It's been nothing but tears, long drawn out goodbyes and lots of revision this week. Week 12. The end of Ballymaloe January Course 2013.

We had our practical exams (mine not so good considering I dropped my chicken on the floor and cut myself. I can laugh, now!) then our three theory exams (better than the practical!) and now we have left. Before we left however, there was dancing, food (how could we not) and lots of laughter. Our final supper as we called it with the inspirational Rory O'Connell cooking. What a meal.

I have learnt so many things over these last 12 weeks, met some inspirational people and most important to me, is that I have finally found something that I know I want to do, in any context, for ever. I have found my thing. And that makes me so happy.

I could not though, have learnt as much about myself or cooking, succeeded in so many ways without the help and support from the fabulous and talented team of teachers who work at Ballymaloe Cookery School. Unfortunately they weren't all at our farewell supper but I want to say Thank you. Thank you so much.

Finally to Tim and Darina Allen, Rory O'Connell and Rachel Allen. This journey, my fun, wonderful, sometimes heartbreaking journey could not have happened without you all. I can't wait to pass the message on, teach more people how to cook and make you proud. Thank you.

So what next you, those lovely people who have been along on this 12 week journey with me, ask? I have a job! I'll actually be working in Ireland for a family but before that, I am off to work with the talented Sharon Hearne-Smith and Neven Maguire. I am so excited and grateful for this next great opportunity. So keep reading to find out the next chapter. 

See you later Ballymaloe, I'll be back.

Our very own veggie whey fermentation experiment

As some of you may know, a couple of weeks ago it was Fermentation Week. Spear-headed by several lovely ladies such as Sarah B from My New Roots and the lovely Green Kitchen Stories family. I thought I'd give Whey Fermentation a go seeing as they have their very own Jersey Cows that they milk here at Ballymaloe Cookery School for yummy things such as milk, cream, butter and cheese making. There is very often whey left over and if you ask very (very) nicely to Tim Allen, you may be lucky enough to receive a golden or should that be white, jar of the stuff.

There has been much debate over using whey to not using whey when fermenting veggies. But I've never done it before and fuelled by my housemate (Carolannes Kitchen) enthusiasm I am taking the Whey Fermentation plunge…excited?!?!

People who are aware of Ballymaloe Cookery School know that they grow lots of yummy organic veggies. Today I am using freshly picked cabbages, leeks, ruby and golden chard as well as purple and green curly kale. Topped with crushed garlic and dried chilli flakes, Maldon salt and 5 soup spoons of whey.

It was a pretty easy process but I will be a good fermenting girlie and resist eating it for a couple of days!

Other news here at Ballymaloe Cookery School is that we have mid term exams next week. Yep, we are all getting a little rattled having to know more than 15 techniques off by heart as well as two recipes for each herb and the names of lots of lettuce leaves! 

This week, week 5, is also known as the 5 week slump. We are definitely feeling it. Afternoon demos seem longer and less organised, we find ourselves forgetting our own names and that one minute its 9am, the next it's 12pm. 

Bring on week 6!

Tips of the Week

Oh happy weekend. How glad am I that it is only Saturday. After a short visit to the Black Bird Pub in Ballycotten last night to mingle with the locals, the alarm clock came as quite a shock! Off to do our kneading of our Sourdough Sponge with Tim and then a quick, and yummy visit to Middleton Farmers Market.

Quite ashamed that I'm almost in week 4 of the course at Ballymaloe and still haven't managed to visit Middleton Market, we toddled off down the country lanes ready to see all the great vendors. 

There was the mushroom lady of Ballyhoura Mountain Mushroom selling shitake, several oyster species and nameko all grown in sawdust and chemick free. These were amazing and I opted for the Golden Oysters for my turn at cooking 'family supper' tomorrow night.

There was the Ahern family there selling their chickens, the Hederman family selling their amazing hot and cold smoked mackerel, salmon and mussels. Several local farmers selling veggies and fruit, the pate guy who's pate is amazing by the way! I was so blown away by the caramelised onion pate in my mouth and excited by the pate package in my hand I utterly forgot to ask his name…next week.

Of course Ballymaloe was there with it's stall and several of our classmates helping to sell, there was the sausage lady who we purchased several rustic hotdogs from and last but not least there was the best hot chocolate seller ever. And as a person who never drinks coffee and always hot chocolate, I should know! The name is O'Connail and they are really known for roasting and grinding their own coffee. But these guys also make their own chocolate for their hot chocolate. Oh boy. Go. Go now!

And so after a busy jam packed week. Here are 'my' tips of the week…

1. When boiling/blanching greens, never put the lid back on the pan once the veg is in the water. The evaporation that hits the lid will drop back into the mix actually discolour your veg.

2.  Soups that have potato/flour in are harder to reheat.

3. The yellower the fat on a piece of meat, the more grass fed it has been.

Is it me, or are we moving at warp speed?

This week has been so jam packed full of goodness. I had my meeting with Darina, it was insightful and great to speak to someone who knows so many people within the food industry, whether it's producers, restauranteurs, entrepreneurs or stylists . Literally she must know at least 100 people in each country in the world. Lots of great ideas and challenges came out of my meeting, as well as her loving my biscuits, asking if she could have the rest to take home plus lots more. Lots lots more of great little secrets and future things in the pipeline that I hope you come back and read all about!

We've learnt to make a new type of bread, brown yeast bread which is, by far the best so far. Tim Allen has been patiently walking or kneading us through sourdough starters and sponges. We are still waiting to actually get it proved but it's all exciting. I've named mine Bernie. He's lovely!

We've had Rachel Allen and Rory O'Connell for most of demos this week which we are all loving. And I mean loving. Rory brings a huge recipe encyclopaedic knowledge of exciting techniques and ideas for ingredients with a far more professional approach. Rachel is fun and vibrant and just makes three hours very fun, full of giggles and great tips. Today we learnt all about shrimps, prawns, crayfish all from 10minutes down the road.

We've had wine tasting with Maurice O'mahony from Wine Alliance and had a fun hour of swirling, sniffing and spitting. Ok, who am I kidding, we all drank our tasters!

Spring has started, buds are on the trees and as we learn more and more, the talk of what our future holds is boiling over and it seems quite symbolic coinciding with this time of the year. 

I cannot believe next week is week 4. Week 4! That means we only have 8 weeks left of the course and 2 weeks till our fist set of exams! Wow. I've left the 'oh my god I'm so excited to be here' stage and I've moved to the stage of loving it and soaking everything this place has to offer but thinking to the future and what that holds.

Knives at the ready!