The Open Door Pop Up

**THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT**

EMAIL aoife@theopendoorfood to be added to the mailing list

A lot has happened in the past 12 months...I milked a cow, I made butter and I lived on a tropical island, cooking for models (and learned that they don't in fact live on celery and air but are fiends for Nutella and Irish butter). The biggest highlight, however, has to be the twelve weeks I spent at Ballymaloe Cookery School, where I picked up more than a few hints and tips! But, enough about the past, let's look to the future instead, in particular Saturday 13th August, The Open Door Supper Club is about to do a Pop Up in Dublin 8. As always, I will be sourcing beautiful seasonal produce, whispering to animals as I forage and concocting delicious home made tipples... needless to say, there is much excitement.     

....you may have some questions:

How do I book? First come first served and places are limited - to reserve your seat please email: aoife@theopendoorfood.com . As soon as I am able to confirm your space you will receive an email.

Where & When? This Pop Up event will take place in Dublin 8 on Saturday August 13th at 8pm, finishing up at 11pm. Exact location will be revealed closer to the date.

Can I bring my own wine/beer?  Yes you can. You will also receive a complimentary welcome drink, endless water on tap and there will be San Pellegrino fizzy pop/water available to buy on the night. There is no corkage fee.

What will it cost? €45 - When you arrive you will have a drink placed in your hand, there will be small savoury tasties, followed by a starter plate, a palette cleanser, the main act, the sweet complete, tea/espresso/cocoa and a "wafer thin mint!" 

What should I wear? Whatever the heck you like, fancy dress isn't just for Halloween.

What will I eat? There is a set menu, subject to change depending upon availability of ingredients. Please alert me, when booking, to any special dietary requirements you may have and I will do my best to cater for you. Veggie option available upon request. Menu will be announced a few days in advance along with suggested wine pairings.

We are very much looking forward to cooking for you.

6 Weeks At Cookery School

Time flies when you're having fun and I'm already experiencing 'pre-sad' knowing that in the blink of an eye this adventure will end. But it won't really be the end because it's really just the beginning. The skills you are given here at Ballymaloe Cookery School you will hone over the years and the outlook on life & food will never leave you, because you can't unlearn this -it'd be like going back to instant coffee after drinking the good stuff -you just wouldn't want to. 

You feel saturated after the first fortnight and the idea of extra curricular can seem daunting on top of an already busy schedule, but you remind yourself that you'll never be here again -so carpe diem. 

Milking Jersey Cows  -peachy creamy fun

Meet the always smiling Eileen at the dairy at 7.30, she's from Cork, so are the cows, they're sound ladies the cows and they like a bit of chat so don't be shy. Jane (the cow) gave me a lovely glass of warm milk to wet my whistle.

Dawn Chorus Walk- Getting up at 4.30am to go for a bird walk with local ornithologist Denis was admittedly a struggle but had it's rewards...still not sure if I'm hearing a robin or a great tit ....or is it a blackbird.

Fishing- Caught nothing, got shat on by sea gull and felt sea sick but hey that's life sometimes.

Making your own butter -that is all.

Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine 2015

Where to begin...? ...it was an amazing and inspirational weekend. Speakers came from all around the globe and people travelled from the four corners of Ireland to watch, listen, taste and learn from the cream of the crop. There were a myriad of cooking demos, talks on soil, forgaing workshops, natural wine tastings, kids time, food stalls and so much more. It is a cliché phrase but there really is something for everyone at Lit Fest! 

This was my first time attending and what really struck me was that there were no divisions between the high profile speakers and those that came with friends and families to savour the event.  It was extremely inclusive and not at all exclusive -which is part of the Ballymaloe ethos.

The Slow Food movement -if you like food it's a great way to meet producers and other foodies.

Some things I enjoyed were-

Alice Waters and her beautiful story about how Chez Panisse was born.  Her restaurant in California  has had a set menu for 44 years and focuses on using the finest, local and seasonal produce available to them. The story of how they partnered up with Bob Cannard, a local farmer, where the Chez Panisse staff are part of the 'production line' (dirty word!)  planting seeds for vegetables which they will later cook with love in the restaurant kitchen. Alice also started a very noteworthy project called Edible School Yard which allows children to learn and eat well through growing and cooking their own produce at school - a truly transformational way of educating the next generation. 

