Day 5

Well, I can hardly believe it. But the first week is over and although it's been a long hard week, it's flown by and i'm already thinking about the 12th week and how I'm going to miss the place. Everyone here, from the gardeners, the office staff ,the teachers to the suppliers are so enthusiastic about what they're doing, it's impossible to not embrace it too. And I don't think that I've ever experienced anything like it before. Absolutely everyone has a smile on their face.

But anyway, today as predicted was a good day, the bread was easy, I've made quite a lot of bread before, but this was the first bread that I've made that wasn't a yeast bread. And it was strange at first as the dough is more like a porridge than the elastic spring product that I've been used to dealing with. But 60 mins later, there it was, a lovely healthy wholemeal loaf. And it was perfect.

The jam making was good, but just towards the end, I realised that perhaps I should have stopped 5 mins beforehand, it still very tasty though, but just a bit thicker than I'd like and we also got to keep it . So I think Therese is going to make the bread tonight and we're going to have the jam tomorrow for brekkie.

The goats cheese starter, to give it's full title, A Salad of Rocket Leaves with Ardsallagh Goats Cheese with Llasanly Honey, was so ridulously easy, but it was all about presentation, and I think I got it just about right. Rosie (my teacher, lovely lady) seemed pleased.

Monday we change partners and stations just to mix it all up, My new patner and I decided that I'll be doing the Chicken with Marjoram and brussel sprouts. You might think it's funny just making brussel sprouts, but really, it's one of those things that if you screw up, there's no hope.

That's all for week 1. And although it's only the first week, .
I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending any of you to come over here and do the course or they do short week long courses, it really is amazing.

MARK'S TIP OF THE DAY
Not so much a cooking tip, but something interesting a student who is a farmer pointed out yesterday. On the farm she runs with her husband, they make oats and sell them on to Jordans, the muesli people, for £80/ton. They then sell them on for the equivalent at £1100/ton. So my tip is....Wherever possible, buy from farmers market, although they might be slightly more expensive, the quality of produce is infinitely better, and the money is going direct to the farmer, rather than the bloated corporations,