studying for our exams.  A wine exam takes place on Wednesday of this week, followed by our three written exams and our final practical next week.   I will be finishing here on December 7th and heading home within a few days’ time from then.

Wish me luck!  (Ha Ha – after all, I am in Ireland…..the perfect place for good luck, right???)

Meet my Thanksgiving Dinner…..Oh Please, never again!

This sight never gets old!

A close up of the shop window at Pierre Herme Macarons and Chocolat de Paris.

The Paris Christmas Market - and what am I drawn to? Mushrooms!

Dessert at Les Deux Magots - when you can’t decide, you get three! (I had help in eating them, I promise!!)

A stop to feed my love for books at Shakespeare and Company!

You were right on the money, Mr. Hemingway, this city is truly a moveable feast!

The Only Thing Better Than Butter, Is More Butter

I am sitting in the Ballymaloe House café writing to you today, trying like heck to resist the urge to shop next door!  Now, I would not call myself a shopper.  My clothing falls mostly in the category of jeans and tops, some well intentioned exercise apparel, and a modest assortment of well loved shoes.  But put me in a kitchen store and I could spend my week’s wages in a hot minute if I let myself run unchecked. 

I am two thirds of the way through this amazing journey, and if not for a tremendous desire to see my people, I would contentedly stay here for quite some time to come.  I LOVE Ireland, and this small town life suits me well. As our course nears the final push, the pace has quickened among the students quite a bit. A cumulative anticipation builds in the air as we all prune down our list of possible recipes for our final exam menu.  We tackle more complex recipes with each passing day, and our cooking assignment load slowly increases.  November brings cold, shorter days and the reluctant sun rises as I leave for class and sets on my way home. Ever happy and grateful for the opportunity to come here, I would readily describe this program as an intensive and all consuming baptism by fire into the culinary arts.  I love it.

I giggle at the thought that by now I would be immune to the wonder of the things that one could eat.  But I ate black pudding the other day – and yessss, loved it. Black pudding is made from oats and well, to put it delicately, ummmm, well, I guess I’ll just go for bluntly – blood.  So it goes without saying, you’ve got to make sure your source is extremely sound and trustworthy!   I also experienced the joy of nailing the art of a perfect scone, beautiful bread and butter.  It’s much easier to perfect these things when you start with the quality ingredients that are available to me here at Ballymaloe.  The milk machines are walking around behind my cottage, soaking up the sun and eating gorgeous grass.  And if I didn’t mention it before, the sweet woman who tends the dairy herd lovingly calls each cow by name and knows their personalities. Some of the bovine-ladies are ticklish, some are shy, while another is downright testy if she’s woken up cranky. Not unlike people! The eggs are layed daily by happy hens clucking about, and well….how can scones, bread, butter (or anything else for that matter) be anything short of a-mazing???  What do you think my neighbors would think if I brought home a cow?

I am going to miss waking up to the sound of the cows lowing in the field.  But the rooster???  I suppose they are necessary to keep the species going, but GOOD GRIEF, he starts his shenanigans at 3:30 am.  You know, because the sun is coming up in Hong Kong at about that time, and for the love of all that is good, he has got to let everyone know.  I have visions at 4am of making Coq a Vin for dinner.  Don’t know why.

My day in the pizza kitchen was as anticipated.  Warm.  Down right crazy and blissfully hot when working the ovens!  It took three hours for my arm to turn back from cherry tomato red to its normal color.  And well, I don’t think I have any hair left on that arm!  It was mesmerizing, methodically rotating those pizzas, letting the fire lick the sides just long enough to transform them into golden brown beauties topped with blistering bubbling cheese….  Oh, Yes, I was happy.  

Yesterday was dubbed our soufflé, crepe, and flaky pastry day – Monday will take us through emulsion sauces.  If all of these weren’t delicious on their own, the fact that they are all made with golden yellow Jersey butter just takes them (and me!) over the edge. I’ve already confessed my adoration for the dear cows. But they make the most beautiful b-u-t-t-e-r! Now, some of you know how much butter means to me.   If you’ve watched me blend butter into my coffee in the mornings, or butter my bananas, you have my permission to certify me as ‘butter obsessed’. I’m comfortable with that.  After coming here, however, I’ll be past any help or intervention. Everything is better with butter.  Without. A. Doubt.

