CheapEats.ie - a blog about food and value

7 Comments

  1. I have a friend who was a terrible cook – she was actually terrified of cooking – until she bought a copy of Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food. She worked her way through it and now she’s a lot more confident. I know it’s not quite what you were after but it’s a lot cheaper than a course at Ballymaloe!

    Funny enough my mum is like you in that she’s fantastic at baking but she can’t ‘do’ normal cooking at all.

  2. Hey Rercy, you’ve cooked for me manys a time and I can firmly state that you’re a wonderful cook. Either that, or you hide your lack of natural talent well… 🙂

  3. I think most of it is, as you say, mindset and practice – mainly a willingness to lob something in and see what happens! If you enjoy the results, you’ll know it can be used (or tweaked) for again; if not, you’ll learn from the error. I’m very much a lobber-inner – the only time I’ve followed a recipe properly was the first time I made bread. Since then I’ve experimented with my baking too… my presentation, like your husband’s, isn’t up to much, but I enjoy the process 🙂

  4. I’ve had a good few cookery courses and can recommend 2 very highly, The first being The Kitchen in the Castle in Howth Castle, they have a huge range of class’s to suit all level. The second is Dublin Cookery school headed up by ex Ballymaler Lynda Booth, class’s are relaxed and informal

  5. I did a one day course with Kevin Dundon a few years ago – it was really fantastic, with loads of no nonsense tips – like don’t bother with unsalted butter when baking, it’s fine to use ordinary salted!!

  6. Yes! Sent my partner on a fabulous How to Keep Chickens at Ballymaloe, and he is inspired to get hens! Posting about is very soon! X

  7. Btw – Hazel McFadden at The Kitchen in the Castle, howth, is a gifted cook and teacher – she taught me so much