Ireland -- Day 11

All I can say about today is a massive wow.  I have thoroughly enjoyed every single day of this trip so far, but today was a whole new level of amazing-ness.  I don't think even the most thorough description could do today justice, but I'll do my best!

I started the day around 8:45 with a quick breakfast (mango-passion fruit yogurt & milk) before walking a short ways to hop on the bus that took us to Fota House, east of Cork on a little island.  Fota House is a large Regency period (early 1800s) home...think Downton Abbey with the hierarchy of house servants and resident family.  It is beautifully preserved, although still needs some renovation and work (and of course continuing maintenance).  They rely quite a bit on volunteers, so as with any volunteer organization, are searching for more people willing to pitch in and help.  We took a quick tour throughout, stopping in the grand dining room, kitchen, and storage rooms, before heading out into the pristine gardens.  Fota is well known for their masterful array of flowers, fruits, and other exotic plants, especially since Ireland does not have a conducive climate to many species they are growing.  The garden staff have worked tirelessly to renovate many of the original greenhouses, and it is quite apparent at first glance that tireless care and devotion has been bestowed to maintain the grounds in such a pristine way.  Fota House also has a little restaurant, Bakestone Cafe, where we had lunch -- chorizo salad and a chocolate chip cookie for me.

Our afternoon activity was the Ballymaloe Cookery School, preceded by a very brief stop at the Ballymaloe House & Shop, which is a kitchen supply enthusiast's dream (or weakness...I wanted to take the whole store home with me!).  The cookery school is such an amazing place, offering day-long, week-long, or three-month programs in cooking.  On their beautiful grounds reside dairy & beef cattle, pigs, chickens, vegetables (loads under cover of a greenhouse), fruit (we got to pick and enjoy fresh blackberries in the midst of our walking tour!), herbs (including a type of sorrel that tastes like a sour apple!), and a "shell house."  The latter is as unique as it sounds, with the entire inside (even the chandelier) created out of shells.  It took one woman a mere three months to craft it!  With the bounty of meats, fruits, vegetables, and herbs, the school utilizes all of these for cooking classes, the school, and their restaurant.  We were privileged to experience a cooking demonstration by Rachel Allen, daughter-in-law of Darina Allen; Darina's mother, Myrtle Allen, created the cooking school in 1983.  Afterwards, we all moved into the kitchen to cook what we had just watched Rachel make, and what a fun experience that was.  The best part -- besides the camaraderie with my fellow students and our awesome instructor -- was eating our preparations!  Talk about farm to table -- we saw exactly where nearly everything on our plate came from, fixed it, and then ate it!  Our impeccable meal consisted of traditional Irish soda bread (and proper Irish butter!); pea and coriander soup; char-grilled chicken paillarde with garlic aioli and roasted cherry tomatoes; roast chicken with saffron, hazelnuts, and honey; roasted new potatoes with mint; tomato fondue; summer garden salad; zucchini and yellow squash with marjoram; meringue roulade with strawberries and raspberries; shortbread biscuits (cookies); and a raspberry fool, to be served with the cookies and/or meringues.  Coffee, tea, wine, and water were available throughout the evening, and the peaceful views of hills and grazing cattle made me never want to leave.  Getting to experience everything I did today, and then enjoying such a delicious meal with wonderful people around me, was a huge reminder of how incredibly blessed I am.  I've had a lot happen in the past 10 months, both good and bad, and the sweetness of these moments this evening made me tear up a bit.  I will not soon forget -- and hopefully never -- the glorious day I had!

Fota House

Dining room at Fota House

Lovely flowers at Fota House gardens

Grounds of Ballymaloe Cookery School

The Shell House at Ballymaloe

Rows of tomatoes at Ballymaloe

Pea & coriander soup

Main course

Dessert

Breathtaking views at Ballymaloe

I love cooking and exploring Ireland with these ladies so much!

~Anna