For St. Patrick’s Day, Try Irish Butter and Cheese

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

I used to think Irish fare was corned beef and cabbage, soda bread and potatoes. Period. Nothing wrong with that – I enjoy these foods.

But when I tasted the real thing in Ireland, I realized how narrow my thinking had been. Fabulous food is being prepared in guest houses, restaurants and cooking schools across the island nation. Talented chefs, cooking teachers and TV cooking stars are leading the way, using Ireland’s natural bounty from land and sea in sophisticated, contemporary interpretations.

I might never have discovered new Irish cuisine except for a fortuitous circumstance. About eight years ago, I won a new client for my PR business: Kerrygold butter and cheeses from Ireland.

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Easy Irish Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day

By Sandy Hu

There are 36.9 million U.S. residents who claimed Irish ancestry in 2009 – more than eight times the population of Ireland itself, according to the 2009 American Community Survey.  In fact, Irish is second to German as the most frequently reported ancestry in America.  Nearly a quarter of the people in Massachusetts (24%) claim Irish ancestry. 

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A Culinary Adventure in Ireland

By Sandy Hu

I’m posting late today, after a marathon 24 hours of air travel from Ireland, via Heathrow and LAX. I just returned from a five-day trip, meeting Ireland’s top food stars and sampling their outstanding fare.

If you’re imagining boiled dinners or corned beef and cabbage, think again. Today, the best of Irish cooking is sophisticated and vibrant, and easily holds its own on the world stage.

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