Shell House at Ballymaloe

I have a long list of things that I want to do "someday", and one of those desires is to attend classes at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland. Really, it's more than a passing fancy. I am positively dying to enroll there before actually someday dying.

Of course, it's the esteemed cooking instruction that is Ballymaloe's big draw, but I recently learned of something else that has intrigued me. There is a Shell House, reminiscent of follies from the olden days, on the Ballymaloe property. I'm not sure how I have overlooked this design tidbit after my many visits to their website, but better late than never. The Shell House was constructed in the mid-1990s by Blott Kerr-Wilson. According to Ballymaloe's website, the roof is entirely covered in scallop and mussel shells that were once served at Ballymaloe House and Ballymaloe Cookery School. That's one clever way to use leftovers.

I found these photos of the Shell House on the Blott Kerr-Wilson website, and I urge you to visit the site as you'll find amazing examples of their shell houses. For more information on the Ballymaloe Cookery School, click here.