If you want to get a sense of the best that Ireland has to offer in terms of culinary delights, check out 30 Years at Ballymaloe, a combination memoir and cookbook replete with recipes, history lessons and glorious photographs of both mouth-watering dishes and lush photographs of the Emerald Isle's verdant countryside. The elegant and practical coffee table opus is the labor of love of Darina Allen, co-founder with her brother Rory of the famed Ballymaloe Cookery School. Long esteemed as the Julia Child of Ireland, Darina staked her career ages ago on a health-oriented, "Slow Food" approach emphasizing organic, locally-grown, seasonal produce and cooking in wood-burning stoves. So, the sort of Irish food you'll see trumpeted here ranges from "Ballycotton Shrimp with Watercress and Homemade Mayonnaise" to "Carrageen Moss Pudding with Poached Apricot and Sweet Geranium Compote." The author also offers tips on keeping cows which, in turn, enables her to make such fresh favorites as "Virgin Jersey Butter" and "Caramel Ice Cream." Darina has a fruit garden, too, of course, where figs, gooseberries, raspberries, figs, plums and green almonds can be found in abundance. And she bakes everything from brown bread to a chicken pot pie that sticks to the ribs, although the irresistible entrée that I just have to attempt is the pizza with roast peppers, olives and gremolata. A practical primer on the farm to fork philosophy proving Irish culinary fare to be far more sophisticated than the sorry slop and green beer celebrated all across the U.

S. every St. Patty's Day.