Dreaming of Ireland

In July, as tourists flock to the blue beaches of the Greek islands, I long for the humid green Irish fields…

Darina greeted me with a bowl of Panzanella Salad.

As you read this I must be mid-air traveling towards the glorious Oxford Food Symposium! After it ends on Sunday, instead of spending time in London, I will fly to Cork, in southern Ireland, as I did last year. I wanted to visit my dear friend Darina Allen and her legendary Ballymaloe cooking school that everybody I knew raved about.

Wanting to get away from the parched, golden-brown summer landscape of Kea I dreamed of spending a few days amidst green valleys. I longed for an occasional drizzle of rain which we so much miss during the long, sizzling days of our Cycladic summers.  I longed for an occasional drizzle of rain which we so much miss during the long, sizzling days of our Cycladic summers.  

I can now attest that no words are enough to describe Ballymaloe and its enchanting gardens and orchard.

How privileged I feel that I will again be able to stroll around the herb and kitchen gardens. Below are the decorated cakes of a just finished baking class I photographed last year!

I had also walked in the middle of David Asher’s fascinating natural cheese-making workshop, while at another part of the school I marveled at the colorful jars of vegetable and fruit vinegars and preserves.  This wonderful old estate seems to be a real garden of Eden…

The quite unexpected, totally fascinating Shell House, at the edge of the garden was dreamed by Darina and her husband Tim and created by the amazing artist Blott Kerr-Wilson with shells from all over the world.

Last year I had booked a sea-front hotel at Ballycotton, the fishing village south of Ballymaloe, thinking that I would walk there. But on the way from the airport, I realized that the narrow, two-lane country roads crisscrossing the fields were far too scary for pedestrians, as no path existed. So this year I will be staying closer, at Kilmahon House, a fabulous-looking newly renovated B+B.

The picturesque Ballycotton has no bar, pub, or coffeeshop…

I relied on the local taxis last year. This was somewhat costly, but not altogether bad, as during my very first visit to the area, I needed some guidance from the locals.

Of course I wanted to explore Cork as well. Everybody I talked to spoke about the English Market, a kind of Irish mini Boqueria, that I thoroughly enjoyed! I admired the particularly rich and varied fish stands, and the different kinds of incredibly delicious soda breads.

I had also boarded the red tourist bus that took me around the city landmarks, among them the Butter Museum. The local, cultured butter I tasted, especially as a dressing for new potatoes, was absolutely wonderful!

Having recently read Caroline O’Donogue’s ‘Rachel Incident’ --actually listened to the Audiobook read beautifully by Clara Harte-- which takes part in Cork, I wanted to see the various neighborhoods the book describes.

I had a wonderful grilled local hake over beans for lunch at the lovely Nash 19 restaurant, that, as I just read, has unfortunately closed due to high costs…

Cork looks so well kept, organized, and lively. I was told that housing prices all over the area are rising fast and I am not surprised…