As I said, the workload is ramping up, and exams are coming quickly around the corner.  Written exams on our Safety and Sanitation lectures, wine, cooking knowledge and our three hour practical. It’s hard to believe that there are only four weeks until I head home!  I will admit to having had some hard moments of intense homesickness, and yes, I expected them. I rode them like waves, embracing the present, happy in the knowledge that I would be home again.  Thanksgiving will be bittersweet, and I will be thinking of the family and friends that I hold so dear.  I wish you all a Blessed Thanksgiving.  Hold each other close, and send a hug my way!  I may not be having turkey, but you can rest assured I will express my thanks (hee hee) by eating ……butter.

Blessings to you all!

Pasta Love! Or in other words, “I LOVE PASTA!”

Working the Pizza Ovens!

An Australian, A Canadian and An American Walk Into a Bar.....

With our six-week exams behind us, two of my roommates and I took off on a sunny Saturday morning and headed out to West Cork county near the southwestern side of Ireland.  The beauty of Ireland never disappoints, and this place is a wonder!  Driving Ireland proved to be somewhat of a challenge (code: adventure) for three hapless and directionally challenged individuals. Ha, ha! Did we get lost despite (or maybe it was due to) our total trust in GPS?  Yes.  Did we wander onto someone’s farmland? Yes. Did we happen upon a parade of beautiful, vintage farm tractors driven by ruddy-faced Irishmen?  Yes!

Thank the good Lord we drove during the daytime, as I am convinced that in the dark we might gotten ourselves stuck in a field for the night for not knowing where we were!  It’s a good thing we all shared a communal sense that nothing could go “too wrong”, and lo and behold, after a wee bit of wandering, we found the road that took us to our day’s sightseeing destination: Mizen Head. This is one of the far western sections of coastline, belonging to a series of viewing points making up “The Wild Atlantic Way”.  This view of rugged rocks and breathtaking cliffs presented an untamed and windswept view of the Atlantic that for me, was completely mesmerizing. 

We explored, photographed, and shivered for about an hour, and when we arrived at our hotel, we were welcomed by a glowing fireplace and the promise of dinner.  That and an extra hour of sleep courtesy of (the end of) daylight savings, we were ready for our next two days of adventures through Glengariff, Kenmare and the Killarney National Forest.  Did you know that Ireland has snow covered MOUNTAINS? I sure didn’t!! The hopeful addition of a visit to Dingle to see more rugged coastline proved to be an over ambitious goal. It would seem that my roommates and I admittedly shared a calling to stroll down quaint streets and goggle over the arts, crafts, food and gorgeousness of a small Irish town.  But all who wander are not lost, eh?  We had a sunny, gorgeous day taking in the charming sites.  I’ve learned that often times, the best plans can result from having no plans, and that by keeping an open mind, it is possible to find exactly what you need. 

And so, yes, this Australian, Canadian and American ultimately did finally wander in to our first pub during our stay in Ireland.  And what did we order???  Three stouts and three burgers! While we hoped that our teachers wouldn’t be disappointed at our menu selection, we decided that this afternoon called for a burger and a Guinness! Our very humble and basic choice proved to be the perfect anecdote for a cold afternoon.  

We’ve since safely made it home, and our three-day mini road trip closed out the week like nothing else could.  With exams now thankfully behind us, we can dig in to the second half of our classes with a new sense of excitement.  It’s now almost November, and for my Aussie friend and I, this is about as cold as we think we have ever been!  Our Canadian skips about as though this were summer weather, while I thank God every day for my long underwear!  Oi vey!

We are making pheasant this week, and in a gutsy move, I volunteered to pluck one myself. While I found the plucking a pheasant less than pleasant (forgive me the pun!) maybe the meal will redeem the experience.  Our birds will be basted in butter, so I anticipate deliciousness on the horizon.  This week also brings Halloween and a day of working in the Ballymaloe Pizzeria.  On Saturday I’ll be slinging pizzas all day and learning the intricacies of a working with a giant wood-burning oven.  Don’t laugh, but all I can think of is standing in front of fire all day!  Did I mention that I’m COLD??? 

