Field Trips and Weekend Goodness

Salmon Smoking

I have a lot to catch up on. Thursday was field trip day. We piled into a coach and headed an hour and a half from school to our first stop.  We went to several different places and enjoyed learning about the thriving small businesses in Ireland. We went to a farmhouse cheese place where we saw the process of cheese making and was able to sample the delicious cheese. The place was tiny. They had a handful of full time staff and they made the most excellent award winning cheese. We went to a bakery where we learned all about bread, two farmers markets that reminded me of being in England and then a place where they smoked everything from salmon to duck. It was amazing.

English Market, Cork

I was talking to this guy at the farmers market in Cork. He runs an Indian spice stall where he sells just that and other combinations. Its such a simple concept and it does so well. He has family in India and ships in every beautiful smelling (and looking) spice and sells them locally in Ireland. He does so well for himself he quit his full time job and focuses solely on his thriving business. Not only was his product so good but he had the personality to match. One thing I have learned from people running their own businesses is how important it is to be personable and likable. (amongst other things of course) I was just really impressed and he seemed so happy to be doing something he loved.

After the farmers market and too much spicy indian food we went to another farmers market in Cork, the English market. It reminded me of the market in Bolton except the majority of it was food related. We snooped around there for an hour and left for pizza in Midleton. The place just opened a couple months ago by a former Ballymaloe student. It was soo good a couple of us went back this weekend for dinner. A pizza is not a pizza unless its cooked in a stone oven. I'm hungry just thinking about it.

Everything is going well. This week i am cooking with one of my house mates Freddie. He is a fan favorite here in Ballymaloe... something always entertaining happens with him in the kitchen so i'm looking forward to the laughs this week. I'm cooking an apple tart tomorrow morning along with a soup and vegetable. Freddie has got the pork steak and something else.

Cheese Making

Last night we all enjoyed a night out at the Black Bird. There was live music so we spend the night dancing and singing. Today my housemate Shane made delicious pork burgers with peppers, apricots and sweet and sour sauce. We (he) barbecued them outside in the nice weather and then I went for a pretty ambitious run. (maybe too ambitious)Tonight we are all watching X factor (like American Idol) and i'm trying to catch up on my blogging before going to bed.

We have a practical exam coming up. We have a list of things we need to have mastered for the exam. From jointing a chicken to filleting a fish and things like extracting meat from a crab, lining a flan ring, making pastry an omelet etc etc. Im assuming the tasks will be randomly selected for each student. I hope i get the pastry thing or the filleting a fish... i feel like i can do that okay. I haven't officially jointed a chicken... so maybe i should go out and buy one to practice...

Any how this week will be busy. I haven't even looked at what i'm supposed to be making. I know im on lemonade duty which means i'll be making candied peel (yippee) and I think I have to feed the hens.

Good night all