4 comments about The Two Fat Ladies Ride Again.

1. Stop with worring about food and start enjoing it. Just reading the book rises your cholesterol level but who cares. It's great to see these ladies enyoy cooking and enyoing life. A great gift for anyone who can't stick to his/her diet and feels misserable about it.



2. This cookbook is wonderful! A joy to read, even if not cooking or looking up a recipe. A few of the items are a tad difficult to come by in my part of the world (Pickled Walnuts & Gentlemens Relish for example), but most of them are accessable, and I've made many of these recipes with great success. I highly recommend "Devils on Horseback" which gave me quite a reputation at work. Thanks Jennifer & Clarissa!



3. Being a true fan of Clarissa Dickson Wright and the late Jennifer Paterson's TV Series, I was delighted to discover their book, Two Fat Ladies Ride Again. I do hope the series is available on DVD. The recipes are always unusual, well written and I'm sure, judging from the TV series, absolutely delicious. The book is worth reading for the anecdotes alone. I can't wait to acquire other books in the series or written by either of the two women.



4. This was, in my opnion, the best of the 4 cook books put out to go with the TV series "Two Fat Ladies." The lead in's to the dishes include all the charm of the first book but the receipies themselves have been better edited to make them much more user friendly. These are dishes anyone can manage.
   
   Although the sections are spread out by type of food rather than episode, they run heavily to small nibbly things and breakfast foods which can be used any time of the day. And while a few do have ingredients difficult to find in the US (pickled walnuts?) they are well worth the effort. Some recipies here have become staples of our family table and even part of our holiday traditions.
   
   I love to cook and I love to read a good cookbook. This provides both-good reading and good food. In my house you can always tell a well loved and used cook book by the stains on it. Splatters from flying ingrdients and such. a clean book in my house hasn't been turned loose in the cooking frenzy. People who know me and see my kitchen library can tell at a glance, this is clearly a well loved and well used book. It's that well stained!

1 comments about England's Heritage Cookbook: A Regional Guide To The Classic Dishes, Tastes And Culinary Traditions, With Over 160 Easy-To-Follow Recipes And 700 Beautiful ... Step-By-Step Instructions Throughout.

1. Sure, British food can be stodgy, but it can also be wonderful -- mainly in a comfort-food sort of way. If you have visited England, you might have an occasional yearning for traditional British food, such as a Full English Breakfast, or a shepherd's pie, or fish and chips (with mushy peas, a meal component we never see here). And nobody does dessert the way the British do: summer pudding, treacle tart.
   
   This book is chock full of those recipes and about 150 more. And it's really, really good. Unlike some British cookbooks, which appear to believe that herbs and spices are irrelevant, this book celebrates flavor; in fact, the book starts out with a introductory section about the history of food (the arrival of coffeehouses in the 17th century) and regional delicacies (from Maldon salt to kippers from the North Sea). A section on The English Kitchen describes common ingredients, some of which are hard to find here: borage, watercress, gooseberries. (Most ingredients used are available in your local grocery store, though.) Nothing wimpy here.
   
   These are all the usual suspects, with no "updating for the modern lifestyle." Sure, there are a few up-to-date recipes, such as an asparagus-cheese pie (what might otherwise be dubbed a quiche), but the emphasis is on what Mama used to make: bubble and squeak, cauliflower cheese, scones. Chapters are devoted to breakfasts, soups and appetizers, fish and shellfish, meat dishes, poultry and game, veg and salads, savory pastry, puddings and desserts, and teatime treats. The book has LOTS of photos -- the cover advertises 750 -- so there's no guesswork about how the dish will turn out. Even if you don't expect to cook much from this book, it's a fun picture book for cooks. (And thus would make a very nice gift.)
   
   One thing I *really* appreciate -- and is a selling point for me -- is that every recipe has nutritional information: calories, protein, carbs, cholesterol, etc. Mostly, this is reassuring; the chicken and ham pie I have my eye on is only 431 calories, which means it'll fit into my diet. And at 731 calories, the full English breakfast (potatoes, grilled tomatoes, toast, sausages, bacon and eggs) assuredly will _not_. But that doesn't keep me from drooling over the pictures.
   
