MONITOR:WELCOMING A SLOWDOWN in the economy is a bit like trying to be positive about a collapsed souffle. It is just not meant to happen, it's disappointing and it leaves you feeling not just bereft, but frustrated. How to put it right, how to push back the clock, revisit everything in the hope of recreating perfection? The idea of happily examining technique, looking for mistakes with enthusiasm and troubleshooting can seem a step too far.
Yet all this and more is happening. Our enthusiasm for buying everything without a moment’s thought is on the wane as we look at past excesses. Why buy herbs when what you get is so miserable and so expensive? Everyone has a window sill and if it looks any way south, you will produce herbs far superior to those in plastic containers plucked from the shelf.
But why stop there? With a bit of land – and you really don’t need much – you can grow vegetables and fruit. And from there, it is really no great leap to baking your own bread, and making yoghurt and soft cheeses. Nor is the idea of bottling excess fruit or vegetables. These are forgotten techniques that have missed a generation or two but are by no means difficult.
So many of these skills are steeped in our tradition but rediscovering them, with others, brings a whole host of benefits – confidence and a sense of sharing to name just two. July sees a five-day course devoted to what the Organic Centre has termed the good life; a whole week devoted to rediscovering skills that used to be inherent to many households, practised on a daily basis and enjoyed by all.
Practical, hands-on and interactive, courses at the centre are focused on up- or re-skilling so you can easily apply the learning to everyday life. Whether you choose to bake organic or conventional bread is up to you; technique and understanding are really what is important.
Cost savings are only part of the attraction. The cost difference between buying and baking a loaf of bread is not huge, but when you add in the control over quality and ingredients, the whole exercise takes on significant advantages. Many a commercial loaf has a cocktail of ingredients beyond flour, yeast and water; cheese too, is often far from as pure as you might think. Goats’ milk fashioned easily and quickly into curd is a delight and can be used as a tangy addition to everything from salads to baked potatoes, as a topping for vegetables or even a slice of toast.
The idea that our separation from activities such as bread- and cheese-making is somehow a bad life is clearly not entirely true. Yet why have we ditched so many of these simple chores? Time probably comes top of the list but, in truth, surely it is more about priorities. As the new world order changes those priorities, some of these activities rise to the top.
Which may well mean that sessions on yoga, relaxation technique, sustainable building, a seaweed walk and a visit to a local organic farm – all offered on the five-day course – may whet the appetite for more of the good life.
harnold@irishtimes.com
Learn How to Live the Good Life (July 20th-24th) costs €700, inclusive of everything but accommodation. See www.theorganiccentre.ie, tel: 071-9854338.
READING LIST
The handmade Loafby Dan Lepard
Home Cheese Makingby Ricki Carroll
Cheesemaking and Dairying: Making Cheese, Yoghurt, Butter and Ice Cream on a Small Scaleby Katie Thear.