It's pastry Jim, but not as we know it

After yesterday's alchemy with the tart it seemed only sensible to count my blessings and rejoice in the fact that I had only a tomato puree and a Rhubarb Crumble to produce today.

HA!! There was no rhubarb so it was an apple crumble with Doh!! a pastry base. This time the Ballymaloe recipe of flour, sugar, butter and egg was not going to cause me a problem. They say that for pastry to succeed everything has to be cool. Certainly not this maker over the last couple of attempts, but today the ingredients had no chance, my icy fury at mediocrity and having back to back pastry dishes would fuel the making. This time it rolled out well and, by giving it 5 minutes in the freezer not 15 in the fridge, the pastry was lulled into a state of suspended animation for long enough to bury it under as small mountain of apple flour sugar and almonds. Success!

That icy fury flowing through my veins also meant that the chicken which we had to joint stood no chance. Within seconds his/her wishbone was lying on the board and dismemberment of legs breasts and wings rapidly followed. Our noble leader was shocked at the amount of tattered flesh still clinging to bones but that was more at the waste of first class organic ingredients rather than or less than surgical approaches.

(not actual image)

The tomato puree was also good though I had little time to try it as I had duties to perform in the Dining Room like handing out main courses, polishing cutlery and relaying tables.

Then into the Demo where we entered the wonderful world of the Aubergine (cooked 3 ways) chicken done another 2 and assorted raitas and THE way to boil rice. Guess we will be having a chicken and aubergine based lunch on Thursday.

No "bonus" lecture today but even so some random Italian wine producer called by and the Ballymaloe House Sommelier told us that we would be sampling her products on the Wine Course.

A brief roundup of the days Demo followed :-

before we left.

Lectures all day tomorrow, Biscuit of the week, Cheese and Youghurt making and Wine. Another day of agony in the Chair if Dr Cagliari.