Spud notes

Perhaps the one thing that has most overshadowed Ireland's rich culinary heritage has been, of all things, the common potato. Read a full account, A History of Irish Cuisine, (Before and After the Potato) by John Linnane BSc., MSc., at http://www.ravensgard.org/prdunham/irishfood.html.

Irish Promotions

Authors Lunch: Perhaps the rainy weather inspired many great Irish writers. James Joyce, widely considered to be one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, is best known for his landmark novel Ulysses. Oscar Wilde, a playwright, novelist, poet, and author of short stories was one of the most successful playwrights of late Victorian London. Other notables include Johnathan Swift (Gulliver's Travels); Samuel Beckett, a writer, dramatist and poet, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969. George Bernard Shaw, playwright, and W.B. Yeats, poet.

Oyster/Seafood Festival: Seafood has always been popular in Ireland, but shellfish dishes have increased in popularity in recent times due to the high quality of shellfish available from its coastline, such as Dublin Bay prawns, oysters and other crustaceans. Many oyster festivals are held annually along the coast where the oysters are often served with Guinness. Salmon and cod are perhaps the two most common types of fish used in other Irish recipes.

Coffee and Cake: Bread baking has been an art for thousands of years in Ireland but the bakers there also have some wonderful sweets. Offer these for breakfast or brunch, and include them in your Irish-themed promotions — scones, blackberry tarts, porter cake, light fruit cake, Christmas pudding, spiced apple tarts, Angel cake, apple crumble, raised doughnuts, and more. Visit http://www.foodireland.com/recipes/Bakery/Index.htm for recipes, or check out Irish Puddings, Tarts, Crumbles, and Fools: 80 Glorious Desserts by Margaret M. Johnson, 2004, Chronicle Books LLC, $24.95

In an Irish Kitchen

Traditional to trendy, these are just a few cookbooks that will whet the appetite and elevate the creative genius for chefs of all skill levels.

Irish Spirit: Recipes Inspired by the Legendary Drinks of Ireland by Margaret M. Johnson, Leigh Beisch (Photographer), 2006, Chronicle Books LLC Pub. Date, $24.95

Full on Irish: Creative Contemporary Cooking by Kevin Dundon, 2006, Publisher: Campbell, Georgina Guides Ltd., $30

The Irish Pub Cookbook by Margaret M. Johnson, Leigh Beisch (Photographer), 2005, Chronicle books, $24.95

Irish Traditional Cooking: Over 300 Recipes from Ireland's Heritage by Darina Allen 2005, Kyle Cathie Limited Pub., $19.95

New Irish Cookery by Paul Rankin, Jeanne Rankin, 2004, B B C Worldwide Americas, $45

(A paperback version was released in 2005, $25)

Darina Allen's Ballymaloe Cooking School Cookbook, by Darina Allen, 2002, Pelican Publishing Company, Incorporated Pub., $45

A Little Book of Irish Baking by Marion Maxwell, Catherine McWilliams (Illustrator), Appletree Press Ltd, Pub. 2002, $8.95