Join me for a unique night of local dishes prepared at my very own pop up restaurant at the First Floor Restaurant, above Barry’s Public House, Grange, this Friday May 10th.

For the last five years, I have been travelling the world extensively, living in Italy, Qatar, Perth, and South Africa. During this time, I wrote about my adventures in in local dishes on my blog Carolanne’s Kitchen. In January of this year, I returned home to Ireland to begin the next chapter in my foodie career and completed the twelve-week cookery course at Ballymaloe Cookery School under the guidance of Darina Allen, Rory O’Connell and Rachel Allen.

I have now been offered the exciting opportunity to host a pop up restaurant in a venue in North County Sligo this weekend!

Places are limited and booking is required. We may add an extra night if there is demand.

To book your place, text 0863977880 or email hello@carolanneskitchen.com

Follow Carolanne on twitter @Carolanner // #SligoSuppers
http://www.carolanneskitchen.com

During Week 11, we were taken on a speial little tour of Ballymaloe House. Over the last 3 months, I never got the chance to go and visit the house so really loved hearing the history and imagining what it was all like back in 1963 when it all began.

At the very end of our tour, we sat and listened to Myrtle Allen tell us so humbly how Ballymaloe all began. She even went to far as to say that we were all more skilled now than she was when she began. There’s hope!! She spoke like it was just such a natural turn of events in her life. How she just wanted to live in a little cottage but her husband longed to farm. I for one am so glad that Ivan had the want to go on and farm especially after all he had learnt in Shanagarry.

Back in my chef whites and to the glamorous job of gutting, filleting and cooking these little fellows. Sea Bass set to be cooked in a beautiful salt crust. Definite a new one for the books.

My love of Sourdough only grew fonder as the weeks went by at Ballymaloe. From my first weekend when I made my starter to being able to produce a beautiful loaf of crusty, tangy bread. Hot from the oven and ready to share with my housmates. Lathered in Kerrygold or if we were really lucky, some of our own homemade raw milk butter. Heaven!

Just before the last week at Ballymaloe kicked off, a few students and Rory set up an exam revision pub quiz. 5 rounds testing our knowledge on all of the information the good folks at Ballymaloe had packed into 11 weeks. I was surprised at what I learnt that night and hooshed into some intense study sessions for the rest of the week. But first, there needed to be Guinness. Of course…..

Always taking a chance to wander around the grounds at Ballymaloe. Especially now that Spring has almost passed us by and most things are starting to creep through the surface of the soil. What most excites me know is knowing all of the wild flowers and herbs and just dreaming of what I can put them in.

AND THEN…..THE EXAMS!!!!

I must say I was really happy with my exams. I was BEYOND nervous about them. I had practiced my techniques and bread making until I was blue in the face. One thing I was the most worried about was my fish filleting, but going into the exam I knew I just had to take my time. At that stage, I didn’t really mind if I went over time. Of course, I wanted to finish on time but if it meant rushing and not working to my full potential then I was ready to put time limits to the side. In the end, I went over by 20 minutes and was pretty happy with my display of goodies. Immediately afterwards I didn’t feel like I had done enough. Turns out, most of us felt that way. A few hours later though, the practical was at the back of my mind and I was looking toward our theory exam. A glass of wine or three may have helped that along

Going into the practical, I felt I was reading lines of words but nothing was going in. We had studied so much and read so much that by the time the exam came around, our brains were packed and not letting anymore in. I went into the first exam and wrote so fast when I was finished I barely remembered what had just happened. We still had 2 more exams to face into, so it was back to the house for more study and 30 minutes later we were back in the exam hall scribbling away. After a hearty lunch of warming soup on an icy wintry day, we were loaded with fuel for exam number 3. I walked out of my exams with a weight off my shoulder and a lot of lessons learnt. Probably one of the most interesting set of exams I have ever taken in my life. For some parts, I felt like I was back in my Home Economics Days reeming off HACCP standards and food hygiene, bacteria etc….

My last walk on Garryvoe Strand..a place that gave me tranquility, hope, reality checks and rosey cheeks. It was my oasis of calm from a world of butter, cream and learning. One I will definitely never forget.