I’m tucking into bed with a hot water bottle now.  My feet have never been happier!  Until next time, wishing you warmth and joy!

A bit of an Irish beach!

Mizen Head ~ located on the Western Coast of Ireland

I am trying to smile through the unpleasantry of this pheasant plucking procedure!

A Visit From Home

After a long week of anticipating my husband’s visit, he arrived in Cork!  And wouldn’t you know it, he was wearing GREEN! I was beyond excited to welcome him to Ballymaloe. He and my roommate’s fiancé who was also visiting for the weekend, joined my roommates and I for our weekly “wine and cheese night”.  Lots of lively conversation, wine, cheese, and the remnants of my sourdough bread later, we started our weekend together.  I felt like a little kid showing off my mate around the Ballymaloe grounds, meeting my teachers, friends, and of course - the cows, chickens and gardens.  His visit here enhanced my experience in spades as he now has a definitive familiarity with my surroundings!

Rewinding back to the week’s happenings, I am excited to share my adventure of breaking down half a lamb with a filet knife and a saw! Together with my “lamb-mate” and under the expert tutelage of Phillip, the patient master butcher, I broke half a lamb down into neck, shoulder, shank, rack, leg and breast. I am looking forward to the next time I shop for lamb in Dallas! Can’t you just see the puzzled look on the butcher’s face next time I go to the meat counter and ask, “May I have half a lamb, please?”  You know I’ll do it!

Later in the week, my classmates and I took a field trip to several markets nearby.  Living in the country, it’s comical what passes for “nearby”!  We first went to the Mahon Farmer’s Market, and sampled artisan cheeses and pastries while perusing stalls offering everything from a delicious steak sandwich with foraged mushrooms, to freshly caught fish, charcuterie, and OConnaill’s Hot Chocolate - the finest cup of hot cocoa in these parts. It turns out that Darina Allen was one of the founding members of this farmer’s market, which is run today by her son-in-law, Rupert Hugh-Jones.  She remains vibrantly active in supporting its prevalence in the community.

Next stop was the Harty’s Oyster Farm, where, yes – I had my first raw oyster!  My brother-in-law called me out on this in disbelief – and admittedly, yes, that was my first one!  You see, I grew up absolutely despising the thought of eating anything that came out of the water.  It wasn’t until I dated a guy who was very fond of snorkeling and catching fish that I even thought to overcome my dislike for seafood.  He presented me one day with a beautiful halibut that he had caught and grilled himself, and out of politeness, I just smiled and ate the darn thing. Isn’t it amazing what love can make you do??? Well, Holy Geeez – one bite and I was hooked.  My love for trying fish has lasted ever since, thanks to those gorgeous blue eyes. (The eyes that belonged to my first love, that is….NOT the fish!)

But I digress!  Back to Harty’s Oyster Farm we go, and there I stood watching everyone clamoring for an oyster taste.  I found myself skulking backward until my classmate said to me, “…and you?”  Gulp.  My sheepish reluctance had been called out.  Well I wasn’t  going come to culinary school to turn up my nose at the new and unknown. So, going back to the halibut lesson of my youth, I decided to ‘be polite and just eat the darn thing’.  I realize that this all sounds so dramatic.  In my mind, laughably, it rather was!   After all, it’s just an OYSTER.  So 4-3-2-1 and down it went.  Lovely. Briny.  Lemony.  Quite nice!!! 

From there we went to Seagull Bakery which is owned and operated by Sarah Richards, an artist and a past Ballymaloe student. She started baking sourdough bread after completing the Ballymaloe course and began selling through farmer’s markets, eventually moving to a brick and mortar establishment.  Her motto is, “Created with Love, Crafted over time”, which I think is a beautiful testament to her skillful trade. I have met so many people on my food journey that have built fulfilling lives from the simple act of feeding others. The infectious joy they wear on their faces is a true inspiration.  How special it is to connect with others through something as nourishing and necessary as food?  Food is something that feeds our hearts and our inner selves.  It is a connection.  It’s history. Belonging.   

