We first tasted Coole Swan Irish Liqueur last year when we attended Fare Plate in New York City. It is a beautiful creamy white with a slightly lighter taste than Bailey’s. While I still love Bailey’s, try out a bottle of Coole Swan for a change up.

Our new ice cream maker has been an inspiration: I have made peppermint chip, “healthy” avocado dark chocolate, and now my own Coole Swan Ice Cream. This ice cream goes fast in our house, so be warned: it is highly addictive stuff!

Recipe
Note: recipe is formulated for a 1 ½ quart ice cream maker. We bought the inexpensive Cuisinart ICE-21, which we are pleased with so far.

Ingredients
• 1 cup of whole milk
• 2/3 cup of granulated sugar
• A scant 2 cups of heavy cream
• ½ cup chilled Irish cream liqueur (preferably Coole Swan)

Whisk the milk and sugar together in a medium sized bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add in the heavy cream and whisk gently (you do not want to thicken the cream at all). Cover and chill in the fridge for 2 hours or more.

After at least 2 hours, set up and turn on the ice cream maker (look at your ice cream maker instructions/ ours must be running before pouring in the mixture).

Gently pour in the milk, sugar, heavy cream mixture. Run the maker for 15-20 minutes. Add in the chilled Coole Swan during the last two minutes. Alcohol impedes the freezing process, so you need to add it towards the end. My ice cream was fairly soft and some of the liqueur did not mix in, so I poured it into a chilled glass container, stirred it and popped it quickly into the freezer for a few more hours. It was perfect!

Easy to eat on its own or try in one of the recipes below!

Swan Sundae

• 2 scoops of Coole Swan Ice cream
• A dollop of hot fudge sauce
• A dollop of whipped cream (Using a handheld mixer, I whipped up the leftover heavy cream from the recipe and it worked great.)
• Sprinkle of chopped pistachio nuts

Arrange all of the ingredients in a bowl and serve immediately.

Coole Swan Affogato

• Strong ice coffee (I made espresso, added cold filtered water and then chilled it. Cold brew would also work well)
• A scoop of Coole Swan Ice cream
• A dollop of whipped cream
• Generous sprinkle of cinnamon (delicious with the Coole Swan- amazing together!)

Scoop the ice cream into a glass and pour the coffee over it (works with hot espresso too). Put the whip cream on and sprinkle the cinnamon over it.

Nothing beats Irish Cream Liqueur and milk. However, we were looking for something that cut down on the milk (since it does not always agree with Libby), and we also wanted a bit of a twist on this classic combination. So we came up with the idea of using almond milk and some cinnamon. Turned out absolutely delicious we are happy to report.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces of Irish Creme Liqueur (Baileys works, of course. I love Kerrygold Irish Creme and Coole Swan, but they are not as easy to come by).
• 2 ounces of Vanilla Almond Cinnamon Milk (see instructions below)
• 2 tsps of sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbs of cinnamon
• Splash of Irish Whiskey

Recently we were browsing through an international market named Kazimierz in Kittery, Maine and stumbled upon an old favorite — blackcurrant hard candies. We took a container home and fumbled around with some recipes until we hit upon a simple mix that combined chocolate, coconut and the crunchy, unique flavor of blackcurrant candies. They didn’t last long.

There are just a few ingredients in this recipe and it couldn’t be much easier to whip up a batch. We used chocolate molds, which are available at most craft stores, but you could use small ice cube trays or mini muffin cups in a pinch. The candies melt into the chocolate a bit, but there’s still enough crunch to keep things interesting. Just make sure not to turn the candy into dust.

Ingredients (makes 20-22 chocolates)

• ½ cup coconut oil
• ¼ cup cacao (or cocoa)

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-4 hard blackcurrant candies (you can substitute mints or whatever hard candies you prefer)
• (Optional) powdered sugar

Pretty basic ingredients


Coconut oil and honey heated until just melted


Chocolate ready to pour


Molds with crushed blackcurrant pieces


Chocolates ready to refrigerate

Easy, healthy, gluten free, vegan and tasty — there truly is no downside to these chewy banana oat bars.

The demand for bananas in Ireland and the UK began in the late 19th century, with the famous “banana boats” bringing in vast amounts of the fruit (actually it’s an herb), along with passengers, but as recently as a few decades ago the banana was still considered quite exotic in Ireland. Nowadays Tesco (grocery chain) reports bananas are the most popular item among all the fruits and vegetables that it sells with apologies to cauliflower and kale at the bottom of the heap.

Bananas provide our bar’s overall sweetness and hold everything together, while dried cranberries give them a sweet punch. Feel free to swap chocolate chips or any other dried fruit if you want to go that route. These are slightly sweet, so don’t expect cupcake levels of sugar. For a tropical flavor (believe it or not, Ireland is a tropical island), I’ve added coconut as well.

