Snowbound and sad today. I have learned many times in life that there are circumstances or events where you have to set aside your own agenda in order to be with someone who is suffering—in this case, my son and his dog. Last night the younger of our two dogs succumbed to cancer at […]
In addition to the cooking lessons at Ballymaloe, we learned about the business of food. Blathnaid Bergin of http://www.therestaurantadvisor.ie. emphasized the point made by M. E. Gerber in The E-Myth, that though the system runs the business, people run systems. I am veering off the cooking side of my blog today to address what […]
Foment Definition: Instigate or stir up. Synonyms—incite, provoke, instigate. Ferment Definition: 1. undergo fermentation 2. Incite or stir up (as in trouble). Sound pretty similar don’t they? Ever since returning home from Ballymaloe, I have been drawn to all things fermented. I’ve been reading The Fermented Man, by Derek Dellinger http://www.thefermentedman.com/ while I make a steady […]
I had a dream the other night about feeling unappreciated. Discussing the dream with my husband over our morning coffee, I was able to connect the dots between my history of being fifth of twelve to my more recent professional life as a social worker. I contend that the most underappreciated and underpaid professionals […]
As I mentioned in my last blog post, I worry about the amount of sugar we consume through what homemade dessert recipes require and through “hidden sugars” in processed foods. However, I also want my dessert to taste like dessert. My personal litmus test is my youngest child the aforementioned pickiest eater also from my […]
I’m still integrating my Ballymaloe experience while also trying to figure out what my particular spin on cooking, holistic cooking, and mental health will be. I’ve been home just over three weeks. Since my return I’ve either had a house full of people or have been traveling. I have been cooking up a storm and […]
I’ve been home for a week now and feel as if I’m just emerging from a dreamlike state. I arrived late last Sunday and on Monday immediately went shopping for some “essential” tools and groceries. First stop—Bed, Bath, and Beyondhttp://www.bedbathandbeyond.com for a wooden cutting board, sieves, ice cream maker, and pasta attachment for my Kitchenaid […]
This will likely be my last post from Ballymaloe as we are so busy preparing for exams in addition to our last full week in the kitchen and demo filled days. Our first exam is this Wednesday on wines. My practical exam comprised of a bread and a 3 course meal to be completed in […]
We are having one of those “typical” Ireland days of rain and wind, so stuck inside, I thought I’d look up some ideas I had written down in my journal. Before I found what I was looking for I ran across some “ritual writing” prompts that I had jotted down from Chani Nicholas’ blog http://ChaniNicholas.com. The […]
Today my husband and I celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary and it is the first time we haven’t been able to celebrate together since I am in Ireland and he is now back in the States. During my practice students often came in due to loneliness and confusion as they try to negotiate the loveless […]
noleftovers.wordpress.com 