This will be another short blog, just tucked into bed after a long day. I was up early, and finished my filing, read over my order of work and headed into the kitchen for my practical exam. It went so well, even the bread I was slightly dreading turned out well! We don’t get any feedback at this point, but I asked Sorcha who was in my kitchen about my bread, and she said it was for sure a ten out of ten, so I was very happy with that. The rest of my meal turned out very well, and I am so happy with the end result. I went over by fifteen minutes, which is fine, and I won’t be penalized for, anything after that we lose ½% / five minutes. All is well! I spent the rest of this rainy Wednesday shipping bits and pieces home, and faffing about around Shanagarry, Castlemartyr, and Midelton. Jeni, Mary, and I had lunch at the café in Ballymaloe, then we headed off for a pint, and had dinner at Sage. Theresa, Max, Erin, and Chris joined us for dinner, it was such a lovely evening. I will miss all of my Ballymaloe friends so much! We are all fighting back tears as we do the “last” of whatever it may be here at Ballymaloe – driving back from Midelton, seeing The House for the last time, pulling on our chef’s whites for a morning in the kitchen… It is so hard to believe that my Ballymaloe bubble will burst bright and early Saturday morning. I was looking for a photo on my phone this afternoon to show Mary, and I came across the photos from my trip to Ireland in the summer to check out Ballymaloe, that’s where it all began really, I left Ireland knowing I’d do the course, it was just a question of when.
Back to the exam.. I went into the exam very confidently this morning, and that feeling continued through the three hours, and after… Which I am so happy about. Pat (my teacher from week one) gave me a big hug as I was leaving the school, and I walked back to the cottage full of mixed emotions. As I took off my chefs whites for the last time (well, I will wear a clean set on Friday, but they won’t smell of the kitchen!), and folded them up, I may have fought back a tear or two.
I really sound like a broken record, but it’s hard to explain. For some people reading my blog it may seem like Ballymaloe is a break from reality, a complete and utter breeze… I don’t know… It isn’t either of those things. It’s hard work, it’s something most of us on the course have worked so hard to do, and it is so rewarding. Of course it’s hard work, but as Chris said tonight it’s what you make of it… If you want to show up at 9am, and leave at 5pm you can do that, but if you want to show up early, immerse yourself in everything that you can (even if it’s not your cup of tea), you get an entirely different experience out of the twelve weeks. It’s the best hard work any foodie could ask for really! Everyone is here for their own reasons, and as cliché as it sounds, everyone has learned life skills far beyond that of cooking. The skills in the kitchen that we now have, will of course be with us forever, and as Darina says, “the way into everyone’s life is through their tummies…” But, the friendships, things we have all learned about ourselves, people in general, and the entire Ballymaloe ethos (whether it’s new to us or not), will be with all sixty-four of us long after we leave here. I am anxious to get home, but I am so sad to be leaving my life, and “family” here in Shanagarry. It’s going to be a difficult few days to get through, packing up, tidying the cottage, studying, the written exams, and what is sure to be an epic night at The Blackbird. Will take it all in stride, and soak up my last few days here on the farm. I can’t say it enough, I am so thankful, grateful, and beyond happy for this experience…
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it’s happened.” – Dr. Seuss
*The photo is from July, baking Ballymaloe brown yeast bread in the kitchens at The House