the sweet salt

My first weekend at Ballymaloe has been spent in a most leisurely fashion. Exploring (read eating) my way around the Farmers Market in Middleton, discovering (read getting rained on in) Cork, my first Guinness at the pub, a few glasses of wine with my fellow housemates, a walk in the bright Sunday sunshine to Ballymaloe House and a Sunday evening roast chicken. Divine.

It’s been a week since I arrived. So much has happened in these past seven days – I can’t really imagine all that’s going to happen in the 11 weeks ahead.

Here’s a wrap up of Week 1 in numbers:

• Students on the course – 64

• Nationalities making up our group – 9 (including Irish, English, American, South African, Indian, French, Spanish and New Zealand)

• Average age of students – no idea! We range from Gap Year-ers to retirees and just about everything in between

• Cottages offering onsite accommodation – 7 (I reckon that equates to about half of the students living onsite)

• Fellow residents of Mrs Walsh’s Cottage – 6. And all super lovely. Plus me equals a grand total of 7. We’re 2 guys (1 x Irish, 1 x American) and 5 girls (2 x Isle of Man, 1 x Northern Irish, 1 x American and me!)

• Ratio of teachers to students – 6:1

• Kitchens there are to cook in –  3

• Visits to the greenhouse – 2

• Sitings of blue sky and sunshine – multiple! (Who said it rained all the time in Ireland?)

• Times I’ve thrown things into the wrong bin or asked “where does this go?” – too many to count

• Blue plasters – 0 (result!)

• Burns – 1

• Times I’ve forgotten my name badge / hat / pen – 1 item per day (at least)

• Tastings of chardonnay – 2

• Recipes demonstrated – 50 (approx)

• Recipes cooked – 9

• Discussions about recipe filing techniques –  too many

• Discussions about exams – ditto

• Guinness’s drunk – 1 (room for improvement Fi)

• Varieties of fresh garden herbs shown and named – 20

• Varieties of fresh garden herbs memorised – 1 (also room for improvement Fi)

• Jars of raspberry jam made – 4

• Meals eaten a day – 2

• Courses eaten every lunchtime – 4 (including cheese)

• Mini scones with cream and jam consumed – numerous

• Times I’ve thought “why the hell have I ever drunk or eaten low fat milk / yoghurt” – multiple, daily

• Times I will every eat or drink low fat milk / yoghurt again – 0

• Times I’ve said amazing – countless

• Times I’ve thought “how lucky am I to be here for the next 12 weeks?” – uncountable

Midleton Farmers Market

A rather rainy Cork

Moody Ballycotton Island (with its own lighthouse)

Edible hedgerows. Pennyworth (which featured in our recipes this week) is growing along the Ballymaloe stone walls. It has a lovely round leaf, a bit like a baby nasturtium.

Happy Ballymaloe hens

Kate, Gill and Chuck on our Sunday walk to Ballymaloe House

Emerald Cork Countryside

Our destination

The onsite roastery and cafe

The Grainstore is the live music venue

Ballymaloe House. The Irish Country House retreat established by Myrtle Allen

Cannot get enough of this