Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cooking Schools for Travelers
87
Ballymaloe Cookery School
Irish Idyll
Shanagarry, Ireland
The word “idyllic” comes to mind upon
sight of this cozy farmstead. Just outside a
small fishing village in county Cork, it's sur-
rounded by 4 hectares (10 acres) of par-
terred gardens and mossy orchards and,
surrounding that, a flourishing 41-hectare
(100-acre) organic farm. You could easily
stop by on a day trip from Cork city to visit
the fragrant rambling gardens, which are
open to the public. But how much better
to stay for a spell, living in one of the
whitewashed 18th-century cottages
tucked around the courtyard while taking
a cooking course?
As rustic as the buildings look from the
outside, once you step inside you'll find a
smartly equipped culinary classroom with
large windows, a phalanx of counters and
chopping blocks, and cooktops ready for
action. Ballymaloe offers serious 12-week
courses for those looking for a culinary
career, but a long roster of shorter courses
are available year-round. They might be
anything from a 3-hour introduction to the
art of sushi or tapas or charcuterie, to a
full-day crash course in butter making,
beekeeping, or making jams and preserves
from the bounty of Ballymaloe's own
hives, dairy, and orchards. Even if you're
just touring the gardens, you're likely to
see students in their chef's whites out in
the garden plucking herbs for the morn-
ing's cooking class. Essential techniques
are taught in 2
1
/
2
-day and 5-day courses,
which may focus on baking, for example,
or entertaining or cooking family meals.
Students at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Shanagarry, County Cork, Ireland.
