Today was our last demonstration and it was given by the one and only Rory Allen  ... today was about doing some things that we wouldn't normally do and I guess about putting us at ease before the rest of the day started ...

I didn't manage to take any photos myself as there was stuff on immediately after the demo ... but I'll load some photos once the standard ones get sent to me! 😉

The dishes Rory did today ...

• Hot Oysters in Champagne Sauce
• Grilled Scallions with Mushrooms and Anchovy, Hens Egg and Pangrattato
• Whole Poached Salmon and how to decorate for a buffet
• Carpaccio of Beef with slivers of Parmesan, Rocket and Truffle Oil
• Carpaccio of Beef with Rocket and Parmesan
• Beef Carpaccio with Oyster Mayonnaise and Wild Greens
• Steak Tartare
• Roast Haunch of Venison with Francatelli Sauce
• Quail with Grapes (Quail Veronique)
• Salad of Quail with Grapes
• Oeufs a la Neige
• Peach Sorbet with Raspberry Cream
• Baked Alaska with Sparkling Sauce

Immediately after demo we had a briefing from Darina on the upcoming exams, about things we need to consider before we leave Ballymaloe ... and things we need to do before we check out (like clean the cottages etc...) We then had the draw for the breads each of us would have to bake during our practical exam (the ones cooking on Wednesday, the students cooking on Thursday will have their breads drawn tomorrow) ... As I am doing my exam tomorrow I was drawn ... White Yeast bread ... not standard loaves ... Half Buns/Rolls and Half in a Plat !!! (not one of the breads I wanted ... but thats life ... 😢😂😛

After lunch I had to do my pre cook ... depending on the dishes that we choose for our exams we get the opportunity to cook in advance ... like if you needed to marinate some meat or make some sorbet / ice-cream etc... (the time you spend on pre-cook is deducted from your 3 hours you have for your practical exam ... I had to make yoghurt ice-cream and it took me 3 mins! 😝 So tomorrow I have 2 hours 57 minutes to do my dishes ! 

After the precook I headed up to Ballymaloe house to have a "look" in the cookware shop (different to the cookware shop at the school) ... let's just say I will be taking a "bit" of extra stuff back to Luxembourg with me! 😂

There is also a sculpture exhibiton on in the gardens of Ballymaloe house so myself and Christian spent a little time strolling around viewing the pieces!  

The rest of the evening was spent trying to get some packing "half" done and then some prep for my exam tomorrow ... we have to complete 3 copies of tasting notes (for the examiners) and then a full order of work (a step by step plan for all your cooking during the exam). Done! ✅

As a reminder ... Tomorrow I am making ...

Bread - White Yeast (Rolls and Plait)

Starter - Madhur Jaffrey's Samosas with a Mango Relish

Main - Spiced Keralan Chicken with Almonds with Pilaff Rice, a cucumber Raita, a perky, pungent green salad & poppodums

Desert - Poached Pears in a saffron syrup & Yoghurt ice-cream (with an almond praline)

Looking back on the menu now I am pretty sure I have over extended myself as everything is made from scratch and I will have to fully joint a chicken !!! (how unlike me!!!) 🤔🧐🤓 ... however I will do everything I can to finish within the 3 hours (well we get a 15 minute grace period but after that 0.5% marks are deducted for every 5 mins we go over ...) ... so fingers crossed (again)🤞

So roll on 12pm tomorrow ... 💥😱