   Can you tell I like this book? Because I sure do.

1 comments about Jane Grigson's Fruit Book (At Table).

1. Jane Grigson has a chatty, readable style which inspires you to try recipes purely on her recommendation as she clearly writes with such knowledge. The book is organised with a section for each fruit, arranged alphabetically. There is an introduction to each which includes snippets of the fruit's history and occasional literary references. If this sounds rather worthy / stuffy then don't be put off. The temptation to read an entire section before trying a recipe is irresistible. It is ideally organised if you have been out shopping or picking and would like an inventive way of using your bounty. If you feel you are ready to move on from Delia Smith then this is a sure path of progress.

2 comments about Delia's Winter Collection: 150 Recipes for Winter.

1. especially in light of the overshelming popularity of other British "cookery" writers like Nigella, Jamie, Nigel - all of whom only need to be identified by their first names. Anyone who likes them should immediately become familiar with Delia Smith. She might not be as glamerous or as much "fun" to read, but she is definitely as much fun to cook with, and her food is delicious, her writing is clear, her recipes are well-written and very easy to follow guaranteeing excellent results. This book is a good place to start getting to know Delia!



2. This is one of the best cook books I own. There are so many flavorful, interesting recipies using healthy ingredients in unique ways. Everything I have made has been a hit.

5 comments about Two Fat Ladies Obsessions.

1. The Two Fat Ladies have released another fine cookbook to their saucy collection. I enjoy cooking elaborate or unusual meals for my wife, and I can attest that the recipies I have tried are a success! I can also assure you that even if you aren't a gourmet cook, you can master these recipies.

   Warning: These recipies are NOT for the diet-conscious, but for the connisseur of good, hearty food with no-holds-barred cholesterol level! These contributions by the hilarious Clarissa and the late Jennifer are tailored for consumers who enjoy food for its taste and enjoy fully what life- and dinner- has to offer.

   If you are a fan of the show (and even if you are not), I highly recommend this book. Within its pages are thirty-four chapters, each focusing on a favorite "Fat Lady Staple", such as lobster, chocolate, and butter. The chapters also contain little anecdotes from the humorous Ladies, guaranteed to make you smile. Within each chapter are several sumptuous recipies to frighten the bathroom scale. As Clarissa, one of the Fat Ladies, notes in the introduction- "Anyone who has watched the program... will know that one of the things that binds us is an unswerving passion for good food- no compromises, no second best." And the recipes that follow certainly adhere to this credo.

   Many delightful European recipies can be found, with common ingredients and the unusual for special occasions. If you want to impress with the best, try these! Some examples of the delights that can be found are the delicious Roast Chicken with Herbed Salt, Chili Crab, Pheasant with Mostardadi Cremona (pheasant with bacon, white wine, butter, etc.), Portuguese Fish Stew, Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream, and the easy Spaghetti with Sour Cream. I only wish the Ladies had included more than a few recipes for each chapter.

   Please note that for some of these recipies, some unusual ingredients may be required. You will need to find a good source for some of the spices or meats, but when you taste the results, you will be glad for the trouble exerted. (My wife sure was!)




2. To be honest, I bought this book primarily for the Fat Ladies' trademark wit and humor. In this respect, I was not disappointed, as the brief narratives preceeding each chapter and most recipes make for truly entertaining reading. many of the actual recipes intimidated me at first, but when I decided to try one of them out, I was absolutely thrilled. The cod with lemon sauce (located in the book's "Lemon" section) is one of the best recipes I've ever gleaned from a cookbook...it was a tremendous success. If you're a fan of the show, or just a fan of good, honest food, give this book a try.



3. Some exotic ingredients: Bull penis for one, some questionable hygenic practices, can the Brits get away with them because their climate is cooler? and I've heard that the recipes don't always come out right because the Two Fat ladies didn't measure and the editor guesstimates, but don't know if that's true. I haven't tried any of the recipes and they are heavy on fish recipes but there are many that sound terrific and I'd like to try.



