818: Ireland’s National Culinary Treasure, Darina Allen

This week, we’re spending the hour with the charming and beloved Irish cooking teacher and writer Darina Allen. It’s a spirited conversation about growing up in a country kitchen, her love of eating, and the single moment she decided to pursue her career in cooking. She tells us about her organic farm at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, shares her unusual and brilliant teaching style, and explains why learning to cook and connect to nature is one of the greatest life skills anyone can achieve. She leaves us with a recipe for an Irish classic, Spotted Dog Railway Cake . Darina is the author of many best-selling books, including The Forgotten Skills of Cooking: 700 Recipes Showing You Why the Time-Honored Ways Are the Best . Broadcast dates for this episode: January 10, 2025 (originally aired) Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.