My friend Rachel Gaffney grew up in Cork, Ireland, and now lives in Dallas, Texas.  She has a quote by Oscar Wilde that quite defines her, “I have the simplest of tastes.  I am always satisfied with the best.”  I promise you, spend five minutes talking with her and you will feel inspired.  In addition to selling her beautiful Irish shortbread cookies to upscale markets in Dallas, she offers guided tours of Ireland, introducing people to the beautiful foods and treasures of her homeland.  Stop in and visit her website – you may just find yourself falling in love with Ireland and being called to explore this land for yourself!!  Call me, and I’ll join you!

As for my weekend visitor?  We spent Sunday happily palling around on a gorgeous sunny day, taking in the nearby sights, including The Ballymaloe House.  After a lovely dinner, our weekend came to an end and it was time to say goodbye.  I felt so loved to have had my sweetheart travel such a long distance to be with me for two days, and I am admittedly now feeling pretty homesick. I am not, however, wishing away my time here at Ballymaloe. If anything, I’m newly filled with gratitude to my family for helping me realize this crazy dream of mine.  

My “midterm” exams are coming up this week, and I am feeling pretty happy about things.  The exam is half technique and half salad and herb recognition. The final exam will include a ton more, however, I think this mini exam is just to whet our appetites – so to speak.   I’ll head over to the fishmonger tomorrow and purchase a flat fish and get a little more filleting practice, not to mention a tasty meal!

Here’s wishing you a lovely weekend.  Sending you joy from across the Irish Sea ~

Yep - I’ve got this!

Post Oyster Pic!

Smiles all around!

"Love People, Cook Them Tasty Food"

This is a magnet that I have on my refrigerator at home, and when I meet people who know and/or have this same magnet, I immediately connect.  I think that it’s a connection of a kindred spirit of hospitality.  I find that when I meet someone new, a great conversation starter is to ask about their favorite food memory.  The result is almost always a look of complete joy as they explain their favorite whatever-it-might-be.  And it’s not just the flavor they remember - it’s the way they felt to have someone have made food for them.  They felt loved.  THIS is why I cook.  It is my way of saying I care.  Those of you who have sat around my kitchen table know that nothing brings me more joy than this.

Week three at Ballymaloe is officially DONE.  The dizzy and overwhelmed lenses are coming off, and we are settling into the weekly routine and gearing up for Week Four.  My highlight of this week without a doubt was baking my first loaf of sourdough bread.

My sourdough was baked on Tuesday!  After a week and a half of diligent care and feeding of my starter (now appropriately called a sponge), I made dough, let it ferment, and baked it 48 hours later.  During this process, the sponge and dough take on a distinct personality, and we students become quite attached to our breads.  My new loaf was A-MAZING!  And now I am a sourdough machine…with two more expected loaves set to bake on Monday morning.  This new addition has just elevated our weekly roommate wine and cheese night several notches!

While we are on the subject of wine and cheese, I was super delighted at the unexpected wine segment of this program.  I’ve been drinking wine for a long time - I know what I like to sip with what, and I understand the basics.  Mostly I have subscribed to the “if you like a wine, it’s a good wine” motto. Simplistic?   Yes.  But I have always been happy with that.  And if I wasn’t, well, just pour me another glass friend, and I’m happy.  I have a series of five different afternoon long classes where I am learning loads about wine.  I think ultimately I will still drink the wines that I know and love, but now I will know WHY I love them so much!

I should probably take a moment and tell you a bit about the individual teachers here. They are, in one word, exceptional.  They are the first to show up and the last to leave each day, and have the kindest hearts and an inordinate amount of passion for cooking and teaching.  They range in age and personality, and most of them have run restaurant kitchens.  Responding to a call to teach, they share a common thread of avid interest and dedication to their craft.  The students here share kitchen space with a weekly partner, and each kitchen has up to eight separate stovetops. The individual teachers then guide the various groups, with each station being responsible for a section of daily menu. Each day we cook from 8:30a-12:30, and produce a full meal (starters, salad, main and dessert) for the 64 students, teachers and various guests. It’s really quite a production! When we are through cooking, the kitchens are cleaned in record time and we all sit down to dine together. The teachers are the hub of this grand wheel, and they keep everything humming along!  I’ll begin by inroducing Tiffen, a most proficient teacher.  Sporting a joyful baritone voice that resonates throughout the kitchen,  when you have done well, trust me, you’ll hear it!  Ready with a witty remark and flawless instruction on technique, nothing escapes his notice. Mamie is a sweetheart, providing each of us with personal attention and expert guidance.  Never more than three feet away, she responds within three seconds of hearing her name.  She’s constantly watching out for everyone in her care, and guides us with a firm, yet kind hand.  Our kitchen leader, Debbie, leads her individual group in addition to keeping the entire kitchen in hand.  At first I was very afraid of her (gulp!), but after working next to her section this week, I have come to adore her, and am looking forward to being in her section this coming week.  This is just the start, and I’ll be sure to keep you up to date with more of them as I get to know them better.

