From Ballymaloe with Love Newsletter 28th April 2020

The Spring students were devastated to have to miss 2 weeks of the 12-Week Programme, some had tremendous difficulty getting flights home to over 12 different countries. Who knows when restrictions will be lifted so we can welcome students once again.

Fortunately we've been able to keep the Ballymaloe Cookery School Farm Shop and Bread Shedopen. We’ve extended it and it's now open from 9.30am – 5.30pm Monday to Saturday. Local people love the 48 hour fermented Shanagarry Wild Sourdough and other freshly baked breads as well as the organic produce from the farm,gardens and greenhouse.

Tim and his team on the farm and gardens are still working flat out.  Sowing seeds and transplanting beetroot, broad beans, onions and scallions for future harvests….An act of faith that life will eventually return to normal and it will…

Some of the teachers are also helping out in the gardens, others are busy in the kitchens making homemade soups, stews, casseroles, pies, quiches, sauces, broths and sweet treats for the Farm Shop…

Maria, in our micro-dairy is still making butter, buttermilk and thick unctuous yoghurt packed with probiotics from our Jersey milk. 

In the Fermentation Shed, Penny continues to make sauerkraut, kimchi and other fermented food and drinks like water kefir and kombucha for customers anxious to boost their immune system.  Like so many others, we are taking orders online or over the phone and can also do contactless delivery to the boot of people’s cars.

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When the Farmers Markets closed, we started an East Cork branch of NeighbourFood on Saturdays last to provide a platform for local farmers, food producers,fishermen, farmhouse cheesemakers, some of whom normally trade at Farmers Markets to sell their produce in these uncertain times. There are now many other branches of NeighbourFood around the country, so check out  www.neighbourfood.ie  for your nearest market.

It’s a brilliant concept, initially created by Jack Crotty, a Ballymaloe Cookery School Alumni.

Customers order and pay on-line by midnight on Thursday and pick up their goodies at an allocated time on Saturday. 

Lydia and her team also do Take Out Pizzas on Saturday. Always a Meat, Vegetarian and Vegan special with seasonal toppings from the farm and gardens and artisan produce as well as the usual favourites, Margherita, Pepperoni , Garlic Bread ….  Again customers ring in and order between 12 noon – 5pm and collect – 021 4646785. We can do contactless pick up and free delivery to over 70’s within a 5 mile radius.

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