4. Many of the same recipes are in "cooking with Two Fat Ladies". Interesting to read, but I don't think many Americans would actually prepare any of the recipes. I love the videos, the cookbooks don't have the same charm.



5. Earlier books in the series provided recipies from the TV show, the Two Fat Ladies, but unfortuneatly Jennifer Patterson's lung Cancer caused a premature end to the 4th season. So in place of a book about the serries, they produced a book about their passions. each chapter dedicated to some item one of them found fun and what could be done with it- lemons, herring roe, garlic, sweat breads, salt, peaches, eels etc The start of each chapter had a few paragraphs from the lady in question and what they found so wonderful about them.
   
   As usual the receipies are surprisingly easy for any home cook to follow dispite looking insanely difficult in the pictures, the ease with which they work out is amazing.
   
   I will admitt to being a little confused by some, what the flock is a 'lardoon?' and finding others can be difficulti n the US but certainly if you are a fan of ther Ladies or just good cook books, this is well worth the read.

4 comments about The Scottish-Irish Pub and Hearth Cookbook: Recipes and Lore from Celtic Kitchens.

1. This book is easy, warm, and satisfying. Reminds me of home with family, freinds, good food and good conversations. If you like good "pub" feel, buy the book.



2. The recipes are great! I've done extensive research on Celtic dining and spoken to many a Scottish friends that grew up with the old Celtic Traditions and they agreed this cookbook is great! So far, the recipes i have tried have been outstanding! If you're looking for authentic recipes and enjoy great food... try this cookbook out!



3. `The Scottish-Irish Pub and Hearth Cookbook' by Scottish / American culinary writer, Kay Shaw Nelson is another cookbook offering by the relatively low-priced, low profile publisher, Hippocrene Books, Inc. which has a large selection of cookbooks about many of the lesser world cuisines in `The Hippocrene Cookbook Library' as well as several books on Scottish and Irish subjects.
   
   I have reviewed a few of these Hippocrene Books and compared to those offerings, this volume is superior to most, although it may not be the very best source for traditional Irish or Scottish recipes. On the other hand, I especially like this book for the fact that it seems to have very good versions of many recipes that may be so common that many flashier cookbooks may not even deign to cover them. My favorite here is the recipe for Scotch eggs, which recently came to fame as a dish prepared on `Iron Chef America' by the `Too Hot Tamales' (Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger) in a battle against Bobby Flay. The recipe made such an impression that while I remember it, I don't remember the secret ingredient or who won the battle.
   
   I also like the fact that there is a much greater similarity between the two Celtic culinary cultures of Scotland and Ireland than there is between, for example the modern cuisines of Spain and Portugal, which some have lumped together. The biggest difference between the two may be the time at which each was influenced by contact with the French. For the Scottish, during the era of Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots, when Scotland and France were active allies against Protestant England. For the Irish, it seems to be much later, beginning in the early 20th century, when Ireland first became independent, and preferred to trade with France than their former colonial masters, England.
   
   While every culinary tradition on earth seems to make a case that they are more congenial entertainers and friends of travelers than anyone else, the Irish can document the fact that not only do they really enjoy a good gathering over beer or spirits, there were actually LAWS passed, the Brehon laws of the Gaelic Celts of the 5th century AD, enforcing hospitality toward strangers and travelers.
   
   The chapters in this book are a great reflection of what is important to these Celtic cuisines:
   
