Today, we went on a school field trip. Sixty students piled into a giant coach and held on tight as it negotiated the tiny winding "roads" of Cork. I had motion sickness within 30 minutes of leaving the school. Blurgh.
First stop - Mahon Point farmers market. We were each given a food token (yippee!) to redeem at a stall of our choice. I chose wood-fired buffalo mozzarella pizza, which came with an apology due to the fact it was partially "flame-licked". Maybe that's artisan food-speak for "burnt" (see for yourself below). Regardless, it was scrumptious. I bought feta cheese, haloumi, a seeded sourdough and a present for the Editor ... a cake popsicle masquerading as a piglet.
Second stop - Toonsbridge Dairy where we met a friendly herd of buffalo along with the friendly cheesemakers who turn their milk into mozzarella, parmesan, ricotta and even feta. The buffalo are best described as a cross between a cow and a puppy, giant bovines who excitedly approach strangers.
Third stop - Walton Mills, Macroom. The last remaining stone grinding mill in Ireland, the Walton family have been grinding their oatmeal since the early 1800s (and the packaging has never changed!) We have cooked with it at the school and it is absolutely delicious. I do not know how I am going to smuggle it back into Australia...
Fourth stop - Deroiste Puddings. Not the chocolate kind - the kind that have fresh pig's blood in them. Mmmm. In all seriousness, black and white pudding is delicious.
Last stop - Urru Artisan Food store and Cafe. One of those shops where a foodie like me could easily spend a week's wages. I settled on a bottle of Bundaberg ginger beer for my queasy stomach, a packet of Italian risoni and some of Frank's garlic sausages which are 98% meat (and 100% munchable with fresh sourdough - Hungry Ed). I managed to resist (just) buying the tiniest, cutest bottle of balsamic vinegar I have ever seen, but I had to take a photo. What is the point of a pocket sized condiment? Is it for all those times you drive by some wild rocket growing by the motorway and you wish you had some balsamic so you could whip up an impromptu salad? Who cares, it's adorable.
And now, if you'll excuse me, I have two bags of field trip bounty to munch through. Chomp chomp.
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