There are few bakers as imaginative and creative as Herb and Christine Quigley, of Ballycormac House in Tipperary, and anyone who wishes to tap into the satisfactions of original bread baking could not do better than to learn how to make a crust at one of the Ballycormac bread baking weekends.
Things kick off on Friday night with sherry and dinner, and the work begins then on Saturday, when white and wholewheat yeast breads are baked. There will also be discussions on yeast, kneading, flour and much more, and then a session after lunch. Sunday sees a further session, before you depart laden down with breads and flours. The cost of the weekend is £175 per person on double occupancy, and courses will take place on the following weekends: February 20-22nd; March 20-22nd ; April 17-19th; May 22-24th and June 19-21st. For those with a fair degree of expertise, or who have already done a Ballycormac weekend, Herb and Chris are also offering advanced bread baking weekends, with more sophisticated techniques and advanced recipes. These will take place on April 24-26th and May 1-3rd.
Details from Ballycormac House, Aglish, Borrisokane, Co Tipperary tel; (067) 21129, fax: 21200.