Also had the pleasure of going to a beer tasting presented by Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewing Company - where we tasted 6 very different types of beer and subsequently ended up quite tipsy at 2 in the afternoon.

Note to self -eat a substantial breakfast before going to a craft beer talk.  I like beer but I never knew beer could taste so damn good or that 'horse blanket' is a valid term for describing a flavour note! If you happen to find yourself in NYC go pay them a visit.

Hanging out with April Bloomfield of The Spotted Pig -another salt of the earth, super inspirational lady, who despite the Michelin Star accolade and James Beard Award is incredibly down to earth. 

Eating amazing food-

Raw food -a little detox was required after the night before!

The Gubeen ribs were in high demand and had sold out by Sunday afternoon- get in there quick next year!

Awesome sculptures by the Queens of Neon

Books in a boat, as you do, in the book shop!

Foodie Fashonista!

A competition for local kids provided some lovely art works in the loos!

Everyone who was part of creating Lit Fest 2015 should be really proud. Personally I can't wait for next year, but I'll have to -roll on May 20-22nd. 2016.

5 Days At Cookery School

‘Start as you mean to go on’ is an invaluable phrase by which to live and my journey at Ballymaloe Cookery School began just so on Monday last. It was a day of new beginnings and as a hobbit might say ‘every good day starts with a good breakfast’; at the school we were greeted by a feast –bircher museli, granola, yoghurt, labneh with saffron, steaming porridge, bananas in lime juice, a selection of breads & farmhouse cheeses…too much to name. With a belly full of butterflies and home made goodness, we sat wide eyed, taking in the abundance of unfamiliar faces. With a broad smile Darina welcomed us and talked us through the provenance of the smorgasbord at our fingertips –her speech peppered with ‘from the farm here’ and ‘a lady up the road’ and ‘a family in Co.Tipperary’ -and that is the very essence of the approach at Ballymaloe. 

'The cornerstone of good cooking is to source the finest produce' -Neil Perry

Shepherded through the schools farm and gardens, shiny wellies were baptised with dirt as Darina extolled the virtues of humus. The school is located in a place called Shanagarry which means ‘old garden’ in Irish, so, what’s happening here in a sense, has been happening here for generations –people planting, harvesting, cooking, sharing food, sharing knowledge, nourishing the soil, saving the seed and planting again. Despite the idyllic overtones the course is certainly not a walk in the park, life in a working kitchen is very demanding and this feels somewhat like a 12 week induction programme. 

And so it begins –many are here planting the seed of a new career path, or hoping to branch out in a new direction with food and others to simply learn and add strings to their bow. I don’t know exactly where this will take me, but I already feel myself changing, pruning back for the new growth, filled with excitement and fear –but grounded by the knowledge that this is the beginning of a great adventure.

‘The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper’ -W.B.Yeats

Green Beards Juicy Juices

These beautiful bottles of yummy came into my hands recently -they are the product of the Green Beards Juicery located in Ranelagh, Dublin.  Not even open 12 months yet but these guys have made a mark on the 'health' scene in Dublin -how things have changed from pre-packaged pasteurised juices in cartoons with long sell by dates -these bottles of liquid gold are the real deal. Organic produce, cold pressed to retain all the good bits and carefully, aesthetically pleasing, well thought out design -it's a win, win, win!

Check out the video 

Mammy Says It's Tea Time

Paddys Weekend Open Door Food Event in praise of the cornerstones of Irish culture...             

'THE MAMMIES'

It's tea time and we'll be celebrating with some lovely grub for what will be the second last supper club for a good long while as I'm off to Cork to study at Ballymaloe Cookery School!

Join me and some lovely cailini agus buchaill (boys & girls) for a turf fire, a fine spread of yumminess and craic agus giggles around the big table.

To book your place email aoife@theopendoorfood.com  -as soon as I am able to confirm your place you will receive an email....remember places are limited.

Where -TODSC HQ (10 mins from city center)

Date - Sat 14th March

Cost - suggested donation E40 for 7 courses including cocktail. BYO thereafter (no corkage fee)

Time - 5.30pm -9pm

Wee mention in The Irish Times

Catherine Cleary did a review of a supper club earlier this year and we got a wee mention. The Mammy was happy and so were we.