If you aren’t familiar with Ballymaloe, it is a world-renowned culinary school, established in 1983 and situated in Shanagarry, County Cork, Ireland. Darina Allen, a well-known chef, cookbook author, and the Irish founder of the slow food movement, runs the school, which lies on the grounds of an organic farm. Some of its alumni include Thomasina Miers, Tara Wigley, Clodagh McKenna and Desert Island Dishes’ very own Margie Nomura! Ballymaloe have a whole host of cookbooks written primarily by Darina Allen or her mother Myrtle Allen and they all offer the real basics of cooking alongside impressive recipes but all are timeless and straightforward.