Our last night was amazing. It was such a fun night from start to finish. We felt so special walking into the school with fires lit to guide our way. Rory and the teachers pur on a stunning showcase of food. They cooked the most delicious menu and I can still taste Rory’s Chocolate and Caramel Mousse. We danced and laughed the night away like friends who had known each other for years.

To Darina, Tim, Rachel and Rory and all of the teachers at Ballymaloe….Florrie, Annette, Tracy, Niamh, Debbie, Pam, Emer, Finola, Gary, Sue, Emma, Shermin and Grace. Thank you. Thank you for the life lessons and skills you have taught me, for giving me the opportunity to take my first dip in the Irish Food Industry and giving me the courage to be brave enough to do so.

The running theme over the last two weeks has certainly been butter based. We have been introduced to the wonders of Brioche, Croissants and Pain au Chocolat, Flaky and Puff Pastry. Our waste lines are feeling it and our appetites are craving it.

More about that later….

During Week 9, we had a very welcome visit from Madeline McKeever from Brown Envelope Seeds. Madeline spoke to us about seed saving and about her 9 varieties of Quinoa that she grows on her farm in Skibereen. Quinoa grown in Ireland…you better believe it!

My Our obsession with cheese is growing stronger every day. We had a morning cheese demo dedicated to the wondrous Blue Cheeses and in Week 10, Irish Farmhouse Cheese. We also had the pleasure of meeting Dan Hegarty of Hegarty’s Cheddar fame. From the minute he walked in the door he had everyone bent over in belly aching laughter. Aswell as his cheese being some of the best, if not THE best Cheddar that I have ever tasted, he was the funniest man to listen to.

Every morning, the small herd of Jersey cows are milked here at the cookery school. Students have the opportunity to partake in milking the cows and see how the process is carried out. Sometimes, the freshly squeezed milk is brought up to the kitchens for using in our dishes that day. On one such bleary morning when we were all feeling a little dazed and confused, Tim offered us a glass of still warm raw Jersey milk. Within minutes I had gulped it down and was hopping out of my skin and I wasn’t the only one. All of a sudden the kitchen whizzed into action and we were all banging out some amazing dishes to serve up for lunch.

I know a picture of a raw leg of lamb is not everyone’s favourite thing to look at. However, one thing that I have truly overcome here at Ballymaloe is my squemishness towards certain foods. I ate shrimps brains on the first day, had perry winkles soon after and am now fully fledged at jointing cuts of meat and poultry. I really believe that we must know where I food comes from and what form it comes in before we serve it in a nice aesthetically pleasing presentation. Being able to deal with food head on, for me, is so important. Especially after all of the recent news highlighted in the past month.

And so we come to the buttery brioche…the most amazing time of the morning in the kitchen. You know someone is making brioche or croissants because they have made their dough the previous morning. Usually around 10:30 a tray of golden crusted bread rolls tumble out of the oven and onto a section nearby. The air fills with the smells of freshly baked brioche and a teacher shouts out, ‘okay guys, brioche is ready. eat it whilst it’s hot.’ Students scramble to the nearest brioche roll as a bowl of raspberry jam and soft butter magically appear by the steaming hot buns. Pulling the rolls apart and watching as hunger suddenly becomes apparent in everyone’s eyes. As soon as the Brioche disappears, the chopping, blending and kneading resumes. With jam dotted on our cheeks, we our content until the next batch

At the end of week 9, I was so excited to be heading off to London where I wanted to visit some restaurants and cafes. Drawing on inspiration of what people in this bustling city are doing to show off their amazing food. Whilst there, I may have dabbled in a little vintage homewares and dress shopping. Resulting in me having to wear layers of clothes on the flight home to ensure I was well within my 10kg hand luggage weight

Week 10 came bustling through the doors like a howling wind. Searching for a comfort to keep us warm and feel protected. Knowing that we have just a short few weeks left at Ballymaloe. Everyone was pretty excited to see Rachel back after a few weeks away. Her demos are always light and fun and so lifted the heavy blanket of worry. This demo involved Lobster which most people were keen to get their hands on. We got a chance to watch classmate Sophie hypnotise a lobster (or Lobster Yoga as I like to call it) in to a very lulled state of mind. Apparently by rubbing their back and bending them over, it breaks the nerve with their brain. Making the impact of being boiled bright pink a little less painful!

