Articles

During this spell of gorgeous weather, we've been feasting on huge salads. The garden is bursting with beautiful produce, there are scarcely enough meal slots to enjoy and celebrate it all and the work of the heroic gardeners who sowed the seeds many months ago.
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Darina has been on her travels again, in search of everything that’s best in natural food, sustainability and biodiversity – and this time she headed for County Clare
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Famed for her passion for natural food, sustainability and biodiversity, Darina is a perfect example of the purposeful traveller. The main reason for a recent trip to Spain was to visit the Todolí Citrus Foundation in picturesque Palmera, on Valencia’s Mediterranean coast, which was founded by former Tate Modern director Vicente Todolí to preserve rare citrus varieties and compile a catalogue of farming knowledge to inspire future generations – and it is probably the world’s largest collection of outdoor citrus fruits. And, on the way, she spent a few days exploring València and the surrounding area…
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Famed for her love of natural food, sustainability, simplicity and sharing, who better than Darina Allen to hail the culinary virtues of the Irish Mammy – and share some super recipes that everyone will love.
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Who better than Darina Allen to share the secret of a delectable burger? Last month we featured a seriously delicious meat-free burger from Ali Honour's terrific cookbook, Beans - but this time the freshest of meat and fish are the stars in these super homemade burgers.
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Famed for her passion for natural food, sustainability, biodiversity – and good healthy eating – who better than Darina Allen to introduce us to some less usual winter vegetables that are both seriously useful and fun to experiment with. Here she tells us about some of her favourites – and we can get started with them in our own vegetable plots this spring, as well as seeking them out out in local markets when their season comes around again.
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Occasional visitors to London with an interest in food are always well advised to check out Darina’s latest recommendations before heading off. Her focused interest and specialist contacts are unique and, even when - as on her most recent trip - the main reason for being there is quite different, she will make a point of sussing out the scene. This time she was there to celebrate the life of a late friend in food, Skye Gyngell, whose fresh seasonal style – at her original Petersham Nurseries location and the current restaurant, the wonderful Spring at Somerset House - has long been a special favourite with the Guide. But Darina also has news to share about other exciting places, to help you plan your next London foray…
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Famed for her curiosity about good practice in food production and support for producers and establishments providing sustainable hospitality, who better than Darina Allen to shine a light on the exciting people and places she visited recently in the northerly half of Ireland...
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This month Darina Allen champions the indomitable Jess Murphy's much-anticipated book, The Kai Cookbook - and she shares some super recipes from this bold and creative chef.
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You can’t beat naturally ripened tomatoes for flavour and, although Darina has grown less tomatoes this year while awaiting the completion of a new greenhouse for next season, she still has more varieties ripening in a tunnel than most of would ever contemplate growing – and shares a few tips and recipes to get the best from them...
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