   Starters, including meatballs, lots of oysters and prawns, and the famous Scotch eggs. I'm surprised to find a perfect recipe of the shrimp cocktail, which may have come to these shores from Scotland or Ireland instead of the more easily suspected French.
   Soups, especially featuring leeks, which seem to be a native and not a French import. The most famous, of course, is Scotch broth, which is heavy with lamb and barley.
   Egg and Cheese Dishes, featuring many dishes from the famous Scottish and Irish breakfasts, including that mysteriously named cheese dish, Scotch Rabbit.
   Barley, Oats, and Cornmeal with lots of porridges and cold cereals, such as Muesli.
   Seafood, including lots of finny animals from freshwater lakes and streams such as salmon and trout. The most famous recipe here may be kedgeree, a rice, fish, and egg casserole. I just wonder exactly how old this recipe actually is, as two important flavorings are Worcestershire sauce and curry powder, two very British ingredients which may be not much more than 150 years in the British Isles.
   Poultry and Game recipes look suspiciously like recipes from southwest France (See Paula Wolfert's great study of recipes from this region). This may either be primordial Celtic influence from Europe or later emigration from Protestant France to the British Isles.
   Meats includes a lot of beef as in corned beef and cabbage, corned beef hash, and beef tartare, plus lots of lamb dishes and, oddly enough, several hamburger recipes. Makes me think our favorite meaty fast food came from Ireland rather than northern Germany, as its name suggests.
   Vegetables is lots of mashed potatoes and what to do with mashed potatoes the day after. It also shows that the Gaelic cuisine is one of the very few outside Japan that features seaweed.
   Bread, especially quickbread based scones and soda bread, which don't use yeast, plus boxty, that famous refuge of day-old mashed potatoes.
   Cakes and Cookies, oddly, is separated from desserts, possibly because these are recipes for things served at tea and not after a late supper. The highlight is oatmeal cookies and Scottish shortbread.
   Desserts features lots of apples, pears, and berries, especially the classic blackberry fool
   Drinks, of course.
   
   As a source of both culinary lore and classic recipes, this may be the best available book I have seen on Scotch / Irish comfort food. It may not be quite as good as `Irish Traditional Cooking' by leading Irish cooking school owner, Darina Allen, which the author recognizes as one of the leading authorities on Irish culinary practice, but for a nice little inexpensive package, this book is very, very good. For more information on the intertwining of culinary lore and ancient Celtic celebrations, see `Celtic Folklore Cooking' by culinary writer and folklorist, JoAnne Asala.



4. The Scottish-Irish Pub and Hearth Cookbook is probably the easiest cookbook I've ever tested and reviewed. My family has gotten used to my cooking experiments. They always know when I have a new cookbook. Everyday for a week or two, I'll spend hours cooking up a storm. Then, they'll tentatively try the dishes and give me their verdict on whether I should make it again sometime.
   
   With The Scottish-Irish Pub and Hearth Cookbook, I completely confused my family. I cooked and they tried the dishes but the majority of the meals, snacks, and desserts were already familiar to them. They were my old standbys many of which I learned by watching my mother and grandmother cook. I even found a few dishes that I remember enjoying as a kid but couldn't find a way to replicate. Now I have the recipes and I can pass them onto my children and grandchildren.

1 comments about A Little Book of Scottish Baking.

1. "Oh Aye, I et a bap! The other OTHER white bread It's hwats fer dinner! Get in mah belly! Ahm higher on the food chain than you!"

   Even if you aren't Fat B***std from Austin Powers sequel film, you'll appreciate good Scottish baking. And unlike Fat B***std, this book does not weigh a metric ton or have unusual eating habits (like Haggis.) It's TINY! But it has everything you need to make the most popular Scottish treats. These little cookbooks are amazing in how they pack in the most essential recipes from around the world, yet fit nicely in an overhead shelf in the smallest galley kitchen. I especially like the Oatcakes, which are easy to make and taste marvelous with butter and honey. (Heather honey if you can get it.) But be careful, if you overindulge in these recipes, and boy can the Scots bake or what, you may end up looking like a certain villain from a Mike Meyers film.

4 comments about Taste: The Story of Britain Through Its Cooking.

1. Victorian England may have started a downward trend in culinary preferences, (lasting well into the twentieth century) but one would never know it after reading Kate Colquhoun's fact-filled new book, "Taste", a compilation of everything digestible from the Middle Ages onward. Colquhoun will have the reader scrambling for his or her dictionary at almost every turn of the page as she sorts out the foodstuffs, cooking, dining and their historical analogies. It's an exhaustive and compelling offering.
   