And then I did this…I made bacon. That is all.

Philip Dennhardt of Saturday Pizzas also carried out a demonstration on making sausages. Debunking myths on chorizo making, showing us traditional Brawn (Head Cheese!) and some common sausages that are often made up for Beerfest.

Again with the cheese….need I say more!

The festive weekend of St. Patrick has just passed and I was so lucky we had the Monday off. A perfect excuse to travel that little bit farther and go home. Going home to Sligo always excites me. I rarely get to spend much time there these days, so I make sure to make a treat of it. Eating, drinking and dancing. It’s what I do best….when I’m not cooking :p

A visit to Kate’s Kitchen should be on everybody’s list who intends on passing through Sligo. Just as we had arrived, Beth had planted a freshly baked plate of Chocolate & Hazelnut Cookies on the counter. Could you resist…nobody could!! Kate’s Kitchen really does have the best of everything.

One of the main events of the Bank Holiday weekend was the album launch of Sligo Band, Rackhouse Pilfer (RHP). I think they completely blew the crowd away. With their support from Sarah Crummy and Those Nervous Animals, the place was packed. Turning people away at an event like this is hard to do but great to see so much interest. Word was spreading that it was the place to be on Saturday night. The minute RHP took to the stage, everybody jolted into huckabilly bluegrass mode.

One of my favourite things to do when I am home is go to Strandhill. It is pretty much on my doorstep so I can never deny myself the trip. A walk on the beach to shake off the cobwebs, ahem.

There was a pot of gold nearby….

Then of course an indulgent and hearty brunch in Shell’s Cafe. Despite tomatoes not being in season at this time of year, I couldn’t go past the tomato and avocado stack with bacon. Always with bacon. How amazing does it look and every mouthful was met with complete and utter glee!

Before retreating back down the road to Ballymaloe, I found myself wandering the back roads and stumbled upon a pair of gorgeous horses. I didn’t want to leave them.

And so I am back at Buttermaloe Ballymaloe and we jumped right in there with a demo by Rory on cakes, glorious cakes. There can never be enough cake.

From Strandhill to Garryvoe Strand. I am so spoilt with beaches to have a jaunt on…

Excitement and nerves were running a but high this morning bright and early as we faced in to our one hour wine exam. We all got through it and found a gorgeous tray of spices laid out. Revision for the next exams taking place next week. We are in the middle of week 11 already. With just 3 days of kitchen time left before our exams, reality is dawning that the real world looms and do you know what, it doesn’t look too bad!

Well last week started off on such a positive, uplifting note. We had one of the most glorious days of sunshine and of course, most of it was spent down by the beach.

On Wednesday afternoon, our class had the extreme pleasure of having a demonstration from Ger Buckley Master Cooper on barrel making, distilling whiskey and a brief run down of the trade and history behind it.

Ger opened up what must have been nearly a 5ft barrel containing about a foot of whiskey in it. It smelled divine I must say. When he finished everyone was totally amazed by the show and very intrigued.

On Thursday we headed off on our School Tour. I felt like a kid in school again, getting a day off school and going on a little adventure. Very exciting!! We had a list of places to visit and we were absolutely blessed with beautiful weather (again!!). First, we went for a sun kissed stroll around the grounds of Ballymaloe, doing a little foraging along the way.

Smiling Banbh??

We ended our walk with a talk from Bill Casey on smoking fish. Unfortunately, it is not the season just yet for Organic Salmon but Bill assured us that next week he would be getting in tons to have ready for Easter. Bill works solo and has made a great business out of his trade.

On to Mahon Point Farmer’s Market for a feast of fresh produce, comforting hot chocolates and warm smiles…..

One of my favourite stalls was definitely The Rocket Man. Jack is a past student of Ballymaloe. He attended the course this time last year and began his business during the course. I really loved his style and his choice of food. His salads are scrumptious and a good drizzle of garlicky yoghurt on top just sends your taste buds into a little song and dance of pure happiness.

