Fadge!!

Week 5 has started and according to the natives, this is the first week of the mid course doldrums, students question their abilities and it all gets too much for some! Well not in our cottage! We are all raring to go and still loving life in sunny (yes still) East Cork. After having a lovely time in Belfast (despite the rock like scones) I just about made it back to Ballymaloe in the early evening of Sunday, I would have been here about 30 minutes earlier if I had not missed the turn for Dublin and driven 15 minutes West! However I got my directions back on track and made the journey in good time. It did feel a bit weird being back as I had taken an extended break, so I arrived in the school on Monday not knowing what kitchen I was in, who my partner was or what I was to be cooking, thankfully Aine, my partner, had it all sorted. Caramelized Pecan Squares and bacon Chop with Whiskey Sauce was the order of the day. Thankfully my amazing culinary skills (or those of my teacher, Sue) saw me through and the morning was a great success, even my biscuits tasted amazing and even looked pretty good, a far cry from my first biscuit disaster a few weeks ago!! The afternoon was a really heavy one and we did not get out till after 6, as we learnt all kinds of breakfast goodies including homemade muesli and granola, pancakes, waffles and of course a full Irish! Which I have to say is not a patch on a good old Ulster fry, which I have now been reliably informed is served with Fadge! After much tittering in the room, we were told that Fadge is actually potato bread which we good Ulster folk like to have with our frys. To be honest, I like the Ormo variety better and it will not be added to my culinary repertoire.
As you can imagine I was really looking forward to Tuesday as we each had to make a fry to be judged and then we were allowed to go and eat them for lunch, extra incentive to get it right! I also made some kumquat marmalade which is quite possibly the worst job I have ever had (make that second worst job, door to door phone salesman in Australia was worse!), the reason being is you have to cut up a kilo of these tiny fruits into little rings and then manually take out the pips! Then soak them overnight before you can commence the second stage of marmalade making. The reason is that the pips contain most of the pectin (the stuff that helps it set) and you need to add it to the marmalade later. I also made spotted dog (sweetened soda bread with sultanas) fresh raspberry muesli and segmented an orange! I was a busy guy and I though my fry was fantastic (if i do say so myself).
That afternoon at demo we saw flat fish being filleted, chilli con carne, bean stew and chocolate eclairs!!
Also went for a few pints to the Blackbird as we had no cooking the next day and as usual it was great craic, Rachel and Issac Allen were in so we had some good chat and I really enjoyed myself.
Today was a ok day, we had business class with Darina's sister, it was a bit like going back in time to Uni but I guess you cant have some messages drummed into you enough (cost control, cost control, cost control).
I also go the call from the surgeon and I am booked in on the 16 December for the op, good to know it is going to be done before Christmas and I can recuperate and get out to China ASAP as they are cooking up a storm over there and could do with some assistance and I cant wait! Although 670 diners over 3 days sounds pretty mental (last weekend numbers at the Flying Fox, Shanghai). Dads wife Li did the course here last year and has completely revolutionised their business, so there may be hope for me yet!
Anyway, that's enough from me for now, chocolate eclairs tomorrow with choux pastry, sounds like just my thing!!
T

Full Irish

Bacon Chop, whiskey cream, banana and mash with scallions

A tray of pecan goodness!!