Opportunity

What a long day it’s been, but again, a day filled with so much information. We started the morning off with the biscuit of the week, my favourite were the pecan squares, so tasty. We were introduced to a few new Irish farmhouse cheeses, and then it was onto the beef demo. Roast beef with all of the trimmings, Rory and Darina did the demo together, and in the end cooked us a tasty lunch! The afternoon demo was focused on preserving, different flavored vinegars and oils, and what we can do when we leave here. We didn’t get out of demo until 6:30. It is incredible how much information they are able to pack into a day. This weekend will definitely be spent reviewing notes, looking at the herbs in the glasshouse, and fileting a fish! Practice and review for the week six exams.

My yoghurt from yesterday was a success, it’s a bit like when I got into pickling this summer, I don’t want to eat it, I just want to put it in the fridge and look at it. Hoping I will have a minute or two tomorrow morning to try the ricotta again with raw milk, I hope it will work. Tomorrow after demo (depending on the time), I think I will start a loaf of sour dough to bake on Friday morning. My starter is on my bedside table, not to be disturbed by anyone.

I keep saying it, but time is going by so fast here, it feels like I was just writing my blog saying, “I can’t believe we are about to start week three…” And now we are half way done week three. It is scary how fast it’s going by, it’s not going to slow down, and then it will be over. I really can’t believe it. I just want to hit pause!!!

Darina is a firm believer that opportunities are everywhere, and if you get up and make a move, you can do anything you want. We just have to take the step and not let the thought of failure enter our mind. She went through a long list of things past students have done, and different ideas for job opportunities when we leave here. Each student is able to set up a time to meet with Darina to go over different opportunities and ideas for a food related business, we just have to make her a proper cup of tea, and possibly a biscuit if we have time. Her sister, Berthnaid is in next Wednesday to talk to us about opening a food business, which will be “like totally cool,” as Darina says. Today was just a tiny introduction to what we will learn in the two days with Berthanid.

“Everywhere you look there are opportunities, we are only inhibited by our fear of failure. Just bloody do it!” – Darina Allen