Our next stop of the tour was definitely the one I was most excited about. I’m a big fan of Toby Simmonds. He has worked so hard over the last 20 years and now is doing such a brilliant job of making a name for Irish cheese with his gorgeous and creamy Buffalo Mozzarella. Seriously, it is unreal!! When I heard we were visiting him and his Buffaloes at Toonsbridge I was delighted…

We packed ourselves back on the bus and ventured toward Macroom and met Donal Creedon of Waltons’ Mills. Donal is such a gentle charachter. I instantly warmed to him as he spoke about the work that his family have put into keeping the business alive. Macroom Oatmeal is popular all over the country and is now stocked in the US. Donal also works solo apart from a packer who helps him get the Oatmeal and flours packed up for distribution.

We headed toward Urru (Urban Rural) in Bandon to meet Ruth Healy, who is also a past student. Ruth runs a Culinary Store which is a mish mash of deli, grocers and bakeware. It was a treasure chest of foodie finds and I picked up a gorgeous Mason Bowl which reminded me of what my mum used to make all of her lovely cakes in.

Our last port of call was to Poachers Inn, Bandon. Barry (Ballymaloe past student) and his wife,  Catherine McLaughlin, have made a stand in the quaint town of Bandon dishing up a stunning menu. We were treated to Barry’s Crab and Prawn Cocktails. I could have eaten a dozen!!

A serious amount of inspiration from this trip. Seeing what current artisan producers are up to and also what past students have moved on to doing. My mind is like a wildfire with ideas at the minute.

This week I came to the realisation that yes I can do anything, but not everything. All at the same time. In 3 hours. Taking on a lot of extra work to push myself and learning some new techniques to broaden my skill set seemed like a great idea, but in the moment it made me feel frazzled and overwhelmed. I’m glad I did it, I felt as though I stepped my game up a notch. I am producing more wholesome food with less effort and really loving how my food is coming together. It’s a pretty good feeling. Like when you start to learn to drive a car and everyone says one day it will just come to you and you get the knack. Cooking, for me, is a bit like that. You get the knack but you continue to keep learning and growing with the food.

On Tuesday of week 7, we had a visit from Caroline and Cam from 8 Degrees Brewing. I had approached Colm McCan of Ballymaloe House about hosting a night with beer and food matching. As I follow Caroline on her Bibliocook Blog and have fallen in love with 8 Degrees beer. It was obvious they would be perfect. I particularly wanted to meet Caroline as she is a past student of Ballymaloe. I love the story behind 8 Degrees Brewing and the fact that they are part of a small craft beer community in Ireland is really inspiring. I’m hoping to catch up with the guys again at the Franciscan Wells Craft Beer Event after I finish up here at Ballymaloe.

After a late night supper in Darina’s I knew I needed something to brush off the cobwebs the next morning. Not so bright eyed and bushy tailed I ventured out into the bitter cold morning to wander around the gardens with Susan Turner and a small group of students. Susan is an incredible fountain of knowledge when it comes to gardening and after an hour of talking with us, she barely scratched the surface on the topic. We absorbed so much information from her. I am the least green fingered person I know. No plant is safe around me, so I am hoping with some of this natural wisdom she has instilled in us that I will hopefully gain some inspiration to create my very own kitchen garden one day.

Last week I mentioned that we visited the Idaho Cafe in Cork. This week, as luck would have it, Richard Jacob from Idaho paid us a visit. We had a full day of lectures of Food Business and to round off the day, Richard came to speak with us. He was so uplifting and such a joy to listen to. In one hour he was able to tell us all about the do’s and don’ts of getting into the food business and certainly made it seem a little less daunting than I was being led to believe. Richard is a living and breathing success of how to run a food business in Ireland.

This week we also got to see the mystery of making yoghurt be completely debunked. Tim and Eileen invited us down to the dairy to show us the process and allowed us to take a jar of yoghurt home. I was lucky enough to test out the domestic style yoghurt machine and had some gorgeous pot set yoghurt on my porridge the next day. Totally worth waking up in the middle of the night to check on it and pop it in the fridge to finish off setting.

I was so much looking forward to spending a weekend in Ballymaloe, as the last 3 have involved traveling and lots of plans. So this weekend was all about taking a back seat and putting my feet up. On Saturday I spent the day listening to Clarissa Hyman talk to us about Food Writing. Giving hints and tips…no. 1…avoid cliches! I walked out of there with a massive amount of new food writers to read and some exercises to help with me writing.

