The Irish Kitchen (Cherie Denham, Andrew Montgomery)

The kitchen has always been the heart of an Irish home; the busy, bustling focal point where yarns are told and the best local and seasonal ingredients are transformed into comforting dishes to be shared with loved ones.

Following the success of the award-winning The Irish Bakery, Cherie Denham and Andrew Montgomery have once more travelled the length of the island to bring together a new book that celebrates the full breadth of Ireland’s food history. Over 90 meticulously tested recipes, each beautifully illustrated with full-page photography, chronicle both time-honoured family preparations like Irish stew and treacle farls and more contemporary interpretations that make the most of Ireland’s bounteous fields, woods, seas and hedgerows and reflect how Irish cooking has evolved.

Stepping through the kitchen, the book also delves into some of the most iconic expressions of Irish culinary tradition and hospitality: from the pickles and preserves of the Irish pantry, to the essential afternoon tea and dishes to enjoy around the pub fire or Christmas table. Evocative photo essays and interviews with the island’s artisans and producers provide further insight into the Ireland of yesterday and today, documenting the dying art of traditional turfcutting, oyster farmers, musicians and folklorists.