18/10/2026
Week four at Ballymaloe cookery school! Here’s a little breakdown of the last two weeks on the 12-week cookery course.
We’ve been getting into more of the how and why of cooking. Jointing chickens, filleting fish, watching fresh pasta being made and learning about foraging, including what’s edible and what to leave alone.
Preserving the best of the season has been a big one. So many ways to make good ingredients last longer. We’ve also explored hot and cold smoking, curing, and the flavours of different olive oils and vinegars. Such useful things to have in your kitchen. Get the best olive oil and vinegar and you’ve practically got an instant sauce.
I also joined an extra cheese-making class in the milking shed, where we saw how Camembert is made. On another day, I got to watch the cows being milked and see how the raw milk and cream are separated, then learn where they go next to become butter, buttermilk, sour cream and yoghurt. So interesting to connect what happens on the farm with what we use in the kitchen.
It’s lovely looking back and feeling my confidence growing. I’m starting to see what I want to hone in on and what I’d love to pursue after the course. My head is buzzing with ideas.
Midterm exams in week six. Let’s see what the next two weeks bring!
Swipe through for a taste of what we’ve learnt, Which would you want to learn first?