My something new for the week: making sausages and breaking down a whole fish. I am super excited about being able to make sausage and salami!  I absolutely love a good Italian sausage, and thrilled that I can customize and make what I like – all on my own.  Aaaah, the fish!  I have learned that breaking down a fish is an awesome skill to acquire.  For a little bit of careful work, you can get a lot more fish for your dollar to buy it whole - not to mention the boost in freshness!  This farm is about 2 miles from the Ballycotton harbor, and the seafood is nothing short of a gift.  These fisherman endure incredible hardships to bring us these fish.  As Tiffen says, “When you look at the gorgeous fish on your cutting board, you approach it with respect.”  Well said, Chef!

For our upcoming 6 week exam (ok, it’s three weeks away – but I’m a planner!), we need to display knowledge of an assigned set of techniques and the ability to name something like 28 species of lettuce/salad greens. Seriously…there are 28 varieties? Oi vey -  I think I’ll be spending my Sunday afternoon in the green house with green things….  

On Tuesday, I will be de-feathering (or rather, “plucking”) and cleaning wild game, and on Wednesday of this week, I will break down half a lamb. With a saw.   Ok…It’s getting real.

My sweet husband is journeying to Ireland to see me!  He arrives on Friday, and I think we will adventure out to the Ring of Kerry, which are the beautiful cliffs on the southwest edge of Ireland.  Driving the narrow roads around the rugged cliffs sounds beautiful, but driving them on the right side of the road is making me gulp – I’m excited beyond measure to see him!

That’s all for now…. the wind is blowing chilly out there, and I am tucking in for a good night’s rest before starting out with a new Monday morning!

Happy Fall, Y’all ~ Wishing you a fabulous week!

My first sourdough loaf!!! He didn’t last long!

Sausage and Salami Class.

“If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.” ~ Julia Child

KEEP CALM ~ And Try Something New!

So many new things!  Years ago, I read that the key to staying vibrant was to keep learning new things.  That thought has always stayed with me, and encouraged me to not just learn something new, but to also challenge the “same ‘ole way” I thought things should be done. This would be the instigation behind my dabbling over the years in learning how to knit, challenging myself to run distances, to try yoga, to start a business, and now, to go to another country to experience an immersion in slow food culture. 

As of this past week, my “something new” now includes foraging for mushrooms, milking a cow and making sourdough bread!   Now, since it took me until the age of 50 to do these things, I will describe them to you….  And to those of you who have done these things already, maybe you will find my explanations to be that much more amusing!  

Foraging.  What a thing! To wander about a field or the side of a road and find food was quite fascinating.  NOTE: It would be wise to forage with a knowledgeable friend.  “Anything is edible once” is not something you want to find out the hard way!   Late last week Darina Allen, our Head Mistress, excitedly took several of us eager students out to the field to hunt for mushrooms.  Weather conditions in Ireland this year have yielded an abundance of field mushrooms, and according to Darina, this happens only once every few years! If you could have only seen seen her excitement!  I for one, being a devout mushroom lover, was over the moon thrilled for all the mushrooms that were incorporated into our recipes!  So, here we were, walking out to the field – Darina and a group of seven eager, foraging rookies.  We get to the first of two large metal fences, and I sort of expect Darina to unlock and swing the gate open.  Nope.  Not Darina.  This spunky 70-year-old climbs up the fence, swings one leg over, straddling the fence, then swings over the second leg, and hops down the other side.  Well now! That’s how it’s done! Of course - we all followed suit and scaled the two fences.  Well, let me tell you, foraging for tiny edible delights in the pasture was not nearly as exciting as witnessing Darina scale a fence.  Note to self: THAT is precisely how I want to be when I grow up!