And what was even better…indulging in Saturday Pizzas. I love Philip’s pizzas and the Wild Garlic and Roast Jerusalem was a welcome site on my plate.

After a gentle walk on the beach down at Garryvoe Strand this morning to get my daily dose of Vitamin D and sea minerals, I’m feeling excited and ready to take on Week 8 here at Ballymaloe. I’m inspired, motivated and hungry. My sights are set on increasing my skills even more, enjoying working with the produce picked from the garden every morning and of course embracing every moment of my time here.

Ending week 6 at Ballymaloe with our first exam. We had our herb and salad leaf identification exam on Friday afternoon followed by a technique exam. 20 minutes before the exam, my nerves decided to kick in, leaving me all a fluster in the exam but I got there in the end. I was extremely lucky to have Rachel Allen as my examiner and when she saw me struggle she was there to give me that push of encouragement that I needed. By the time I walked out of the kitchen over an hour later, I was ready for a drink  the weekend.

We had a big girly weekend planned and once prepped and ready to go, the ladies hit the road for Cork. After trundling around Cork city for the best part of an hour, we headed to see what Kate Lawlor was up to in Fenn’s Quay. My, were we blown away! The food at Fenn’s Quay is sourced from The English Market and focuses on local and seasonal. Their style is unique and simply done with vibrant flavours and exquisite twists on classic (Cashel Blue Ice-Cream anyone?!)

Bright and early the following morning, we headed to Idaho Cafe to see Richard and Mairead Jacob. After hearing Darina preach to us that they are the bees knees when it comes to running a cafe, we were all dying to get there. A heart warming bowl of porridge sprinkled in brown sugar was the cherry on my Saturday morning. And so with full bellies and rosy cheeks, we hit the road for Dingle. I have fond memories of holidaying in Dingle years ago. I’m sure my mum will be digging the pictures out any day now This time it was only a brief visit but we got in a lot more than I had hoped!

With a quick pit stop in Killarney…I thought Murphy’s Ice Cream would be the perfect treat for lunch!

En route back to reality, our grumbling tummies got the better of us. The Smokehouse, Killarney was the business.

So now the next 6 weeks of the course is ahead of me and with a fresh new spirit I’m ready to take it on. I feel ready for a bigger challenge, both in the kitchen and mentally (I am my worst competition)

Towards the end of the week, things definitely took a turn for the better. I had some amazing experiences in the kitchen and loved experimenting with gluten free recipes. Sadly after a month of eating gluten, my body just decided enough was enough so I am back to eating no gluten which is hard, especially in cookery school. For me, I would rather feel energised and nourished from what I eat than just satisfy a craving. Don’t get me wrong, I love the delicious white and brown yeast breads that we have been making and only last week, we were introduced to pasta making. However, there are alternatives and needless to say I am certainly not going hungry

Straight after our Friday afternoon demo, I packed up my bags and hightailed it to Dublin for the weekend. I had visions of shopping, eating and wandering aimlessly around the city. With shoulders heavy with anxious worries, I knew this was the best stress buster.

A trip to Dublin is not complete without a visit to the Temple Bar Food Market. I’m a big fan of Llewellyns Orchard. Steaming hot cups of mulled apple juice with an optional shot of Calvados Apple Brandy…I think so!!

And a visit Ed Hicks stall at the TB Food Market is a must. The smells of the unctuous hot dogs being sizzled always draw in the crowds and his Bacon Jam gets me every.single. time. Irresistible!!

With a full belly and happy heart I had a yearning for some….Ice Cream!! On a cold almost wintry day in Dublin? Yes, Please!!

A spot of vintage shopping always makes me a happy lady and I couldn’t resist the AMAZING sale on in Om Diva. So much wonderful, pretty, stunning and special dresses for a bargain!

My very first trip to the Pepper Pot Cafe was a spectacular event. They were so nice about catering for gluten free me and even had some rockin’ suggestions of what would go best with their delicious gluten free bread. Could I go past the bacon and cream cheese? no siree bob!!!

and I just LOVE their tea cups and pretty plates….

