Last month I wrote about leaving my comfort zone. In case you weren’t paying attention, I reluctantly agreed to do a food demo at the Hay Kells festival. This is what happened:
When I arrived in Kells the night before the event, things got a lot worse before they got better. The food demo had turned into an interactive, hands-on cookery session, and 66 children aged from 6 – 13 had signed up!!!! I confess that I was tempted to sneak back to my car, drive home, jump into bed and hide under the covers for a week – but I didn’t do that.
The lovely people at the festival had set me up with an amazing team. There was a chef, a techie team, and lots of people without job-titles who were BRILLIANT at organising stuff.

Before the event started, and, no, I have no idea why it looks like I’m about to slide off the stage.

Before the event started, and, no, I have no idea why it looks like I’m about to slide off the stage.

I demonstrated how to make french bread pizza, and tried not to think about the overhead camera that was relaying my every move to huge screens on either side of the stage.
Next I demonstrated how to make eton mess, and when I was finished, an army of volunteers raced out to give every child a supply of ingredients and utensils. There was a lot of laughing, and a lot of mess, but we did it – in less than twenty minutes, 66 children in a tent made dessert.
It was a fantastic day, and now I’m thinking of a new career. Watch your back, Mary Berry!

Spot the wardrobe change. A lovely girl called Roisin lent me her lucky apron.

(This post first appeared on www.girlsheartbooks.com)