It's the People

The countryside, the weather, the ocean, the farms and towns -- they all contribute to my daily life at cooking school; but what most shapes my experience are the people.  I've mentioned that all the demo people are very good, but my favorite is Rory O'Connell, Darina Allen's brother and co-founder of the school.  Rory's been cooking at locations all over the world and it shows.  He brings this real-world experience to his suggestions and advice.  I try to sit in the front row for the demos and here is my view of Rory during a demo.  The angled mirror gives us a downward view and there are also television screens to the right and left that give closeups of dishes in the middle.

This is what it looks like from the back of the room.

This demo space is also used by a few students for the morning cooking and this week it was my turn.  Most of us think this is the best kitchen, mostly because there are only a few students but also because of the instructors.  I tried to put all of this to good use.  On Monday I made poached apricots with sweet geranium leaves (the use of these leaves was popularized in Ireland by Myrtle Allen in the 60's and 70's), carrot cake, and baked potatoes.   Scrubbing the potatoes was the only hard part of baking the potatoes (these local organic potatoes come with lots of dirt still on them).  I was told to put them on a baking tray and I did, but I will return to cooking them directly on the rack, when I return to NM (faster, more even, and crispier skin).  The apricots and cake went O.K. and I really liked the cream cheese icing on the cake.  My instructor, Serka (it's an Irish name and I don't know the spelling), was a real calming influence on the kitchen, so I really enjoyed the day.

Tuesday was breakfast cooking day and it was a real treat for me, since a big breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.  My partner for the week, Caroline, and I started kumquat marmalade; I made raw apple muffins and a nut and grain muesli; and each of us made a Irish/country house full breakfast -- eggs, sausage, back bacon, streaked bacon, white and black puddings (actually types of sausage), baked tomatoes, and baked mushrooms.  We shared on most of this except the eggs, which had to be sunny side.  After the egg is put in the middle of the frying pan, a Pyrex plate is put over it, so the yoke gets a slight film over it.  Why this is preferable is beyond me.  The presentation of all of this was judged and then we sat down in the dining room and ate our own with muffins, muesli, granola and Buck's fizz, which is a mixture of orange juice and champagne.  What a special treat!

We got to meet a real French wine maker, Luc Lapeyre, on Tuesday evening and tasted some of his fabulous wines from the Languedoc region in southern France.  Luc is a very big man but he talks of his wine making in a soft and engaging manner. The term "gentle giant" really applies.  More wine tasting at 9:30 on Wednesday.  Is it ever too early for me for wine tasting?  Not that I can tell.  The next demo on Wednesday was a challenge for the squeamish.  The local provider of game described the different game birds, including the innards.  He was so proud of his work as he passed around different components, including the foot of a pheasant with the tendons hanging from it.  When he took out the heart from a dead pigeon I asked, "Are you going to pass that around?" and got kicked by the women behind me.  Fortunately, I think he knew I was joking and didn't. 

In an earlier blog, I showed you some pictures of Ballymaloe House, where I played golf on their quirky golf course.  This Wednesday afternoon, we all went to Ballymaloe House and got tours.  Beautiful place!  If you have the money, I would recommend staying and eating there.  After tea or coffee and some cakes we listened to Myrtle Allen describe her contribution to what became a revolution in Irish cooking.  Although in her middle 80's, she was articulate and dynamic (in a subtle way).  She is still active in directing the running of Ballymaloe House.  Great day!

On Thursday I made a chicken casserole that included carrots and shallots, but I also made and added mushroom a la creme to the sauce in the casserole.  Not a lot for the morning, but the creme took quite a while.  Here is where my instructor Jill really made a difference.  She helped me improve on frying the mushrooms, so they wouldn't be soggy, and explained the whys as she went along.  She has worked in restaurants all over the world and it really showed.  And when she helps someone, she really concentrates on them.  Outstanding.  And so was my casserole -- a 6 out of 6!

It was the end of another week and I almost couldn't believe it.  Unfortunately, I didn't end the week on a high note.  I made Indian paratha bread, which required that I roll out, fold, roll out again, and fry sixteen individual pieces.  I got pretty good at it by the end, but I it wasn't fun.  Unfortunately, things turned worse on my warm salad with fillet of Irish beef and horseradish mayonnaise.  When I grabbed the horseradish, I grabbed ginger instead and didn't catch it until much too late.  Got some really good advice from Pam, who told me I was hurrying unnecessarily.  Funny how some of the other instructors try push you along, but she was insightful enough to try to slow me down.

Here are more pictures from the demo on Friday afternoon.  First, some of the fine presentations that Rory did.

And we end the session with tasting, so everyone rushes to get in line (sitting in front helps).  But even the people at the end get their share and sometimes a lot more.

The weekend had an interesting twist.  On Saturday after I did wash and studied my greens and herbs for an exam, I decided to drive to Ballycotton, which is just a few kilometers down the road and right by the ocean, for an early dinner (before 6).  After one failed attempt in a pub because the restaurant part was closed, I stopped at the Wave.  As I walked in, I noted it was quite busy, so I wasn't sure where to sit.  I smiled at the middle-aged woman behind the bar and asked her if they were serving food, almost as a way of getting a suggestion on where to sit.  "No, we're not serving food."  I was surprised and as I walked out, I noted people with food in front of them.  As I left the front door, I noted the big menu that was still in the middle of the sidewalk.  What the heck?  Was it because I was an American?  By myself?  Ugly?  I'll never know for sure, but I can't remember a worse experience in Ireland.

Let me end this edition with more pictures.  By popular demand, which means that Charlene has asked several times, I took some pictures of two of the dogs at the school.  They are Russell Terriers, but as you can see from the pictures below, they are very overweight.  They are also very spoiled.  They want their bellies rubbed forever.  As I would bend down to take a picture, they would rush over to me to get more petting.  One of my cottage mates, Nikki from Scotland, came to the rescue and held the dogs.

You think they want attention?

Makes me homesick for my own dogs, but I can't go there.  Keeping busy is the best antidote for home sickness.  So, back to cooking!