And that’s a wrap, my adventure is officially over, or at least this bit. I suppose I shouldn’t look at it as an adventure coming to an end, but more what’s to come moving forward.
I was still full of mixed emotions as I left Ireland Saturday afternoon . We took off and of course saw the beautiful countryside and the ocean, oh Ireland I will miss you. I’m now on the plane heading back across the pond to Edmonton, of course it will be great to be home and to see everyone, but it will be so different. I am excited for three things, my own kitchen, my closet and my shower… Wait I lied, before those things come Olivia and Bryce, and everyone else!
It was a great couple of days in London with Tammy. We went to Nopi on Saturday evening, and sadly, because I was running on two hours of sleep and a pile of emotions, we were back in the hotel room, and I was asleep just after 9:00. Sunday we headed out in the rain and the wind to Covent Garden. Monday we headed off to Hove to see Mary, had a really lovely lunch with her. It was great to show Tammy a bit of what I always call, “my England,” away from the hustle and bustle (that I of course love) of London, into the country. I got a surprise text from Erin last night to say that Max was in London for the night, so we ended up meeting the two of them at Brindisa in Soho after Nicole popped by the hotel for a quick glass. This morning I wanted to head to Books for Cooks to look for a few books, and of course they dind’t have any of the ones I was looking for. It was fun to walk around Notting Hill in the sunshine and the wind even if I didn’t leave with any cookbooks – Irish Mary if you’re reading this, you can never have too many cookbooks! We had a delicious meal at Daylseford, before racing back to the hotel to head to the airport. I had one last pint of Guinness at Heathrow, – for Ireland of course
I have tried to start one final Ballymaloe Blog several times, but just can’t seem to do it, I just don’t know where to begin. It’s funny to talk with the people I met on the course because most of them get where I am coming from, completely. It’s crazy to think that twelve weeks ago 64 strangers started this adventure together on the middle of an organic farm in Shangarry, Co. Cork. I think back to that first night in The Garden Café where we all met while having pizza, before heading back to our cottages to get some sleep before the first big day. I remember pulling on my chefs whites for the first time, and snapping a photo or two. I remember that first week in the kitchen so well, and I remember leaving that side of the school for the beginning of week four, like it was the craziest thing ever. At the end of the day, the most incredible thing is that we all had one thing in common, whether it was from the beginning of the course or not, simple, good food. And that one thing has connected us all, and connected us all to Ireland. For the Irish, I’m sure, it’s just in a different way, for everyone else, it is a pretty special thing. The way The Irish, support the Irish, is a pretty neat thing to see, and I think the rest of the world could learn a thing or two about this. I am so, so thankful that I met the wonderful people that I met, and I am so happy to be leaving this crazy adventure with some pretty fantastic friendships.
I am beyond lucky that I’ve had support from the people around me at home to go away for twelve weeks – thank you, you know who you are. I know there are people that doubted I had it in me, or thought I would get there and thought this wasn’t for me, I never doubted it. It is liberating at any age, I am sure, to go off and just say I am doing this, and I am doing this for me, 110%. It’s even a better feeling to do that, and enjoy it as much as I did. I really can’t believe how everyday really was a new day, it never became mundane or torture to go into the kitchen, to sit through those demos (okay, one or two may have been more difficult than the one that came before). I smiled and took everything in, every single day that I walked from the cottage to the school. Ballymaloe is a little bubble of the most amazing things, and I got to live in that bubble for twelve weeks. Thankfully I have this blog to fill in the blanks of what I can’t remember… Okay, maybe not all of the blanks, was I dancing to DJ Mossie on Friday night? But seriously, the days go so fast, and when I go back and read this blog there will be things, I know, that I won’t remember happening.
I have talked about how everyone around us made it seem like the sky was the limit when you’re on the course, but that’s the reality of what it was like every day. Really, how inspiring is that? Now we all just have to go off and find that one bit of the puzzle that we are beyond passionate about, that we are really good at, and do something with that. It’s a pretty fantastic place to be, hey?
