If it’s January, then it’s time for warming casseroles that are both flavorful and easy to prepare. This dish gets a double dose of apple flavor from both tart Granny Smith apples and smooth Magners Irish Cider, produced in Ireland since 1935 from 17 varieties of apples. The sage adds a savory touch, a nice complement…

After all the Christmas cooking — and the Christmas eating — it’s not easy to think about a recipe for the week between two major holidays. But unless you’re planning to start your diet this week, you will still need a few more meals before New Year’s Day, and this one is not only quick and easy but it’s a good way to…

From traditional to trendy, mulled wine to mimosas, ‘tis the season for all things hot, cold, and boozy. Merry Christmas to all!

BOGO: It’s not too late to buy a signed copy of my Christmas Flavors of Ireland cookbook and receive a complimentary copy of Favorite Flavors of Ireland. Order at…

Mincemeat, a mixture of chopped dried fruits, spices, and spirits, is one of Ireland’s most popular Christmas foods. It was developed more than 500 years ago in England as a way of preserving meat without salting or smoking. Some early recipes for mincemeat used suet, veal or mutton, and gradually cooks added…

For one more gingerbread-inspired holiday treat, try this rich, spicy pear and ginger cake reminiscent of an upside-down cake your mother might have made. This recipe starts with a raisin-studded pear and caramel bottom that’s topped with gingerbread. After you flip it, serve it with whipped or clotted cream and a light…

Gingerbread men, gingerbread houses, even the smell of ginger signals that the Christmas season is upon us. Made from sugars and spices brought back from the Middle East by soldiers returning from the Crusades, gingerbread first appeared in central Europe in the Middle Ages. Monks baked gingerbread for religious…

A great way to use up leftovers from Thursday’s turkey is to make a potpie laden with potatoes, carrots, and peas. (Add mushrooms if you like.) This recipe is a popular post-Thanksgiving dish in the United States and a year-round favorite in homes and restaurants throughout Ireland. Try the Spiced Cranberry…

If you’ve tried every possible recipe for cranberry desserts and are looking for something new, you’ll love this one! Similar to an Italian panforte, a classic fruitcake-like confection loaded with nuts, dried fruit, and spices (the name means “strong bread”), this is a pleasant departure. It’s delicious with coffee,…

For the festive season, serve hot- or cold-smoked salmon on mini potato pancakes or in crispy bread baskets. Top the pancakes with a dollop of sour cream or crème frâiche and a sprinkling of fresh chives; try tangy horseradish-mustard cream on the baskets. You’ll find these holiday recipes and more like them in my…

Happy November! I’m purposely posting today so I can shock you into thoughts of the coming holidays: Thanksgiving in 24 days and Christmas, well, you know when that is! Shopping aside, it’s also time to start planning holiday foods, and what better ingredient than Irish smoked salmon for both. You might want to…

There’s something about mid-October that I love — the weather, the thought that Halloween (and Thanksgiving) is right around the corner, and baking breads like this “brack,” a fruity loaf from the Quay House, in Clifden, County Galway. Dating from about 1820, it’s the town’s oldest building, was originally a…

You’ll love this Irish cheese-inspired dip for the slightly Mediterranean taste it gets from the marinated artichokes, the color it gets from the spinach, and the creamy texture from Kerrygold’s Dubliner and cream cheese. Perfect for autumn get-togethers, football Sunday, or a family gathering, it’s delicious with…

Okay, it’s not the Super Bowl, but for fans of Ireland, the Aer Lingus College Football Classic pitting Boston College against Georgia Tech in Dublin on Saturday was nothing short of “super!” Regrettably, I didn't attend the big game at Aviva Stadium, won by Georgia Tech 17-14, but I’m delighted to count myself among…

BLACKBERRY TIME

Late August, given heavy rain and sun

For a full week, the blackberries would ripen,

At first, just one, a glossy purple clot

Among others, red, green, hard as a knot.

You ate that first one and its flesh was…

In my last post, I confessed to my love of cheese and my nearly non-stop indulgence in it while traveling through Ireland in May. On quite a few occasions, I found cheese, especially goat’s cheese, paired with beets in a sweet-tangy combination that is — no pun intended — unbeatable! At Reg’s in Waterford, a…

I really love cheese, and ever since I was introduced to Irish-made cheese — from the great selection of Kerrygold cheeses like Dubliner, Blarney Castle, and Swiss to harder-to-find ones like Cashel Blue, Ardrahan, or St. Tola — I enjoy it as often as I can. When I go to Ireland, as I did in May, I order it whenever I see it on…

The festival of Lughnasadh or Lughnasa (pronounced LOO-na-se) marks the beginning of the harvest season that was historically observed throughout Ireland and other Celtic nations. Originally held July 31-August 1, or approximately halfway between the…

When I wrote my first cookbook more than 20 years ago, nearly half of all the recipes I received from Irish chefs contained what they called “a taste of Ireland” — a small dose of Guinness, whiskey, Irish cream, or some other variety of Irish “spirit.”

We all know better now that to be an authentic Irish…

On a recent visit to Ireland I discovered two delicious breads made with yogurt: one from Flahavan’s, the well-known company that’s been milling oats in Kilmacthomas, County Waterford, for 200 years, and another from Catherine Leyden, the chef who presents lovely recipes on RTE using Odlum’s flours. You’ll find more…

Whether you cultivate an herb garden, grow a few in pots, or simply find them irresistible at your market or farm stand, the thought of cooking with fresh herbs is, frankly, irresistible! Our Italian friends can take credit for caprese, that great summer salad of tomato, mozzarella, and fresh basil, but I’ve found the…