Country Cooking of Ireland

Description

There is a sense in which all Irish cooking - at least the good stuff, the real thing - is country cooking. That is to say that it's almost inevitably straightforward, homey fare, based on first-rate raw materials whose identity shines through. "The Country Cooking of Ireland" captures this culinary spirit with 250 recipes, over 100 color photographs and stories about farmers, producers and regions and - yes, indeed - limericks. Author Colman Andrews traveled Ireland many times over, talking and eating with Irish chefs, farmers, cheese makers, butchers and fisherman. Ireland - for its superlative raw materials, its immensely satisfying traditional home cooking, and its new wave of artisanal producers and imaginative but well-grounded chefs-is simply one of the most exciting food stories in the world today. All over Ireland a new culinary world is taking shape: rural entrepreneurs bucking food-unfriendly regulators to build little businesses around small-scale food production and distribution; restaurants revising their menus to take better advantage of the native bounty, or new ones opening with a sense of Irish-based imagination and adventure; scholars and lay writers delving seriously into the lore and history of Irish cooking and eating, encouraging producers and chefs alike. Forget the jokes: Ireland has the potential to become, in the very near future, one of the most compelling gastronomic destinations in Europe-and it's already a darned good place to eat.

Colman Andrews is the former editor-in-chief of Saveur magazine and an internationally acclaimed food and travel writer. He is the author of numerous classic and definitive cookbooks and has written extensively for major newspapers and food and travel magazines including Saveur, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, Metropolitan Home, the Los Angeles Times, and many more. A leading authority on the food and culture of Spain's Catalonia region, Andrews has also been a restaurant critic since 1972. Andrews is listed in 'Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America,' and is a member of the James Beard Foundation, a James Beard Foundation Awards Judge, and a recipient of five awards from the foundation, including the M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award.

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW Known for its scenic landscape rather than its gastronomic prowess, Ireland has never been considered a major force on the world s food stage. Until now, that is. Andrews, co-founder of Saveur magazine and author of Catalan Cuisine and Everything on the Table, provides new perspectives on the often maligned Irish cuisine. The breathtakingly beautiful photographs are alone enough to convince, but Andrews, calling Irish cuisine one of the most exciting food stories in the world today, lets the dishes make his case. Robust soups such as butternut and apple and roast pork belly start the mouth juices flowing. Andrews offers a culinary feast with everything from nested eggs and steak-and-kidney pie to Arlington chicken liver p t and battered sausages. Given its proximity to the ocean, fish and shellfish dishes are well represented, including mussels in cream and monkfish in beer batter. Must-have traditional dishes are also well spoken for in The Best Shepherd\\\'s Pie and Guinness cake. Andrews has done the near impossible in elevating a cuisine thought to be humble and drab into tantalizing fare that will have world-wide appeal.