With a fresh new energy flowing through me and more a focused head on my shoulders, I ventured back down to the wilds of East Cork back to Ballymaloe. Immediately upon arrival, I was greeted with hugs, delicious food and heartwarming smiles.

Life….is good!

I cannot believe I have been here a month already. Time is flying by and I just want it to slow down and last forever! The theme of week 4 here at Ballymaloe Cookery School was all about bread. For me, at least! It started off with my adventures into Sourdough the week before and then expanded into the mindful moments of kneading a beautiful yeast dough. I fell head over heels for this bread. I loved making it and watching the end result turn out so beautiful. It was definitely worth those mind boggling sequences. That moment when you cut into a loaf of your own freshly baked bread is magical. Feel the crust crumble under your fingers and the smell of the yeasty dough rise into the air. The advantage of making all of these delicious breads is your teacher will most likely let you bring it home…smothering them in butter with a freshly brewed cup of tea. Completely unnecessary after a day of tastings and 3-4 course lunches but still….fresh bread, could you resist it??

This is the little chap who is waking me up every morning…even on my days off when I long for a sleep-in. My body has been craving a long and undisturbed rest and the next thing I hear a cock-a-doodle-doo before the sun has even had a chance to rise it’s pretty little head.

This little lady is just so precious. I love her…but I don’t think she really appreciates me toddling after her when she’s going for a gander around the garden.

Every morning leaving our cottage and going into the kitchens, we pass the gorgeous herb gardens. So enchanting, I love it!

On Friday afternoon before our last demo of the week. Darina brought us foraging down at Garryvoe Strand. Scarves, hats, thermals and big jackets were donned and we piled into cars to head down for some fresh sea air. When we got down to the beach, we walked out to a seaweed filled marsh. Darina went through the history of foraging in that area and told us all now that the recession has hit, more and more people are foraging and selling this natural produce to make a living. What a pretty nice past-time too.

We paddled around looking for Perry-Winkles and making sure we didn’t stock up on Horse Perries. As the old folks say ‘Don’t eat Horse Perries. Okay then! From what I gather, they are just a little bit toxic for the human system and we can’t tolerate them so best to avoid them.

Our foraging session was short and sweet but so much fun. Afterwards, everybody was so rejuvenated, happy and laden with Perry-Winkles. I love the energy that fresh sea air and a little jaunt along the shoreline gives you. I wish we could do that everyday.

When we got back to demo, Darina had a platter of fresh sea food ready for cooking and serving. I’m definitely falling more in love with Shellfish every time we have it here. I tried my first Perry-Winkle, Clam and Sea Urchin on Friday. Yum!!

Looking forward to shucking some Oysters and having some delicious Shellfish for lunch tomorrow. Will be so hard to resist eating all of then in the kitchen

Bidding farewell to week 3 in Ballymaloe Cookery School. Nestled in my cottage by the stove and a hot cuppa steaming beside me. Downtime at Ballymaloe is so precious and so wonderful. So much happened this week; the focus was definitely all about Shellfish and cheap cuts of meat. Darina Allen spent all of Wednesday demoing how to make use of cheaper (but oh so tasty!) cuts of beef, lamb and pork. I was lucky enough to snag the leftover short ribs to braise on Thursday. Melt in your mouth delicious. Cuts of meat like these cost approx €3-€4 and will happily feed an army of hungry tummies.

Then on Thursday, Rachel Allen treated us to a gorgeous and witty demo on Shellfish. She had Crayfish, Shrimp and Dublin Bay Prawns. All still alive and the shrimp were literally hopping out of the bowl, nearly landing in our lap. On our first day of Cookery School (which feels like so long ago), we were presented with a beautiful lunch which featured some gorgeous little shrimp. Darina encouraged all of us to eat the shrimps brain and roe as well as the rest of the little fellows. So juicy and definitely encouraged me to get over my food fears about Shellfish.