These mixed emotions that I am feeling, and that I am know many others are feeling… Aren’t negative emotions at all. It’s overwhelming in a lot of ways I guess to think back on what just happened. You really are in a different world for twelve weeks living in the middle of the country in Ireland, I just can’t say it enough, the memories, and the things I learned – not just in the kitchen like I’ve said before, about human nature, about myself, about life… Period… I will take with me wherever life takes me. Everybit of Ireland, Ballymaloe and the people I met are positive.
I touched on this a bit a few weeks ago, I read so many blogs before coming, and they all had this common thread of how exhausting the course is. I’m not saying it’s a walk in the park, because it’s not. But it’s a huge expense, hopefully anyone that does it is doing it for a love of food, and for a common interest in the ethos that Ballymaloe lives by – or because they want to learn more about this. My advice to anyone thinking about doing this course do your research and then, come in with your head up, and hit the ground running. Take it all in, do everything you can, come with extra money, and just do everything. Write a blog, it helps you stay focused, it helps you remember the adventures, and it’s a good way to end each night staying on top of how you’re feeling. Ballymaloe is a once in a lifetime experience, and to leave such a place with regrets – to leave any experience like this, with regrets would be brutal. I know a lot of what I am saying sounds beyond cliché, but it’s the truth. Embrace the differences around you, the food you may not normally like or want to cook (okay, I couldn’t have cooked the tongue – gag!), that not everyone is like you, that people make mistakes… In my opinion, if you live the twelve weeks (and I suppose life in generally) like this, there won’t be too many regrets at the end of the day. When you’re doing something you love so much, you don’t have time to be tired – and you really just have to go with it. There really isn’t anything negative I can say about the course, anything I could say that would be negative is the reality of what Ballymaloe is – 64 strangers living together in a small confined space, people do get tired, and that puts them on edge, people do struggle, and people have bad days, all of these things can create tension… How you react or deal with those tensions is what changes the final memory – make it your experience. To anyone who is thinking about doing the course, remember that every single thing that happens at Ballymaloe, happens because of their vision, it’s a team effort from top to bottom, so take that in stride, and be part of the team – it’ll be grand.
For anyone that did the course, they will understand the title of the blog without a doubt. For everyone else… Softly whipped cream was served with nearly every pudding, even the things you’d never imagine being delicious with softly whipped cream…. “And, it’s just SO delicious!” I will miss that good Irish cream, and I will miss whipping that Jersey Cream because you can whip it in about half the time of normal cream because it’s so thick.
It’s funny I left Edmonton on New Years Eve, and started this adventure on the first day of 2015, and I am getting home just in time for my 28th birthday, but really that’s the beginning of a New Year too, so here goes.
To Tim and Darina who welcomed all of us into their home, which is the farm, thank you. You live in a pretty magical place, and I am so grateful that for a small blip I was able to call it my home too. To Tim for all he taught me about the garden, bread, and life, thank you. Every time I make bread I will remember your answer, “you should just know…” referring to what comes next. To Darina, thank you for your never ending knowledge, thank you for keeping us on our toes, and thank you for starting Ballymaloe 30 odd years ago. To Rory, thank you for your incredible knowledge, your extreme artistic talent, and all of the brilliant food quotes. To Rachel, thank you for the change of pace, your bubbly attitude towards life and food, your funny comments, and of course your talent in the kitchen. To all of the teachers at Ballymaloe, you are the people that make the school the place that it is. Your patience, your humour, your knowledge, and your attitude towards what it is that we all share in common, good simple food, will never be forgotten. To everyone in the office at the school, you are the little gems behind the scenes that make things keep going, so thank you. To the gardeners who keep the perfect organic produce perfect (even if it comes in with slugs on!), thank you, without you, Ballymaloe, wouldn’t be Ballymaloe. To the lunchtime crew and everyone that keeps the school the clean and tidy place that it is, thank you. Lastly, to all of the special people I met… Whether we bonded over living in The White Cottage together, a pint or two of Guinness, staying up drinking wine until 4am, wine in general, Wednesday night dinners, being partners, or demo buddies… I will miss you all terribly.
One final note, Ballymaloe is more than just drinking!
Ireland, I don’t think there are too many things I won’t miss about you, but… Here’s to turning 28, and the next adventure.
Always remember…
“Basic ingredients are terribly important.” – Darina Allen