Product Description

The Irish Spirit combines the Emerald Isle's favorite recipes with a touch of ale, stout, cider, or whiskey, creating terrific new flavor combinations. Whether scallops and shrimp are poached in single-malt whiskey, tender brisket is simmered in ale and topped with a golden cheese cobbler, or old-time pineapple upside-down cake is updated with a buttery, toffee liqueur topping, each recipe is enhanced by Ireland's famous spirits. In addition to the terrific recipes is the fascinating history of Irish whiskey, stories of classic events like Belfast's popular Pub Crawl, and the origins of the infamous "black and tan," making this spirited cookbook a delight for all with a touch of the Irish.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #343853 in Books
• Published on: 2006-08-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

From Publishers Weekly
In her newest Irish cookbook, Johnson (Irish Pub Cookbook; Irish Heritage Cookbook) dares to take the drink from the glass and pour it right into the pot. In doing so, she raises the bar, creating rich and complex flavor combinations while instilling a good dose of Eire drinking history along the way. Chapters are organized by spirit. There are a dozen sweet recipes in the Irish Creams chapter, for example, but rooting out the many other dessert options involves browsing through the index or, better yet, paging through the many wonderful photographs. Black and Tan Brownies in the "Affable Brews" section catch the eye: a cup of Guinness stout darkens half the treat while light brown sugar and pecans make up the tan underside. Savory selections made with beer include Medieval Stew with Stout, and Oysters with Bacon, Cabbage, and Guinness Sabayon; entrees with whiskey include Bushmills Duck au Poivre with a sauce thickened by heavy cream. The resources appendix is a necessity for those seeking the traditional tastes, since Kerrygold Irish butter is used throughout, as is Irish bacon. And for those who would rather sip than chew, there are informative pages on such topics as Irish whiskey history, brewing techniques and the origins of cider. (Oct.)
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About the Author
Margaret M. Johnson is a noted cookbook author and journalist. She has written for such publications as the Los Angeles Times, Food & Wine, Irish Echo, and the Underground Wine Journal. Her cookbooks include The Irish Heritage Cookbook; The New Irish Table; Irish Puddings, Tarts, Crumbles, and Fools; and the Irish Pub Cookbook. When she is not visiting her ancestral home of Ireland, she lives in New York.

Leigh Beisch is a San Francisco-based photographer. Her work has also appeared in several books by Margaret M. Johnson.

Customer Reviews

Makes cooking a pleasure
This is absolutely an awesome cookbook. Being Irish, wanting to go to Ireland, and loving to cook made this a must have.Highly recommended for anyone who likes to cook. Kathy