Desserts for St. Patrick's Celebrations
It may be a cliché, but everyone really is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day! Aran knits, tweed caps, shamrock-emblazoned scarves, and any apparel with ev...
March 09, 2023
by Margaret M. Johnson
Chocolate Treats for Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine has a close connection to Ireland, specifically Whitefriars Church, the Carmelite priory in Dublin, which is said to hold the saint...
February 09, 2023
by Margaret M. Johnson
Bring on the Winter Warmers
It snowed in parts of Ireland last week, closing schools and causing havoc on roadways, especially in the west of the country. Weather like this is...
January 25, 2023
by Margaret M. Johnson
In Honor of Tea
Serious tea drinkers and wellness enthusiasts celebrate “National Hot Tea Month” in January. During the month, many extol the virtues of tea drinki...
January 11, 2023
by Margaret M. Johnson
Nollaig na mBan: Celebrating Women's Christmas
Over time, many Nollaig na mBan customs have faded away, but in recent years the tradition has been revived a bit, shifting to a day of celebration with many women's groups marking the day with charitable events or with donations to organizations that support women’s causes.
January 03, 2023
by Margaret M. Johnson
Happy Holiday Hosting
Crackers and cheese, cheese and wine, cheese and fruit: dynamic duos for any gathering, holiday or otherwise. Successful hosts rarely bring cheese ...
December 15, 2022
by Margaret M. Johnson
The Essence of Christmas
Gingerbread men, gingerbread houses, even the smell of ginger signals Christmas is upon us. Made from sugars and spices brought back from the Middl...
December 08, 2022
by Margaret M. Johnson
Let the Baking Begin!
Spiced, sweet desserts like this cake have been a part of Irish holiday celebrations for centuries and were highly prized because they included spices and dried fruits, once difficult and expensive to obtain. Irish cooking legend Darina Allen, founder of the Ballymaloe Cookery School, called it “the cake of the year”
November 23, 2022
by Margaret M. Johnson
Squash for Thanksgiving: Let Us Count the Ways
Chances are you’re in the home stretch of your Thanksgiving dinner shopping, and another good bet is that you’ve already grabbed one of more types ...
November 18, 2022
by Margaret M. Johnson
Worth Repeating: Fig Season is Here!
Fresh figs are thought to have been used as early as 2000 B.C. One of the first fruits to be dried and stored, figs appear regularly in both the Ol...
November 02, 2022
by Margaret M. Johnson
Counting Down to Christmas
A few years ago, I gave a book talk/cooking demonstration on Irish holiday foods at a local library. One of my personal favorites is mincemeat, an ...
October 13, 2022
by Margaret M. Johnson
Autumn Leaves & Loaves
There’s something very special about autumn, the season that officially begins on September 22 in the northern hemisphere. By definition, the autum...
September 21, 2022
by Margaret M. Johnson