Milking a cow.  Can I just tell you how beautiful these sweet creatures are???  They have the sweetest, most gentle eyes and such a playful, curious nature.  I honestly think that if you’re a milking cow, living on the Ballymaloe Farm is akin to cow heaven.  For starters, they get to eat the most beautiful grass you’ve ever seen. Ahem!  Ireland is not called the ‘Emerald Isle’ for nothin’! They have the gentlest of handlers - the two people in charge of milking them are so calm and peaceful.  The cows are each called by name and are talked to and treated so tenderly.  It’s no wonder that the Ballymaloe milk, cream, yoghurt, and cheese are so delicious!  I got to milk a divine, tiny brown cow named Peaches.  We bonded!  Anyway, I must have looked completely enchanted by the whole process, because I was invited to come back on Saturday next for a longer stint!  Happy me!

The art of baking the ever-elusive sourdough bread.  Ahhhh, Yes… sourdough bread.  Last weekend, I spent an hour taking in the bread making process in the Ballymaloe Bread Shed, and with the kind help of the baker in charge that day, made my very first sourdough starter.  A starter begins the whole process, and it takes a week of constant care and feeding to have the starter develop into a sponge.  Yesterday morning, I had a lesson with the supremely talented artisan baker Tim Allen, who happens to also be Darina’s husband.  Tim is the son of the late Myrtle Allen, head chef and co-owner of the Michelin star-winning restaurant The Yeats Room at Ballymaloe House.  She was the beloved matriarch of everything here, and she died recently at the age of 94.  What a legacy she has left behind! ….I digress.  Back to the bread!  Yesterday Tim sanctioned that my starter’s sponge status had been successfully achieved, and took me through the final “pre-baking” steps.  Today, under Tim’s patient tutelage, I turned a goodly portion of my sponge into dough, shaped my dough, and set it to ferment for the next 72 hours in the Bread Shed refrigerator.  Baking day is Tuesday, and I am giddy with anticipation!   

So. Many. New. Things.  

I am excited to see what this week will bring – I can confidently guarantee that it will start with making butter for my bread!  

Wishing you a wonderful day of trying something new!a mot

Foraging for mushrooms - and yes, that is dirt on my nose!

Sweet Peaches!

Here is my apple tart from earlier this week! My sourdough bread will be baked on Tuesday!

Welcome to Ballymaloe!

Greetings from the Emerald Isle!  I have safely arrived and hit the road running!  I have only been here a week – and the week seems to have lasted three times that length of time!  It’s been a whirlwind of mesmerizing enchantment, and I am sitting down on this Sunday morning to catch a breath and take it all in.

After spending a few days in Salzburg with my husband visiting beautiful sights and doing all the Sound of Music things (I felt like a ten year old all over again!), we arrived in Ireland on Saturday night. We spent Sunday together, celebrating my birthday while moving me into my new home, and finishing the day with a beautiful dinner overlooking the sea at Ballycotton.  My sweet husband then dropped me off, kissed me goodbye and headed back to his hotel to prepare for his long journey home. These twelve hours, comprised of saluting my 50th birthday, arriving to a place that I’ve dreamed of for years, and saying goodbye to my spouse, had to have been the most momentous and emotionally filled hours I’ve known in a long while!  Oi vey!   

My housemates, just to tell you, are the sweetest ladies I could have hoped to be paired with for the next three months.  Our cottage is a fun mix of Australia, Canada, Mexico, Ireland and the United States.  The rest of our class represents a blend from the United Kingdom, Scotland, France, Thailand, South Africa and Qatar.  Could the key to World Peace be as simple as joining together over delicious food? We are having the best time together! 

