As we write, there’s an acrobatic air display going on in the field next door. The swallows are putting on a show. Low flying over the grass, twisting, turning, loop de looping, and catching flies at the same time. Total exhibitionists.  It’s entertaining. You could watch them for hours. The sun may not be splitting the stones, but there’s a summer stillness to the warm air and it kind of makes you want to run screaming from your desk and get out into the wide open spaces. The sort of day not conducive to work.  Does anyone else feel like that? Unfortunately for most of us, we gotta stick down and stick at it. The boss would not be pleased if we suddenly just bolted for the door.  But we can daydream in our lunch break. And have a little think about the kind of midsummer supper we’d like to serve up this eve to make the most of the rest of the day. One of our top chef/cookery tutors has been inspiring us of late. Bringing the wonderful food of summer right into the realms of us ordinary folk! Has anyone been  watching Rory O’Connell’s How to Cook Well series? What a breath of fresh air this man is to the celebrity chef world.  Rory teaches people how to cook in the simplest and most straightforward manner. No wonder he is one of the lead tutors at Ballymaloe Cookery School. His demonstration technique is no fuss, no gimmick. He doesn't do complicated or create recipes that are just out of arm's reach for most of us to achieve. He’s just  dead easy to watch and listen to, and you actually feel inspired to get in the kitchen afterwards.  Rory makes it look easy because essentially, he loves to teach. If you want to catch this man in live action, check the school website for details of his courses to be released soon  – and he’s often to be found heading up one of the afternoon demos that take place each day.