   The author is consistent in her reminders that in earlier centuries the Brits were really onto something in terms of what they ate. The Tudors and the Stuarts were no slacks when it came to fine dining...indeed they gave gluttony its headstart. But the masses, too, enjoyed a growing identity with their own comestibles as Britain lurched between rulers and conquests. The French make more than a cameo appearance throughout "Taste", much to the liking or the chagrin of their Channel counterparts. (depending on the season, so to speak) Colquhoun is very good at connecting the dots of history and food and she brightens the chapters by telling us how certain phrases like "done to a turn" or "making ends meet" actually came out of kitchen connections.
   
   "Taste" often gets buried under its own encyclopaedic weight. There's almost too much information of every table listing... so much so that a certain somnolence becomes the reader. A heavier editing and a lighter narrative would have helped this book, but nonetheless, "Taste" is a welcome addition to a growing number of food histories. Colquhoun has researched her material thoroughly and that is very much to her credit. To that end, "Taste" is worth the read.



2. I've been reading and enjoying this culinary history, However, on a subject which I happen to know a lot about, mechanical roasting jacks, the author's mention of them on page 133 is seriously flawed and now makes me worry about the rest of her book. She writes "....propelled by gravity weights at the end of tightly wound springs...."; this is incorrect since these jacks were powered either by weights or springs, not by both, and the spring-wound versions were substantially later. She continues "....accompanied by a metronomical tick..." which also is false since these jacks, unlike clocks, do not tick but simply rotate as they run down. An article by my wife, Jeanne Schinto, in Winter 2004 Gastronomica offers details on these early kitchen machines; it can be read on my website www.bell-time.com.



3. From table-groaning Roman feasts (for men only!) to today's packaged foods and ethnic varieties, journalist Colquhoun takes the reader on a fascinating and comprehensive culinary tour of Britain through the centuries.
   
   While she herself never refers to the term "British cuisine" as an oxymoron, she quotes plenty of travelers - lots of them French - who bemoan the lack of anything good to eat. An exception, however, is the 17th century visitor Henri Misson who exclaims, "BLESSED BE HE THAT INVENTED PUDDING."
   
   Delving into diaries, letters and cookbooks galore, Colquhoun describes the tables of the rich, the poor and those in between, the fads, imports, techniques and equipment that transformed British kitchens through the centuries. From the vantage point of the kitchen, she explores manners, morals and politics, giving us a lively, taste- and scent-infused social history.
   
   Moving chronologically, she organizes her chapters by era, i.e., Roman, Medieval, Tudor, etc. She describes the influences on cooking, from the craze for sugaring everything (increased availability) in Elizabethan times to Cromwell's Puritan parsimony.
   
   Coffee was a novelty in the 1600s and during Cromwell's reign "Coffee houses appealed to a society in which ale houses and taverns were frowned on." Trade routes naturally affected the availability and influx of new foods and ingredients and Colquhoun shows the influences of new ingredients, from the spices of the East to the New World's tomato and chocolate.
   
   There are lots of entertaining descriptions of the excess and extravagance of the rich and powerful, but Colquhoun also takes us into the more intimate and practical kitchens of the aspiring middle class. She shows how the industrial revolution ravaged the diet of the poor and how modernity has continued the trend of removing us from an intimate knowledge of raw food and where it comes from, while at the same time celebrating a back-to-the-land culinary style.
   
   Filled with detail, fashion and personality; opinionated, witty and thoughtful, Colquhoun succeeds in looking at the whole of British life through its food.



