Ballymaloe Country House and Cookery School

This year Ballymaloe House is delighted to be celebrating 50 years in business. In June of 1964, Myrtle Allen first opened the Yeats Room at Ballymaloe, offering guests the opportunity to 'Dine in an Irish Country House'.

From the first day it opened Myrtle Allen, as the cook, was intent on using the fantastic and completely natural ingredients from their farm and the local area. This philosophy has earned Ballymaloe recognition as one of the best places for food in Ireland. Her Family and their food business have followed in the same tradition.

I got a chance to meet Myrtle Allen on the college trip last Tuesday and it was an unforgettable experience

We also visited Ballymaloe Cookery School. There are so many things to tell about Ballymaloe Cookery School it is difficult to know where to start. School is  running classes  since 1983.

Unlike any other cookery school in the world its  located in the middle of a 100-acre, organic farm of which ten acres are devoted to organic market gardens, orchards and greenhouses.

Students cooking at Ballymaloe

Demo kitchen  at  Ballymaloe

I also got chance to meet Darina Allen Ireland's culinary legend and tireless ambassador for Irish food at home and abroad.

We visited Organic Farm & Gardens ...

At the end of our trip we had Lunch at Ballymaloe Restaurant which serves locally sourced and home grown food from  walled garden and farm. Head-chefs, Jason Fahey and Gillian Hegarty draw up the lunch and dinner menu every day depending on what comes in from the garden and the boats at Ballycotton. Fruit and vegetables are sent up every morning from the gardens- perhaps there is a glut of runner beans or courgettes or summer nectarines or globe artichokes. Herbs, edible flowers, soft fruits and apples come from walled garden as well as onions, potatoes, kale, cabbage and salad leaves and many other vegetables. 

This is the menu for the 29th of April and  food was just amazing.