The water glistens over Ballycotton Bay and Rachel Allen smiles and sighs: “I really should sit here more often.”

Irish Country Living has been doing a furniture reshuffle in her sitting room to capture the best of the spring light for our photoshoot, but we take a minute to follow Rachel’s gaze. Ballycotton Lighthouse stands proudly in the shimmering blue as the sun is breaking through the east Cork mist. With a view like this, it’s no wonder Rachel is so animated about her recent book, Coast, and the accompanying television show, Rachel’s Coastal Cooking.

“Honestly, it was the most fun I ever had filming a series. It was hard work but there were so many amazing moments working with fantastic Irish produce. I went free diving for crabs in Kinsale and flew over the Burren. However, there was this moment on a beach in west Kerry that was simply amazing. It was the hottest week of the summer and there we were cooking on the beach, fetching water from the sea to cook the potatoes. A good lot of the crew working on the show were English and it really was great to see Ireland through their eyes.”

Wild and Windy

“At times during filming, there were lots of people around. Other times, I was just there driving and relishing the scenery. I’m a brand ambassador for Land Rover and I had lovely moments in the jeep driving through rivers, fields and farms.

The finished product certainly seems to match the memories.

“It’s really natural and raw, not too edited. Blustery, wild and windy.”

Although Coast was just released a few months ago, she has another recipe book in the pipeline, the theme of which is still very much under wraps. However, she promises she won’t be following the healthy eating cookbook trend.

“The thing is, I believe the food I cook and write about is healthy already. Eating meals like our grandparents did is the most sensible approach and I don’t believe in cutting out too many of our food groups. Of course, if I have a holiday coming up, I’ll cut back on cake and up my veg, but on a day-to-day basis I keep it simple. There are times in the summer that I love fresh, raw food and crunchy salads, but that’s more to do with the season and the produce my body wants rather than any food fad.”

Keeping it Simple

Proving her point on the plate, we enjoy a simple but stunning fish dish at Ballymaloe Cookery School. Whatever about the shows and books, Rachel says teaching is the real core of what she does.

“After all the media is gone, this is still where I’ll be teaching everyone from nervous beginners to upcoming chefs.”

Part of the Family

In fact, it’s right where Rachel started herself.

“I was always intrigued by the sound of Ballymaloe and loved cooking, but when I arrived I instantly loved the place.”

She might have been just 18, but Rachel certainly got more than she bargained for. Not only did she fall for Isaac Allen, she was also passed the Ballymaloe mantle, following a very similar path to her mother-in-law Darina.

So, although the Allen name has helped her career, has it come with its own set of pressures?

“I definitely feel a sense of responsibility and I think I should. The late Mr Allen left an amazing legacy that should live on. I am aware of the things I do, not because anyone has told me to, but because I am mindful of all the hard work that everybody else is also doing.”

Melting Point

Has it limited Rachel in regards to taking risks?

“No. I just go with it. I’ve never thought: ‘I can’t do such and such because of Ballymaloe.’ In fact, the experience of Darina and the family is very helpful. She is like a mentor and while some days she says this project sounds great or that recipe is very exciting, other days she is like: ‘You’re working too hard, you need to mind yourself.’”

Perhaps Darina has a point, life is certainly busy for Rachel.

“You know, it’s fine,” she says smiling. However, after a sight pause she adds: “Actually, no, you should have seen me yesterday. I had an article deadline, my book needs to be finished and with the Easter holidays all the kids will be home from school and the house will be a bit manic. It all got a bit much but I took a deep breath, grabbed a cup of tea and made a list. Usually I scribble down a job I already have done just to make myself feel better. My productive time of the day is usually early morning around 5.30am or 6am before the world has gotten up. After a good night’s sleep, everything seems more manageable. You know I get phone calls from production companies in the UK saying: ‘Can you get your people to send that document across?’ I don’t think they realise that really it’s just me and Isaac and our little cottage industry,” she laughs.

Family Time

Family time does take priority though, whether that’s with her three children Joshua (17), Lucca (15) and Scarlett (seven) or with the bigger Allen clan.

“Recently we went for a lovely lunch to celebrate Myrtle’s 92nd birthday – and with spring here it means picnic time. I love getting a call from Darina on a Sunday morning saying: ‘Right, anyone for a picnic?’ They are quite incredible. She will often go for a walk with a flask and a few biscuits in a box but when we get called for picnics, she’ll cook rashers, sausages, scrambled eggs – a proper breakfast out on the cliffs.

“Another picnic favourite of mine is one of Myrtle’s original recipes – a chest of sandwiches. You start off with a rectangular loaf of bread and you cut off the top, just so it is leaning back like the lid of a treasure chest, if you can imagine. You cut out a rectangular centre so what you’re left with is a hollow. Then you make up finger sandwiches and pop them back in. Close the lid and it’s perfect because it keeps everything fresh. Scarlett loves that one.”

Easter Delights

This weekend though, the family get-together will most definitely be at the table.

“Easter dinner doesn’t get as much focus as Christmas but I love it because it allows you to be a little bit more experiential as guests aren’t as focused on their traditional trimmings. It’s still a good bit of work though so now is the time to get organised. Grab a cup of tea and sit down for 20 minutes to plan out your menu and timings. Remember to keep variety right throughout your meal and introduce new ingredients, flavours, textures and colour with each course. This can sound more complicated than it actually is. Even some simple mint sauce made with fresh mint, boiling water, sugar, vinegar and lemon can add a real explosion of flavour to succulent lamb. Let the ingredients speak for themselves.

“When it comes to dessert, I sometimes think guests appreciate something a little different to chocolate. It’s the perfect time of year for rhubarb and pairing that with a simple meringue and cream can be a lovely light finish to the meal. If you simply couldn’t consider Easter Sunday without a chocolate dessert though, think about keeping it light. You could opt for a chocolate meringue that is really goey on the inside with a chocolate cream. Then relax and enjoy.”