Food in Provence (and elsewhere)

It’s off to Ballymaloe… One of my potential passengers has, luckily, found another ride as when I pick B. up by her hostel it is soon evident the 3008 wouldn’t have been able to cope with another person plus luggage for a 3 month stay at a cookery school. Indeed, we have to stop after a while as B. is a little worried her small case is sliding around too much. Which gives me chance to dig out my sunglasses; it’s a surprisingly sunny day.

Which is very pleasing for the school welcome committee when we arrive—much better to welcome people in sunshine rather than pouring rain. We’re the first to arrive (although I’m taken as a parent for a few moments!). We sign our lives away (well, promise to obey the rules and agree Ballymaloe are not responsible for anything that happens to us…) then we’re taken to our respective cottages.

We’ve also been given a 2cm thick pack of documents which we all find somewhat alarming—there’s 10 pages of recipes per day! But I’m very impressed to see that these are each individually printed with our names.

After an afternoon unpacking, settling in and reading what look to be the most critical documents, it’s time to head off for a pizza and salad welcome dinner followed by a session where we each introduce ourselves briefly. There are around 65 students from 15 different nationalities/countries—many people (like me!) aren’t nationals of the country where they live so there are some surprising accent mismatches! Lot’s of Irish people who have known of Ballymaloe for ever and, sign of the times, many who heard of it via Instagram. I’m the only one that mentions I learnt of it through one of Darina Allen’s books (a present from J. a good many years ago). So far, pretty much like Gastronomicom. But the mix of motivations for attending is rather different. There are fewer dilettantes such as myself and also fewer complete beginners. There are, though, many more people who were dissatisfied with previous jobs and want a complete career change—including several who have quit jobs and even a couple who have sold houses to make a complete break with a past life.