The Ballymaloe Cookbook

First published in 1977, The Ballymaloe Cookbook espouses a food philosophy rare for its time, but now so prevalent that this revised and updated edition shows just what an impact Myrtle Allen has made. 

With classic, simple recipes, The Ballymaloe Cookbook is the ultimate kitchen cookery manual, packed with priceless tips from a true master chef, such as ‘how to get a carrot to taste like a carrot’ and ‘how not to drown a fresh fish’! 

Myrtle’s charming food writing contains a world of wisdom that reveals a woman of great foresight, and not only where food is concerned. It is an elegant tribute to an authentic and sustainable way of life to which many of us are now seeking to return. 

This new edition of The Ballymaloe Cookbook marks both Myrtle’s ninetieth birthday and fifty years of her award-winning, internationally renowned restaurant at Ballymaloe House. Containing many new recipes, the book is a celebration of modern Irish cooking at its best.

‘It isn’t just a collection of recipes but a reflection of a genuine and authentic way of life, related to the land, the culture and the produce of the country in which Myrtle Allen lives’ Financial Times

‘It’s so hard not to fall back on the clichés when thinking about Myrtle Allen: the farmer’s wife whose pioneering spirit changed the face of Irish cuisine; the matriarch who championed locally sourced, seasonal, sustainably harvested produce at a time when such things were unheard of; someone who was handwriting daily changing menus before the world of trendy restaurants caught up. 

My memories of Myrtle Allen’s Ballymaloe serve only to reinforce the clichés, I’m afraid: walled gardens and edible flowers, soda bread and best-butter heaven, chicken liver pâté and wild garlic soup, wandering-around chickens and seawater-fresh air. 

Staying at and dining in Myrtle’s hotel allows for that very rare moment when you pause for a minute, take it all in and, all of a sudden, everything seems very okay with the world.’ 

Yotam Ottolenghi

‘This lavish, informative cookbook is an important cultural and culinary milestone in the history of Irish food.’ Social & Personal

‘This is probably the only Ballymaloe book I didn’t have so I was delighted to receive a gift of it over the weekend just past. The original is an institution. Now it has some new recipes, photographs and durable bound cover. I love it and I know that the Ballymaloe Cookbook is going to be gathering splashes and splatters happily in my kitchen for many years to come.’ – Wholesome Ireland

‘A revised and updated version of The Ballymaloe Cookbook has just been released to celebrate 50 years of the Ballymaloe restaurant and the recipes are just as relevant now as they were back then. Add it to your kitchen shelf’ – Woman’s Way

‘Now with a modern design and updated new recipes, it remains current, fresh and accessible. With mouthwatering images and easy-to-read steps, this is a must-have cookbook for every person who considers themselves a bit of a foodie.’ – MummyPages.ie