County Cork's most well-known guest house yields its culinary secrets in this collection of classic Irish recipes culled from rolling green countryside of the Emerald Isles. Myrtle Allen's Cooking at Balymaloe House , first published in 1990 and now reissued, is a modern classic. Written by the proprietor and chef of Ireland's most famous guesthouse, the book presents a farm-fresh cuisine miles removed from the common notion of Irish cooking as savorless or indelicate. Most especially, it offers the voice, recollections, and culinary wisdom of a woman who has seen and understood much since she and her husband bought Balymaloe House in 1947. Cooks of all kinds will delight in Allen's observations (of her refusal to put carrots in a traditional Irish stew: "As this is a folk dish, I feel that the common practice carries its own authority") and hasten to try such recipes as Lettuce and Mint Soup, Baked Rainbow Trout in Spinach Sauce, and Beef with Stout. Chapters explore soups and starters through breads, desserts, and drinks, and offer 100 or so accessible recipes for everyday and special-occasion dining. Present are traditional Irish favorites, including Dingle pies (a spiced mutton dish), Colcannon (potatoes mashed with cabbage), and brown soda bread, as well as the likes of Danish Liver Paté, Mussels with Mayonnaise, and Turnedos with Mushrooms. Readers with a sweet tooth will want to try Allen's Almond Meringue Gâteau with Chocolate and Rum Cream and Blackberry Sorbet, and an exemplary trifle featuring almonds, cherries, and angelica. Illustrated with color photos throughout, the book is a cook's treasure with delightful, sometimes provocative thought. --Arthur Boehm -An STC classic cookbook updated with a fresh design and additional photographs. -Makes an ideal gift for anyone who hails from, or has been enchanted by, the Emerald Isle. -A selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club MYRTLE ALLEN - farmer's wife, mother, writer, hotelier, teacher, and, of course, chef - was born in County Cork and, with her husband, bought Ballymaloe House in 1947. In 1964, inspired by a magazine article about French country cooking, she opened the Ballymaloe House restaurant and began to serve seasonal food using locally grown ingredients. Her farm is now home to a landmark inn and prestigious cooking school as well as a second restaurant. This is Mrs. Allen's first (and only) book. MICK HALES is an acclaimed photographer whose work has appeared in several magazines and eleven books, including Monastic Gardens, Perfect Preserves (both STC), and Antique Flowers (Villard). Ballymaloe Irish Stew For the Mutton or Lamb Stock (Optional; see Note) 2 pounds mutton or lamb bones Peelings from carrots and trimmings from any other vegetables such as onions or parsnips Sprigs of fresh herbs such as thyme and marjoram 4 ounces mutton or lamb fat for drippings (Optional) or 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, lard, or bacon fat, melted 3 pounds mutton neck chops or shoulder lamb chops, bone in 4 carrots (about 1/2 pound total), quartered 4 onions (about 3/4 pound total), quartered 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 4 to 6 small potatoes (about 1 pound total) 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves 1 Tablespoon snipped fresh chives Yield about 4 servings To make the optional stock, in a kettle cover the bones, vegetable peelings and trimmings, and herbs with cold water by 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the mixture, partially covered, for about 2 hours. Strain and skim the fat. Reserve 2 1/2 cups stock for this recipe. To make the optional drippings, chop the fat into small pieces and fry it over moderately low heat in a heavy skillet until it is rendered. Reserve 3 tablespoons drippings for this recipe. Heat the 3 tablespoons reserved drippings in a heavy kettle and in it brown the chops in batches (do not crowd the meat). Return the meat to the kettle and add the carrots, onions, salt (omit if using canned broth), pepper, and the 2 1/2 cups reserved stock. Peel the potatoes and put them on top. Simmer the stew gently, covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Transfer the meat and vegetables to individual bowls with a slotted spoon. Skim the fat from the stock, then taste and correct seasonings as necessary. Swirl in the butter, parsley, and chives and ladle the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Note: canned beef broth may be substituted for the lamb stock, in which case the 1/2 teaspoon salt should be omitted.