Monday morning arrived in a hot minute and my housemates and I rallied, bright eyed and bushy tailed by 8:00am, and headed to our welcome breakfast.  The Ballymaloe staff laid out a breakfast fit for royalty.   They presented us with a “Continental Breakfast”, but I have certainly never before seen anything like this elegant spread called by that name.  We feasted on hot porridge with eight different fruit compotes sprinkled with an array of fresh herbs, billowy whipped cream, labneh infused with honey and saffron, warm cream scones, half a dozen freshly baked breads, and honey – still on the comb!  Fresh squeezed juices, hot coffee and steamed milk rounded out the beverage portion of the morning’s offerings.  Coffee being the only exception, every single item was organically produced on their farm! Every. Single. Thing.  

Following this we spent hours touring the farm and learning about the first ingredient to perfect food: the dirt beneath our feet.  We walked the gardens, visited the glass house (a hot house comprised of an entire acre of land), and met the resident chickens.  We talked about compost and the art of building nutritious soil,  all the while looking at the gorgeous fruits of their labors. Darina Allen, the school’s founder and primary teacher a.k.a. Head Mistress, told us that “most of cooking equates to shopping, and by shopping, I mean ‘sourcing’”.  She also stressed that, “soil, plant, animal, and people are intimately and intricately connected.”. Here at Ballymaloe, they truly live this philosophy, and this farm is a living testament to the dedication to their craft.

We were then treated to a luncheon of Ireland’s most beautifully smoked seafood, fresh vegetables, and pastries, followed by our first afternoon of lecture.  Lectures are a typically few hours in length, but after a long morning farm walk, Monday’s lecture was mercifully light with just a few demonstrations and tastings.  We were given our assigned duties and dismissed to prepare ourselves for our first day of class on Tuesday morning. Let the games begin!

My new “home away from home” for the next three months!

Aren’t they GORGEOUS?!?!

Darina Allen made me a birthday cake, and yes, 64 new friends joined in to sing “Happy Birthday”!

An Ode to Ireland

.....and so it begins.

I sit here with one week to go, ready to embark on my big adventure.  I have had plenty of "big adventures" in my near fifty years of this life - but for the first time in a LONG time, this is one that I am taking all on my own.   

In the span of a single summer, my husband and I have watched three of our four kiddos graduate from college and high school, had our daughter get engaged and moved our youngest son in to his new college home.  The icing on this crazy cake would have been an announcement from our oldest daughter and her husband, making me us grandparents!  No hurry there.... all in good time!

Raising this family has been a beautiful ride, and I'm a proud mama of four amazing young adults that I am lucky to have in my life.  It is said that having children is like having pieces of your heart walking around outside of your body.  I assure you, truer words were spoken never.  They are the love of my life.   I shake my head to think that a minute ago we were making play dough,  building forts in the family room and watching Sesame Street.  They are all now old enough to be quite sustainably and happily living on their own, and I wouldn't trade a second of the years it took to raise them for anything.  And well,  since we started this family adventure as a young'uns ourselves, I am now able to sustainably and happily begin a new chapter in my life.

My next step is to take a leap of faith and greet my fast approaching 50th birthday with a long awaited, unique test.  After a lifetime of an obsession with all things food, and over a decade's worth of work experience in the culinary industry, I am going to attend the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland!  An intensive 12 week program concentrating on the intricacies of a true Farm to Fork mindset, this is the culinary school of my dreams.  

I have been craving something like this for most of my adult life, and learned of this school three years ago.  Since then, I have had Shamrocks in my eyes, excitedly anticipating this day.  While I'm still trying to decide exactly what I want to do when I grow up (Yes - it WILL involve cookies!),  I am confident that this experience will give me a new skill set along with a refreshed prospective.  

So after having laid the groundwork on my fledgling cookie business, I will place it on a temporary hold, start my very first blog, and travel halfway across the world to pursue this exciting adventure.  I am trading my life here with my husband of 28 years, my home, family, and work for the unknown.  But a handful of things are quite certain!  The next three months will provide ample time for a LOT of cooking, a unique space for re-discovery of self and the promise of new friendships in the beautiful country of Ireland.  I feel like the luckiest girl alive!

I have always told my kids that life presents you with opportunities, whether you're ready or not.  When that moment arrives,  you have to step out with faith in your heart and a prayer on your lips that you'll have what it takes to see it through.  Walt Disney once said, "If you can dream it, you can do it.".  So, Hi Ho!  It's off to Ireland I go!