If it’s March, then it’s time to start thinking of soda bread, one of Ireland’s most iconic foods. It's safe to say that every Irish cook has a recipe for it that's been personalized by families either by name, ingredients, or method of baking. A few decades ago, I judged an Irish cooking contest and…

It’s that time of year again when thoughts turn to love — love AND Champagne, hearts, flowers and, of course, chocolate. Try this yummy Irish cream-laced chocolate cheesecake for a delicious Valentine’s Day treat. You’ll find other recipes like this in my Favorite…

Leek and potato soup, also known as brotchán foltchep (from the Irish words meaning “broth” and “leeks”), is one of Ireland’s most popular soups. Once thickened with oatmeal, today’s leek broth is thickened with potatoes and then buttermilk or…

Onion soup is a surefire hit on anyone’s winter menu. Instead of using only yellow onions, this soup uses three — yellow, red, and shallots — adds Guinness to flavor the broth, and tops it with hearty, thick-cut croutons with melted blue cheese — Cashel Blue preferred! You can make the croutons…

Often called “plum pudding”—despite the fact that it contains no plums whatsoever— steamed pudding was first recorded as “Christmas Pudding” in 1858 and later popularized in the carol “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” The name is probably derived from the substitution of raisins for…

If you’re still looking to add an Irish “touch” to your American Thanksgiving meal, look no further than this delicious starter featuring Cashel Blue, Ireland’s first (and most delicious) blue cheese. This recipe comes from award-winning chef Kevin Dundon, proprietor of Dunbrody House in County Wexford,…

The ancient Celtic harvest feast called Samhain (pronounced SAH-win) marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, the “darker half” of the year. It’s celebrated on October 31-November 1, which is nearly halfway between the…

With peaches still available at local farm stands, you’ll love this recipe for baked peaches filled with ground almonds and amaretti cookies. Top them with vanilla ice cream, crème fraîche, or mascarpone cheese. You’ll find recipes like this in my cookbook Favorite Flavors of Ireland; signed copies available from…

Who says making a fresh apple dessert takes hours? You can assemble this delicious free-form apple tart in minutes and pop it into the oven while you’re having dinner. Apple pie (or tart) with ice cream is a classic dessert, but you might want to try it with a drizizle of prepared caramel sauce instead. You’ll…

As August comes to a close, the fruits of summer show no signs of slowing down — lots of peaches, blackberries, plums, and nectarines available for snacking and baking. This tart recipe starts with a shortbread-like crust, and then it’s filled with peaches and blackberries (you can substitute blueberries and add…

With the recent stretch of warm — make that HOT — weather in Ireland and elsewhere, everyone wants to dine al fresco. I know I’ve been eating three meals a day in the great outdoors, especially brunch on weekends when I’ve been serving these delicious pancakes topped with blueberries. You’ll find recipes…

As Independence Day approaches in the United States, out come the BBQ's, the American flags, and just about anything red, white and blue — including recipes for these fruity, berry-filled scones. You can actually eat them all day; lathered with a little butter or clotted cream for breakfast or brunch or with a…

Strawberry season is finally here! In fact, the entire month of June is considered to be “strawberry month” and “National Strawberry Shortcake Day” is celebrated June 14. According to Driscoll’s, a California company celebrating over 100 years of growing berries, “The first printed shortcake recipe appeared in an…

MIXED BERRY CRUMBLE POTS

SERVES 8

The recipe for these little pots of fruit with a crumble topping originated with a friend from Wexford, the sunny southeast corner of Ireland noted for its strawberries. Here in New York, where I live, we’re not quite into…

Lemon desserts seem to be more delicious on a spring day, but you’ll want to keep this one on a year-round basis to have with a cup of tea. Technically, it fits into the “quick bread” baking category, but the glaze definitely elevates it to a cake. Whatever you call…

Chocolate is definitely the flavor-of-the-month when Easter rolls around, so you might want to add just one more recipe — like this creamy cheesecake — to your dessert basket. You’ll find this and other springtime desserts in my cookbook, Flavors of Ireland. Signed copies are available on…

If you’re looking for a delicious pre-parade dish to fortify you for the “big day,” you’ll love this hearty three-in-one casserole. The recipe originated with Peter Foynes, director of Cork Butter Museum in Cork City, and has appeared in several of my cookbooks. Signed copies are available on my website…

When it comes time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, soda bread, bacon and cabbage, and Guinness probably rise to the top of the holiday menu. And why not? These iconic dishes are among the most popular for the Irish worldwide, and one more recipe, like this oatmeal and stout cake, is never one-too-many! Its…

Who doesn’t love carrot cake? I sure do, and when I learned there was actually a day devoted to celebrating it, I couldn’t wait to make one in its honor. For the record, food historians suggest modern carrot cake probably descended from carrot puddings popular during the Middle Ages when sugar and other sweeteners…

If you’re a loyal follower of my recipe posts (if I actually have any “followers”), this recipe might ring familiar. I posted it back in March suggesting that the soup would make a lovely “spring” dish, but since I’ve made it again recently to ward off the bone chilling days of January, I thought it’s worth…