Week 10 has commenced and exam fever is starting to hit. Final choices for our menus need to be in on Thursday morning and all the talk is about what everyone is cooking. Keeping it simple and flavourful is the order of the day and I am wavering between a few dishes, I will keep you updated on my choices. The process seems simple enough, 3 hours, 3 courses and a lottery bread which will be chosen for you the day before, however as the day approaches my natural instinct to question everything is kicking in. As well as all that, we have 3 written papers, another herb test and a wine exam to get through.
Only 8 more days of cooking though and that is a bummer, it has been so much fun cooking different things everyday and I have enjoyed that aspect of the course so much. I am in kitchen 3 at the moment and the teachers are great and we are now all trying to cram as much as possible into our days, I am in the kitchen from 8am every morning and my approach at the moment is to try and complete as many dishes as possible that I feel will be relevant in Shanghai. So the next few weeks will be very busy as I try to get as much out of the course as possible.
The last two weeks have been really good, last week I made my first attempt at pasta when I made pumpkin and ricotta ravioli, it actually turned out really well and is something I would love to do more of. I have also made more sour dough bread and tomorrow I will be making ciabatta. Pan fried fish was on the menu last week and I had another go at filleting, it actually went quite well and the haddock actually looked like a fillet of fish when I was finished! Result!
This week looks really busy, Wednesday is canape ans sushi day and Lamb is on the menu on Thursday and Friday.
So, full steam ahead for the next 3 weeks, spot of rugby this weekend and then head down for the following two weeks and perhaps a bit of studying!
I will update you later in the week and let you know the menu!
Peace
T
Monday 22 November 2010
Sunday 14 November 2010
4 weeks to go!!
Can it only be 4 weeks to go? Seems crazy that the adventure in Ballymaloe is nearing its conclusion, whats even more crazy is the fact that I should really be able to cook by now!!
So week 8 is out of the way and we are on the cusp of week 9. Last week seemed to fly by and I am now struggling to remember what I cooked and tasted. Steaks were a highlight, with a delicious Bearnaise sauce and crispy onion rings, we also learnt all about cheese souffles which are actually much easier to do than one would think. I have also been making sour dough bread which takes about 9 days to complete, well worth the effort though, I really like this bread. Once you have made it once, the time taken to make it reduces significantly as you keep back whats called a starter. This will be used as a basis for all my sour dough from now on, the beauty of it is that it will constantly improve and get stronger thus making better bread. I also made praline ice cream which is quite possibly my favourite thing in the world and how simple it is to make, you don't even need an ice cream maker! So in general week 8 was a treat, I was also paired up with my flatmate Charlotte which was great fun, she spends most of her time making sure everyone is alright and she was a pleasure to work with.
I also made a trip up to Ballymaloe to see some of the family, I bumped into Myrtle Allen again and we had a nice chat. I really wish my back was better as I do feel that I am missing out just a little on the opportunity to spend a bit more time up there helping out and working but alas it is not to be, maybe another time after my adventures in China. I think I would really like to spend a bit more time down this way some time in the future, it really is a relaxed pace of life and the people are great, who knows what the future has in store.
On a much more negative note, I have also had to sit through two excruciatingly long weekends watching that excuse for a rugby team get run ragged all over a half empty Lansdowne Rd. What makes it slightly worse was that I had to do this with Steve, a South African supporter who was delighted that his second string team beat us. If what happened last night at Murrayfield (snigger!!) is anything to go by, the weekends will not be improving very soon!
So, things are good, the cooking is getting more technical by the minute, our rugby team is rubbish and I have to come up with my exam menu (3 course meal to be presented to Darina, Rachel and Rory) fairly soon. No bother!!!
Got a bit snap happy on my morning walk, photos below.
So week 8 is out of the way and we are on the cusp of week 9. Last week seemed to fly by and I am now struggling to remember what I cooked and tasted. Steaks were a highlight, with a delicious Bearnaise sauce and crispy onion rings, we also learnt all about cheese souffles which are actually much easier to do than one would think. I have also been making sour dough bread which takes about 9 days to complete, well worth the effort though, I really like this bread. Once you have made it once, the time taken to make it reduces significantly as you keep back whats called a starter. This will be used as a basis for all my sour dough from now on, the beauty of it is that it will constantly improve and get stronger thus making better bread. I also made praline ice cream which is quite possibly my favourite thing in the world and how simple it is to make, you don't even need an ice cream maker! So in general week 8 was a treat, I was also paired up with my flatmate Charlotte which was great fun, she spends most of her time making sure everyone is alright and she was a pleasure to work with.
I also made a trip up to Ballymaloe to see some of the family, I bumped into Myrtle Allen again and we had a nice chat. I really wish my back was better as I do feel that I am missing out just a little on the opportunity to spend a bit more time up there helping out and working but alas it is not to be, maybe another time after my adventures in China. I think I would really like to spend a bit more time down this way some time in the future, it really is a relaxed pace of life and the people are great, who knows what the future has in store.
On a much more negative note, I have also had to sit through two excruciatingly long weekends watching that excuse for a rugby team get run ragged all over a half empty Lansdowne Rd. What makes it slightly worse was that I had to do this with Steve, a South African supporter who was delighted that his second string team beat us. If what happened last night at Murrayfield (snigger!!) is anything to go by, the weekends will not be improving very soon!
So, things are good, the cooking is getting more technical by the minute, our rugby team is rubbish and I have to come up with my exam menu (3 course meal to be presented to Darina, Rachel and Rory) fairly soon. No bother!!!
