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The world needs generalists

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October 5, 2023 - It’s my birthday, which means it is my annual day to (1) give thanks that I’ve lived another 365 days, and (2) reflect on where my life is at.  Over the years I’ve sometimes lamented the fact that I have never dived deeply enough into a specific part of my career to become an expert. Today however, I have decided to make peace with being a generalist. I’ve reflected that over the past seven days I have: * Officiated at the wedding of a fabulous couple. * Attended the funeral of a fascinating 95-year-old who I wrote a book for, and about. * Delivered a comprehensive research report and engagement plan to a client. * Chaired the governance committee of an NFP Board I sit on. * Accepted an invitation to be on a grants decision panel. * Planned the weekend menu based on my recent immersive Irish cooking course. When I was a journalist, I used to say that I could speak eloquently and factually about just about any topic in the world ... for approximately two minutes. N...
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Tips and Tricks for Tantalising Food

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  The intensive and immersive nature of the Ballymaloe cookery school means you are usually trying to digest a lot of different techniques at the same time (pardon the pun), and I have a notebook full of scribbled ideas. Here are just a few good tips and tricks that I noted along the way ... 1. Praline. What a revelation this easy recipe was! You can whip up a batch of this in no time, and either break it into chunks for a fine-looking dessert decoration, or blitz it in a food processor and use the praline crumbs over ice-cream or other creations. Above: a slab of praline, and ice cream sitting on a bed of praline crumbs, with lemon tart. Praline recipe: 175g caster sugar, 175g raw, unskinned almonds. Combine sugar and nuts in a heavy saucepan and put over a low heat until sugar turns a caramel colour. Stir carefully or rotate the pan until the nuts are covered with caramel. When you hear the nuts go 'pop', pour the mixture onto a tray lined with baking paper and cool. 2. Toma...
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What makes a good cookery teacher?

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As a lifelong lover of learning, I am a keen observer of what makes a good teacher. When I started the intensive course at Ballymaloe Cookery School a few weeks ago, I was curious about the teaching of cooking. How would it differ from regular classroom or academic learning? And how do you teach practical skills and impart theoretical knowledge to 50 people from 12 countries, aged between 18 and 75, with wildly different levels of culinary ability? Well, the short answer is that the principles of good academic teaching are exactly the same in cookery school. Ballymaloe boasts a number of exceptional teaching chefs, and among the best are renowned Irish chefs and authors, Rory O'Connell (pictured above) and Rachel Allen (below). I have been observing them closely, and their style of teaching is definitely holding my attention and helping make me a much better cook (although Masterchef can rest assured it will never have to vet an application from me ...) So what does someone like Ro...
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Foraging Feats

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  It was Einstein who said, ' Look deep, deep into nature, and then you will understand everything' . Foraging is about finding food and medicinal goodies while connecting with nature. Despite its recent renaissance as a fancy word on menus, forage is actually an age-old word from Middle English and Old French ( fourage ). It basically means wandering around outdoors looking for good stuff - which is exactly what we did one afternoon at Ballymaloe. First up was seashore foraging. This was a complete revelation for me. I didn't know that all seaweed is edible, and there are more than 650 varieties of seaweed in Ireland alone. Seaweed actually produces more oxygen in the world than trees. Chefs Rory and Pat (pictured below) took us for a wander along Shanagarry Beach, and the following includes just a selection of things we found (disclaimer: do not take my word as gospel or as medical advice!) Meadowsweet : used in drinks as a mixer and also in aspirin. Silverweed : can eat ...
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Fabulous Follies

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 Follies are ubiquitous in Ireland, and here at Ballymaloe Cookery School they abound, much to my delight. A folly is a deliberately constructed ornament or building that generally serves absolutely no purpose. There is often an element of fakery in their design, and follies are considered highly impractical and maybe even silly. I love that ... not everything in life needs to have a point to it! In Ireland, follies were traditionally built as entertainment, and also to provide employment for peasants or unemployed artists. At Ballymaloe, founder Darina Allen had a vision to create follies throughout the vast expanses of the stunning gardens on the farm. In particular, she was keen for visitors to stumble across 'surprises' whenever they rounded a hedge or came to the end of a path. The Shell House (pictured above) is a fabulous example of a folly. Simple from the outside, its interior is finished top to bottom with shells - even the chandelier is encrusted with shells. The she...
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A Day in the Life of ...

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  A Day in the Life of ... I've been asked about what happens every day here at Ballymaloe Cookery School (pictured above). Each day is a little bit different, but here's a general run-down: 6.30am Run, swim, walk or gym in a (maybe futile?) attempt to counteract the ridiculous amount of food being consumed. The nearest gym is a 3km run away along narrow winding roads, and it's often raining ... but where there's a will, there's a way, right? Due to the very narrow, hedge-rimmed roads it is strongly recommended that we wear high-vis vests when out and about, or be prepared to jump into a hedge at a moment's notice. 8.30am Weighing room and larder. We need to weigh and source all of our ingredients for the recipes we will be making during the morning. The majority of ingredients are produced here on the farm (that's the small kitchen garden below), and the rest are locally sourced. I actually never knew a tomato could taste so good until I had one here ...  ...
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The Lovely Loire Valley

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Montsoreau, Loire Valley Many people head to France to see the glittering sights of Paris, laze around on the French Riviera, spend a week (or a year) in Provence, or ski down the French Alps.  I'm here to tell you that the Loire Valley (or Val de Loire), the lesser-known cousin of these other regions, is also well worth visiting. I was lucky enough to spend five days with my wonderful friends Adam and Manue Parr, in the Loire, en route to Ballymaloe Cookery School. The Parrs have a gorgeous house in a little village called Montsoreau, which has been named one of France's most beautiful. It really is quite breathtaking. Overlooking the Loire River, the village is home to the Château de Montsoreau, a Renaissance Gothic castle which is now a museum of contemporary art. There are gorgeous cafés, a boulangerie, bars and hotels. One of the most interesting aspects of Montsoreau is the number of troglodyte caves. These are dwellings built into limestone cliffs, and for hundreds of y...
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