It might appear that cows milk cheeses pioneered the farmhouse cheese movement here in Ireland and that only recently there has been a huge emergence of amazing quality goats cheeses which are just as varied in their styles as their cow counterparts.

Darina Allen says it is time to make a shopping list for your Christmas meals to remove any stress and enjoy the break with your loved ones.

We know porridge is one of the best ways to start the day but being virtuous day in, day out can be boring.

If you happen to find yourself driving down around the hilly farmlands around Macroom in west Cork, you may come across a strange sight.

I have always enjoyed the burnt, bitter taste of treacle. I remember the first time I tasted treacle toffee, I was hooked.

To celebrate Holi, the festival of colour and love- a piece on India.

The shiny, elongated fruits of the chilli plant can be used in many ways, mostly they are used in savoury cooking but they can add a kick and intense flavour to sweet baking as well.

This week I’m writing about my new online project and giving you an insight into what I’ve been working on. Recipe-wise it’s my quinoa, avocado and spinach power bowl and I’m snacking on delicious chocolate coconut protein balls.

I know it is a cliché, but I do feel like stretching myself out after the indulgence of December, to start to air out the cobwebs with brisk walks or runs in the park.

Derval O’Rourke offers her top 10 tips for a healthier Christmas, along with a couple of her low-calorie lunchtime recipes to fill you up with nutritious food over the festive season.

From starters to the main course, Darina Allen and Rory O’Connell unveil the ultimate Christmas feast – including the traditional turkey and all the trimmings.

Texture is a very important part of our experience of food. We enjoy different sensations as we eat - crisp apples, soft, pillowy sponge cake or the crunch of a freshly baked crust of bread.

Ted Dinan, Professor of Psychiatry at UCC and I shared a platform at the Science Foundation of Ireland and IIBN event at the River Lee Hotel recently.

There is something nice about regressing to old-fashioned puddings, sweet and warm once the cold days set it.

This week I’m chatting about heart health. For my recipe, it’s my lamb ragu plus a plum dessert.

On Sunday, September 30, we celebrate Slow Food Grandmothers’ Day at the Ballymaloe Cookery School.

Darina Allen shares some of her favourite recipes with edible flowers

Derval O'Rourke shares some healthy eating advice for busy workers and two tasty recipes

Michelle Darmody shares some delicious recipes with raspberries

With the recent sunshine, many courgettes may now have swollen into marrows. If you grow your own you will know the feeling, searching for ways to use this excess of large vegetables before they begin to spoil.

The introduction to Robin Gill’s book Larder enraged me and brought me close to tears. Robin’s graphic description of his long and tortuous journey through many kitchens both in Ireland and the UK to become a chef makes harrowing reading and speaks volumes about the reason why there is now a proper chef crisis in so many restaurants.

Kitty Travers’ La Grotta Ices book has arrived just in time for us to catch some of the early summer flavours that the undisputed ice-cream queen has captured in recipes that you and I can make right now.

I know to expect the length of the beautiful summer evenings after 42 years in Ireland, I also know that they gradually, incrementally build up, but each year takes me by surprise.

Ever wondered what our five-star chefs cook up with their children? Joe McNamee rounds up their tips and recipes ahead of Father’s Day — and shares his own classic kids’ dessert too.

This week I’m chatting about a recent event I was speaking at that had the theme “health through the ages”. Recipe wise it’s my midweek noodle stir fry and some delicious BBQ meat ideas.

By the time you read this column on Saturday, the news of Myrtle Allen’s passing will be well known.

Rory O’Connell and I were over in the US for St Patricks Day doing our bit to spread the word about the exciting renaissance on the Irish food scene and the many good things that are happening over here.

Time for St Brigid to be as big as St Patrick — after all neither of their lineages stands up to real scrutiny, so no grounds for nit picking there, writes Darina Allen.

There are a few strange bottles of alcohol shoved to the back of the cupboards in our house, one that a friend brought as a gift from a Greek island, others samples of liqueurs all sitting side by side with half empty bottles of obscure sherry, writes Michelle Darmody.

This week I’m chatting about pre and post workout nutrition. It’s a question I get asked a lot! For my recipes, it’s my blueberry protein pancakes and red lentil dahl, both perfect for fuelling your busy life, writes Derval O’Rourke.

HOW do we keep the magic of Christmas alive at a time in history when we are all being mercilessly manipulated by commercial interests. 

This week’s column is a bit of background about my work and my team. I’m talking all about slow cooking for my recipes.

Valerie O’Connor has spent the last six months on a whole-food, plant-based diet but finds that eating in restaurants now has become really boring — though tasty options are straightforward with a bit of imagination.    

This is the perfect time of year to feast on summer berries. They are at their optimum and also are at their cheapest. Berries are not only extremely tasty, especially in baking, but also very good for you.

It’s been a busy week, just doing the final corrections for my next book, Grow, Cook, Nourish. Every time I think we’re there, another list of queries come winging their way by email. 

A couple of months ago I had a delicious dinner at an exciting Israeli restaurant in London’s Soho called Palomar. The amazing vibe transported me right into the Jerusalem party scene. 

Brownies are an American invention and gained popularity because of how easy they are to make, eat and store.

I recently used an old copy of Georgio Locatelli’s Made in Sicily and cooked the most delicious pasta dish and some pork meatballs.