Got a bit snap happy on my morning walk, photos below.
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| morning walk time! |
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| herb garden |
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| gardens |
Wednesday 3 November 2010
Spice and all things nice!
We have broken the back of the course and are on the home straight. Mid term exams are done and the results are in! Panic averted, all areas passed! Well done me, I have actually learned stuff.
Last week was interesting to say the least. After leaving the blog last week, some final cramming was done, bits of herbs and lettuce leaves were stuck to paper to help with identification and I had nightmares about having to fillet a fish (which I am STILL rubbish at). Thankfully the teachers took it easy on me and along with place settings and how to correctly pour a glass of wine (Don't Ask!), I had to dice and sweat an onion, top, tail and cook green beans, make mayonnaise and make a paper piping bag. Now those who know me will testify to the fact that patience is not a virtue that I have in abundance, so you can imagine my sense of frustration when, upon completing my herb and salad test, I had to wait until 5.15pm until I started my theory test (a full 75 minutes late). Apart from fish, I had no real worries about the test, the onion and paper piping bag (a small funnel made out of parchment paper used to pipe things like melted chocolate etc) were mentally ticked off the day before so I was raring to go. The relief was written all over my face as I arrived at my station and Rory O'Connell told me my jobs. I flew through the onion, mayo and beans with great gusto and approached the piping back with an image of a cold pint flashing through my head- that was probably my downfall!! 3 attempts later, with ripped up parchment paper covering my station, I turned to Rory, admitted defeat and stormed out of the kitchen. Thankfully I had passed everything else so all was not lost.
The weekend was good craic, Davey eventually arrived and we headed to the Blackbird for a well deserved pint. The night was great with everybody blowing off steam after the week and we also looked forward to the Halloween party the next night.
The next day Davey and I sampled the delights of Cork and he got his outfit for the party. He tried in vain to convince me that we should go as old school Batman and Robin, but there was no way I was going to be seen as his trusty sidekick! I flirted with a brilliant all in one Gromit suit (from Wallace and Gromit) but settled for my original decision (I went as one of the students who left the course after week one).
That night was great fun, after a lovely dinner (thanks to the White Cottage crew) we descended on the party. The night was great, eclipsed only by the amazing outfit worn by my housemate Charlotte, who went as Darina herself, including paper chefs hat and bangles!
So week 7 has arrived, I am in the Demo kitchen this week with Pam, our amazing teacher and I am still loving it. Thai food was the theme on Tuesday, taught by Rachel and today we had an amazing chat from a past student called Arun, who runs a company called Green Saffron. Well worth a visit online. His spices can be as young as a matter of weeks when they get to the customer, crazy considering the ones you buy in the supermarket can be years old, you cant imagine the amazing flavours and smells!
So tomorrow I am making Laksa, a spicy Thai noodle soup and a variety of other delights!
So cooking for two days, then watch Ireland take apart the Springboks, Bliss!!
Last week was interesting to say the least. After leaving the blog last week, some final cramming was done, bits of herbs and lettuce leaves were stuck to paper to help with identification and I had nightmares about having to fillet a fish (which I am STILL rubbish at). Thankfully the teachers took it easy on me and along with place settings and how to correctly pour a glass of wine (Don't Ask!), I had to dice and sweat an onion, top, tail and cook green beans, make mayonnaise and make a paper piping bag. Now those who know me will testify to the fact that patience is not a virtue that I have in abundance, so you can imagine my sense of frustration when, upon completing my herb and salad test, I had to wait until 5.15pm until I started my theory test (a full 75 minutes late). Apart from fish, I had no real worries about the test, the onion and paper piping bag (a small funnel made out of parchment paper used to pipe things like melted chocolate etc) were mentally ticked off the day before so I was raring to go. The relief was written all over my face as I arrived at my station and Rory O'Connell told me my jobs. I flew through the onion, mayo and beans with great gusto and approached the piping back with an image of a cold pint flashing through my head- that was probably my downfall!! 3 attempts later, with ripped up parchment paper covering my station, I turned to Rory, admitted defeat and stormed out of the kitchen. Thankfully I had passed everything else so all was not lost.
The weekend was good craic, Davey eventually arrived and we headed to the Blackbird for a well deserved pint. The night was great with everybody blowing off steam after the week and we also looked forward to the Halloween party the next night.
The next day Davey and I sampled the delights of Cork and he got his outfit for the party. He tried in vain to convince me that we should go as old school Batman and Robin, but there was no way I was going to be seen as his trusty sidekick! I flirted with a brilliant all in one Gromit suit (from Wallace and Gromit) but settled for my original decision (I went as one of the students who left the course after week one).
That night was great fun, after a lovely dinner (thanks to the White Cottage crew) we descended on the party. The night was great, eclipsed only by the amazing outfit worn by my housemate Charlotte, who went as Darina herself, including paper chefs hat and bangles!
So week 7 has arrived, I am in the Demo kitchen this week with Pam, our amazing teacher and I am still loving it. Thai food was the theme on Tuesday, taught by Rachel and today we had an amazing chat from a past student called Arun, who runs a company called Green Saffron. Well worth a visit online. His spices can be as young as a matter of weeks when they get to the customer, crazy considering the ones you buy in the supermarket can be years old, you cant imagine the amazing flavours and smells!
So tomorrow I am making Laksa, a spicy Thai noodle soup and a variety of other delights!
So cooking for two days, then watch Ireland take apart the Springboks, Bliss!!
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| Genius |
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| Seafood Platter |
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| pumpkin risotto |
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