The combination of chocolate and fruit is one that few can resist, so when I decided to offer this recipe for warm fruit compote, I realized I posted it back in February as a suggested topping for chocolate mousse cake to serve on Valentine’s Day.

Some things simply bear repeating, and with the wealth of late…

I’ve seen a lot of fresh figs in markets lately and know how delicious they are with blue cheese, usually mixed in salads. But then I remembered this recipe from Peter Ward, proprietor of the legendary Country Choice market in Nenagh, Tipperary, and thought it’s worth sharing if you find figs locally. Ward is a champion…

When the wind whips, as is often the case in January and February, a bowl of soup is a welcome offering at lunch or dinner. When it’s creamy, rich, seafood-laden chowder, it’s even better! This recipe, which originally appeared in my Irish Pub Cookbook and makes another appearance in Favorite Flavors of…

When I’m really stuck for a quick supper, I turn to eggs! Not fried, poached, or scrambled, but to what the French (and the Irish) call a tart or a quiche. While many use the term interchangeably, the main difference, I’m told, is the amount of egg mixture that’s poured into the pastry base: a quiche uses more eggs, while a…

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…

For music historians, the names Bing Crosby and Burl Ives conjure up many different thoughts, yet they had some things in common. They were born six years apart in the 1900s, and both came from very modest backgrounds. Both of them were mostly known as chart- topping music stars, but both also received…

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…

'Christmas is coming; the goose is getting fat.

Please put a penny in the old mans’ hat.

If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’penny will…

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…

This Christmas, consider giving gifts handmade in Ireland. 

Our last order dates for Christmas delivery are as follows:

Ireland - 3 p.m., Wednesday 21st December

Northern Ireland - 3 p.m., Tuesday 22nd December

United Kingdom - noon, Monday 19th December

Europe - noon, Tuesday 13th…

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…

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING IN MY FATHER'S TIME

In rural Ireland, the Christmas shopping started on December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. On that date, shops would decorate their windows with Christmas decorations and Christmas fare. I remember when I was young, a Cadbury's merchandiser would organise our Christmas display window.…

(First published in December 2011)

Maura Mulligan was first-born in a family of six siblings, children of farmers who ran the family farm in the rural village of Aghamore, County Mayo.  After immigrating to the United States and working for telephone companies and even trying life in the convent, Maura took up memoir and fiction…