4. Though being terribly fond of food, I have absolutely no interest in its preparation. Having said that, I do have an abiding, indeed, insatiable, ahem, appetite for "social history," particularly that of Great Britain. [Indeed, what is more "social" than food and the consumption thereof?] And if you share this particular passion, then you will undoubtedly savor "Taste." Ms. Colquhoun is sufficiently comfortable with her subject matter that she is able to move from hand to mouth, hearth to table, plate to plate, and century to century with the same lighthearted yet authoritative dexterity displayed by the author of one of my favorite books of the last several years, Judith Flanders in "Inside the Victorian Home." One need not pay much attention to the ingredients of every dish described to get the gist of what the food represented in the particular period under discussion, but one can't help marvel at the research undoubtedly required to produce the book and the author's enviable writing abilities which make what could have been a humdrum tale such a terrific read. Ms. Colquhoun (somewhat audaciously) undertook to tell the story of Britain through its cooking, and that is exactly what she's done, to the delight and edification of her readers. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Delia Smith's Winter Collection: 150 Recipes for Winter.

1. I own most of Delia Smith's cookbooks, gathered on several trips to the UK over the years. They are fantastic. This one in particular deals with winter comfort/warming food - a personal favorite - covering the whole range of recipes, vegetarian and non vegetarian. In addition to starters and main courses, steamed puddings are covered in this book. In the USA they are neglected, but I think that nothing is more wonderful on a cold winter day than a hot pudding to finish a meal - one that has been steaming for hours on the back of the stove. If only more US cookbooks could take as much care presenting complete, consise, and dependable recipes...I find that most US cookbooks just aren't well written and aren't worth the money. All Delia Smith books are well worth owning



2. This book is one of many that the writer has produced. She's very popular in Britain, having presented a number of straight forward but impressive TV programs. This book is very good, with a particularly good chocolate bread and butter pudding (to die for!)



3. This book is excellent for its cooking instruction alone! The Perfect Roast Potatoes recipe is great as is the Chocolate Bread & Butter Pudding. If you like this one, try the Summer Collection!



4. This inspired collection features sophisticated home cooking that will satisfy the heartiest of cold-weather appetites. In addition to tried-and-true British classics updated for today's tastes, it offers many dishes that reflect the enticing and varied flavors of France, Italy, Spain, California, the Caribbean, India, and the Orient. Whether you are a kitchen novice or an experienced cook, you will find this solid, trustworthy volume a welcome addition to your bookshelf.

   Also recommended: "Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen," by Sonia Uvezian. This definitive guide is a must for lovers of Mediterranean food! Not only does it contain fascinating text and highly original recipes, it is the first cookbook to document the important contributions American and British writers who lived and traveled in the Levant have made to enhance our understanding of the region's cuisine.




5. Comfort Food in the title enticed me to try this, plus the raving about her popularity in Britain spreading to our parts as well.

   Trying several of the recipes, I found them to be somewhat basic, bland (except for the Thai inclusions). I loved the Black Bean Chili with Avocado Salsa. But most of the time if I rummage through this one, I'm reminded of similar recipes juiced up by other cooks. Realize for some this approach might be ideal and this would become a solid favorite.

5 comments about McGuire's Irish Pub Cookbook.

1. I admit that I was really excited to find this book. We ate at McGuire's in Pensacola a couple of times, and I desperately wanted their Shepard's Pie recipe. It's not in the book! It's one of the most popular dishes at the restaurant. Furthermore, the recipe for that incredible brown bread that they serve at the table is not in the book either!
   I was planning a special birthday party for my very-Irish mother, and really wanted to make both of these for her. It was pretty disappointing. However, the dessert choices were amazing.
   If you are buying this to be able to have recipes from your favorite dishes from the restaurant, you may be disappointed!



2. McGuire's Irish Pub is an institution in Pensacola, Florida. As the premier Irish pub on the Gulf Coast, they serve up some of the best pub fare to be found in the area. The range of dishes available is amazing--from casual to special. If you've ever been to McGuire's and you've loved the food, you have to pick this up. If you haven't been to Pensacola, pick this up and see what you're missing.



3. `McGuire's Irish Pub Cookbook' by cookbook author for hire, Jessie Tirsch is a book-length add for the bar and restaurant in Pensacola, Florida by the same name. While this may immediately discredit the book in some people's minds, I found this to be an excellent presentation if Irish-American bar food, with the Irish influence being dominant.
   
