Articles

What joy, the garden and greenhouses are bursting with produce, so are the Farmers and Country markets and hopefully, your local shops and supermarkets are offering the bounty of the season to tempt you to make beautiful salads, pasta dishes, gorgeous soups and crudtiés.
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This month Darina talks about getting that whiff of Spring at last, enjoying the early harvest of cultivated crops and foraged foods - and there’s her Summer Foraging Course at Ballymaloe Cookery School too: “Where you previously saw weeds, you’ll now see dinner!”
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This month Darina talks about eggs - preferably from happy lazy hens.
Eggs are truly a super food, every cook’s best friend. Unsurprisingly they are having their moment again, particularly in the US. This was very evident on recent visits to both the West and East coasts of America. In virtually every restaurant and café, eggs were starring on the menu in some shape or form, not just for breakfast and brunch. Even food carts and food trucks were serving eggs in many guises.
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A growing body of research confirms that our food should be our medicine. So making time to shop well and cook for ones family becomes an even greater priority at a time when so many people are stressed and stretched to the limit trying to keep more balls in the air than is even remotely possible. Something has to give but it mustn’t be nourishing wholesome food – too much depends on dinner…
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So what’s hot and what’s not on the 2018 food scene. Much energy and investment goes into predicting up-coming trends in the many areas of food production. From multinational companies to artisan producers and supermarket chains, all have a vested interest in having their finger on the pulse. Chefs too are keen to keep on top of emerging trends. So let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line.
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This month Darina talks about the myth that low fat is good for you - and why we need fat in our diet. So why not resolve to begin the new year with a better diet, enriched by food with plenty of good fats - including whole milk, cream and butter - on the menu.
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I love Rory O’ Connell’s new book, sounds a bit soppy but I‘m a big fan of my brother’s food, simple beautiful and delicious – Rory and I started the Ballymaloe Cookery School together in 1983 and his first book Master It ,published in 2013, was long overdue. Since then he has gained a loyal and growing fan base, both for his TV programmes and his much anticipated book number two Cook Well Eat Well.
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Recently, I’ve had requests for vegan recipes as the interest in a vegan life style gathers momentum. The increase in numbers continues to confound the sceptics. There are a variety of reasons why people decide to embrace a vegan diet. For many, it’s a combination of concern for the environmental impact of many of our food producing systems and animal welfare issues.
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We are coming into the most super exciting time of the year for both cooks and gardeners. The summer produce is ready to harvest at last… We are now picking the early broad beans and peas to add to the beets, courgettes and carrots we’ve been enjoying for the past few weeks.
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This month Darina talks about The Hungry Gap and a Pop Up 'eating between the seasons' dinner organised by her students recently, to raise funds for the Slow Food Educational Project
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