Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Ballymaloe Shop (at Ballymaloe House)

THE BALLYMALOE SHOP

Let me put you straight here. There is just one Ballymaloe café. There are two Ballymaloe shops and the one I’m talking about here is, like the café, adjacent to Ballymaloe House (which has its own entrance).

The Ballymaloe Cookery School and Gardens are about a mile away, entrance from Shanagarry village. There is no café here but they do have a farm shop attached.

The shop at Ballymaloe House sells crafts (including knitwear and pottery) and some food (mainly in jars and bottles, such as jam and honey). Perhaps its most impressive area is the kitchen room which must have every small and not so small tool you’ll ever need. We certainly helped ourselves to a few handy items on today’s visit.

Food items purchased here included Ballymaloe Jalapeno Pepper Relish (€2.95), Gourmet Handmade Plum Jam by Helen Gee from Laois (€3.50) and Deise Irish Honey (expensive at €6.95).

We didn’t need any help today but the staff were very pleasant and we saw them help out some English visitors in a courteous and friendly fashion and their exchanges with us were along the same lines.

I know some people are worried about declining standards of courtesy but I find the opposite is true in the food and drinks industry, in the Cork area at least.

There is plenty of parking by the shop and you may also call to the Café) at the back of the shop) and also to the Grain Store (which sometimes hosts art exhibitions).

http://www.ballymaloe.ie/ballymaloeshop/index.html
Phone: +353 (0) 21 4652032
Things to do and see in Cork: http://corkandabout.blogspot.com/
Check out my review of Ballymaloe Shop - I am cork - on Qype

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