   Two words of warning to people whom may be encouraged to visit McGuire's Irish Pub. The first is that like Boston's `The Bull and Finch', the model for the bar portrayed in the TV series, `Cheers', `McGuire's' promises to be very busy, turning over a chair about once every half hour, in their public rooms. When I visited `The Bull and Finch', I barely had time to have a pint of beer and score a beer class including the `Cheers' logo plus a tee-shirt. The second is that many recipes in this book are not actually served at the pub today. But, neither of these considerations detracts in any way from the quality of the book.
   
   My basis for evaluating this book is my recently reviewed `The Scottish-Irish Pub and Hearth Cookbook' by Kay Shaw Nelson. The first thing that comes home to me is the similarity of available shellfish in Scotland and Ireland compared to the shellfish available in the Gulf of Mexico. Both `terroirs;' have ample supplies of fresh shrimp (prawns), oysters, mussels, and clams. Thus, subtropical Pensacola can do a great imitation of dishes from the oceanic fauna of the North Sea and the North Atlantic. The second thing where I find a great parallel between American pubs and Scotch - Irish pubs is the fact that the hamburger in its many permutations is a staple bar food for both regions. I was so surprised to find so many good hamburger recipes in Ms. Nelson's book that I was tempted to believe the hamburger was an Irish invention.
   
   This book begins with a very long illustrated Foreword by the bar's owners, McGuire and Molly Martin which chronicles the history of the bar, supplemented with many excellent pictures of some of the bar's more interesting interior decorations, featuring the mythical Uncle Nathan and some of the 12 huge moose heads.
   
   The book begins, I am very pleased to say, with a chapter on breads and brunch. This is appropriate not only because it begins with brunch, but it also has all the recipes for the breads and rolls used for hamburgers and the like in later chapters. Most recipes are recognizably Irish, although at least three are clearly from that very un-Irish country, Italy, with the very similar flag.
   
   The remaining chapters are:
   
   Finger Foods: Appetizers and Party Picks
   Between the Bread: Creative Sandwiches
   The Kettle: Soups and Stews
   Creature Comforts: Fish, Fowl, and Meat
   Under Cover: Savory Pies and Tarts
   Noodles And: Pasta and Crepes
   And With It All: Side Dishes
   The Eating of the Green: Salads
   Celebrations: Passionate Potables
   Sweet Sign-Offs: Heavenly Desserts
   St. Pat Tricks: Tips, Techniques, Stocks, Etc.
   
   I just had to check if the salads chapter included a recipe with watercress, the original shamrock. Oddly, I found that close to half of the salads recipes were based on pasta and seafood, but with lots of representatives of the spinach, cabbage, and carrot clans.
   
   The last chapter on general techniques is useful, but pretty familiar to experienced amateur cooks. The desserts chapter is generally true to Irish puddings, tarts and use of fruits. I was just a bit surprised at the many desserts including chocolate, as this is not a big ingredient in native Irish recipes.
   
   Every chapter seems to be a bit over half of true Irish recipes, with the remainder being imports from French and Italian cuisines, especially Italian. Several of the new inventions are interesting, but my favorite is the `Baby Reuben Egg Rolls with Honey-Beer Mustard'. Like basil and tomatoes, the pairing of corned beef and cabbage (or sauerkraut) is so great that the pairing seems to work in just about any preparation, especially with its constant companions, beer and mustard.
   
   If you don't want the ad and the blarney in the headnotes, and want something a bit more authentic, get `The Scottish-Irish Pub and Hearth Cookbook', but if all you want are good Irish-American bar food recipes, you will not be disappointed with this offering.



4. Very interesting recipes. I guess they weren't exactly what I expected... they seem truly authentic to this Americanized Irish girl. I thought "pub" food was more like bar food... nachos, pizza, etc. I was very far off. So if you want authentic, this is the book for you.



5. I actually purchased this as a gift for a friend that loves her Irish heritage & loves to cook even more, and she hasn't stopped raving about how great this cookbook is. Apparently it's become her favorite cookbook. Giving it 5 stars for this reason.