The Irish Heritage Cookbook - Softcover

Johnson, Margaret M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0811819922 ISBN 13: 9780811819923

Publisher: Chronicle Books, 1999

Synopsis

Roughly 44 million Americans of Irish descent, though understandably proud of their heritage, have grown up with a shocking degree of cultural deprivation with regard to the culinary traditions of their ancestors. For most, Irish cuisine means potatoes, corned beef, and cabbage. Now at last, The Irish Heritage Cookbook will set the record straight. Margaret Johnson offers a much-needed fresh perspective on what Irish cooking is all about. She tells stories about the foods of Erin and how these dishes were reinvented by Irish emigrants and their offspring, evolving to include new ingredients and to suit modern circumstances and tastes. Offering a bountiful collection of both traditional recipes and contemporary innovations from a host of chefs and cooks in the Old Country and the New, The Irish Heritage Cookbook affirms at last the place of Irish cooking among the great cuisines of the world—and one to be enjoyed by all who love Ireland.

About this title

About the Author:

Margaret Johnson grew up in a traditional Irish-Catholic neighborhood in Massachusetts. A high school teacher in New York state, she takes advantage of her long summer vacations to travel to Ireland regularly, and has published numerous Irish travel and food articles.

From Publishers Weekly:

Food writer and Massachusetts native Johnson delivers a fresh perspective on Irish cookery with an engaging collection of recipes culled from Irish (and Irish-American) chefs, hoteliers and long-time home cooks who have reinterpreted traditional dishes with earthy panache. Organized by topography?hill, dale, waters, etc.?chapters include historic sidebars and anecdotes, such as information on medieval Irish castle banquets. Despite an occasional gourmet detour (e.g., Mussel Soup with Oatmeal-Herb Crust or Warm Woodland Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette), robust, rustic Irish cooking prevails. Recipes are not for the diet conscious: copious amounts of butter and cream, meat-with-meat pairings and other caloric combinations predominate (e.g., Black Pudding Roisin, with pig blood sausage; Dublin Coddle, a pork, bacon and potato casserole; Quail with Chestnut Stuffing and Burgundy Sauce). Ireland's culinary "roots" (carrots, turnips, parsnips and tubers) as well as distinctly Irish libations (stout, whiskey and poitins, a distillation of barley, sugar and water), punctuate many recipes. Relatively uncomplicated, many of these meals involve minimal preparation time and can be easily rendered by novice home cooks. Looking beyond boiled potatoes and cabbage, Johnson provides valuable insight into Ireland's gastronomic heritage.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0811819922
• ISBN 13: 9780811819923
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304