Our weekly demo’s with Colm McCan, Sommelier of Ballymaloe House, are becoming a real highlight. Colm is so lovely and has such a great passion for wine. This week he brought Maurice O’Mahony of Wine Alliance to talk to us about Portuguese wines. They were so delicious and of course I was straight to the shop to pick myself up a bottle

At the end of week 1, I made a Sourdough Starter. Under strict supervision, I really had no idea what I was doing but I could not believe how easy it was. There were a few mishaps over the last 2 weeks, I found mould growing on the side of the jar last Sunday and thought my dreams of Sourdough baking had been dashed. Luckily, Philip the master butcher/pizzaiolo was on hand to assure me that unless the mould is black or red, simply wipe it off and carry on. I did just that, wiped it off and fed it again and then said some really nice things to it to encourage it to come back to life. Within seconds, it was bubbling and becoming active. During last week, myself and some of the girls who had also made starters began to make our Sourdough Sponge. In total it should take about 2-3 days to prove.

This morning we baked our Sourdough. We had meant to bake them last night but were feeling a little lazy and so we left them to prove for one more night in the fridge. This morning, as we tipped our breads onto the baking tray, we noticed they were a little flatter than they should be. So, a lesson definitely learnt. When your Sourdough has proved and is active and ready for the oven. Bake it! We were still absolutely delighted with how they turned out. We ran home with them and proceeded to inhale a third of a loaf each. Still steaming and warm, so delicious! I must say I am so proud of how mine turned out and we have already started a second sponge so will be making some new loaves this week. I think this is definitely the beginning of a beautiful relationship. I love the process behind Sourdough and if you look after your starter, it will be a friend for life.

Whilst our breads were baking in the oven, we took a little gander outside in to the cold but sunny morning light. Millie, the cow, who is almost ready to give birth any day now was there to say hello.

Millie is a Jersey cow and is such a gentle creature. She is so sweet and I know is going to make a wonderful mum in a few days.

My housemate, Jette, took it as a good opportunity to collect some herbs for tonight’s ‘family’ dinner. We seem to have established a bit of an informal tradition in the Pink Cottage; every Sunday one of of us cooks dinner for the house. There is only 6 of us but there’s usually an extra mouth to feed, which is always a pleasure. There is such a lovely community of foodies being created here at the cottages. People just pop in to say hello, sit down for a chat and this usually evolves in to a glass of wine and some smelly cheese!

As I head into week 4, excitement is building up as I am learning so many new techniques. Absorbing information at such a fast pace, my brain hasn’t worked this hard since the days of Uni back in Dublin. But now, I am studying something I am insanely passionate about. I am surrounded by amazing people who share my interest and don’t think my obsession with smelly cheese is weird!

Till next time….

Cx

My homework each night this week has been feeding my Sourdough Starter and flipping my homemade raw milk cheese. I’m so excited about making food like this from such basic and nourishing ingredients. I love the science behind these foods and the knowledge that my teachers and peers have on such things. We had the pleasure of being taught how to make homemade Butter, Yoghurt and Cheese by Eddie O’Neill, an Artisan Dairy Food Specialist from Teagasc. He had a wealth of information to pass on to us after being in the industry for over 30 years. He still never tires of stirring his curds and whey because he knows what magic it will create. Here he is separating the freshly squeezed raw organic Jersey Cow milk.

The Allen’s have a small herd of 3 Jersey cows, 2 of which are pregnant so only one is currently being milked. Raw milk is supplied daily to the Cookery School shop where we can buy it by the bottle for only €1.50. Too good to be true! I have also been eating the Ballymaloe homemade yoghurt by the spoonful every day, I love it. Just how yoghurt should taste. The butter is also so delicious, we get to make it as part of our duty depending on the week. I’ll be on butter duty tomorrow morning! I just love smothering it all over a freshly baked loaf of brown soda bread. Delish!

Demonstrations from Rory O’Connell are becoming my favourite part of the week. He really gets everybody excited about the food he is making. There’s always ooh’s and aah’s when we get to taste test at the end of his demo. He brings a brilliant quirkiness to the kitchen and he can stream off a million ideas for one simple ingredient.

And of course I couldn’t forget the gorgeous hens. Every time I go down to empty the hens buckets in their feeding skip, I have to stop and admire these proud birds. So fancy! They remind me of elegant older ladies who have a certain air of grandness about them.

I am in the middle of mentally preparing myself for week 3. I still have to pinch myself when I realise where and I am and what I am achieving each day. Building new friendships, broadening my way of thinking and looking outside the box. It is time to get a little bit more serious as exams are looming in the distance but still the laughs will be plenty…..till next time!