Ingredients (makes 9 squares)

• Spray oil (alternatively coconut oil would complement the dish quite well)
• 2 large ripe bananas
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup dried cranberries (unsweetened - who needs the added sugar?)
• ¼ cup sliced almonds/pumpkin seed mixture (use one or the other, both, or even substitute your favorite chopped nuts)
• ¼ cup shredded coconut (I use unsweetened)
• 2 cups rolled oats
• Cinnamon for dusting (optional)

Mashed banana


Everything except the oats


Ready to bake


A quick breakfast

End of Summer Al Fresco Lunch:
Lobster Rolls and “Healthy” Blackberry Crumble

The end of summer has arrived and will soon be a fleeting memory. In an effort to hang on to the warmth and bright sun, I came up with an outdoor late summer lunch to chase thoughts of cold weather away. Of course, I live in New England where a Maine lobster roll is mandatory for every tourist and the best way to celebrate the season. If you are headed to the New England seacoast, the best local stop is the Clam Shack in Kennebunkport, Maine, but at twenty bucks a pop, not something possible to indulge in very often.

I have never associated lobster rolls with Ireland. However, my fellow American turned Irish dairy farmer, Imen McDonnell, features one in her cookbook, The Farmette Cookbook, using the traditional Irish Blaa as the roll. After reading her book, the idea of combining Irish traditions with our seacoast food began to percolate. And recently, I saw a video on Sean O’Manachain’s instagram, where he was buying a lobster roll from Lobsterman Mike Barrett’s stall at Midleton Farmers’ Market. He used pickles in it, which Sean mentioned was very Cork (he also made his own version on his website).

After pondering some different combinations, I decided to create my own version, and the New England Lobster Roll: Cork Style was born! Towards the end of the summer lobster prices drop, so I picked up a couple of lobsters at our local supermarket for $10. They were soft shell, which are easier to crack. I confess: the supermarket steamed them for me since it was my first time. However, after talking with Marcus at the seafood counter about the best way to cook lobster, it sounded quite easy; next time I will do the steaming. He said to grab a big pot and fill it with a few inches of water. Then bring to a boil. Put in the lobsters (as many as will fit in your pot with a cover), and bring it back to a boil. After it reaches a boil again, steam them for about 8 more minutes.

New England Lobster Roll: Cork Style

Serves 2 (or 1 lobster crazed cook)
Makes one JUMBO roll or two smaller rolls. For more servings simply double the ingredients!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 half cups of lobster (two one pound lobsters)
• Small handful of fresh tarragon, finely diced
• 1 Tbs of mayonnaise
• 1/2 Tbs of butter
• One large six inch crusty white bread sub roll or two hot dog size rolls
• 4 chunky pickles slices (sweet and sour/ make your own or purchase)

Procedure
1. Steam the lobsters (see above).
2. Cool off enough to avoid burns when you break them open. If you like chilled lobster, then cool off at room temperature for about 30 minutes and put in the fridge for an hour.
3. When the lobster has been removed from the shell and the tomalley put aside (green stuff inside the lobster – I throw it away, but for the more adventurous, it can be used for other recipes).
4. Chop up the lobster and mix it with the mayo and diced tarragon (this herb is amazingly flavorful. If you do not care for pickles, then just the tarragon is delicious. Add a bit more if you decide on this route).
5. Heat up a pan to medium high heat with the melted butter. Cut open the roll halfway, then place it open faced in the hot butter until gets light golden brown. Flip it and brown the outside for a minute of so.
6. Take the hot buttery roll out and fill it with the lobster salad mixture. Then place in your pickle slices. Squeeze together and eat!

I paired mine with roasted sweet potato wedges, but a simple green salad or crisps (potato chips) would be lovely too! For a beverage, I made myself an Elderflower spritzer (seltzer water with a splash or two of Elderflower cordial).

Knock your Socks Off Sweet and Sour Pickle Recipe

Note: use a strong jar with a metal ringed, snap top lid (Fido makes great ones. The jar will crack if it is not a sturdy one)

Ingredients

• 10 pickling cucumbers, thickly sliced (helps retain crispness)
• 3 -4 Tbs dill weed
• 6 cups of white vinegar (if you do not like super sour, then you can cut the vinegar in half and add three cups of water)
• 5 cups of sugar

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 4 cups of fresh blackberries
• 6 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 2 1/4 cups of oats
• 3/4 cups of almond meal
• 1 tsp of vanilla powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 cup plus 1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil

One of the greatest pleasures in life is tea and scones — the lightly sweet buttery crumbliness of these traditional cakes is proof that there’s a reason classics endure. But how do you improve on a time-tested winner?

A recent meal at McCambridge’s in Dublin provided the answer for me. My breakfast was served with fresh maple syrup and I realized maple and cinnamon would blend perfectly into a scone, so I created my own version. Along the way, the concept of maple cinnamon whipped cream seemed to fit the bill for an accompaniment and I set about putting it all together.

Ingredients (makes one cake)

For the scones

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon + more for sprinkling
• ⅓ cup currants
• 6 tablespoons cold butter
• Scant ½ cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup minus 1 teaspoon real maple syrup + more syrup for drizzling
• 1 teaspoon table sugar

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

The mixture with butter cut in.


Ready to bake.


Out of the oven.

Most people aren’t aware that the Irish are among the biggest consumers of chocolate per capita in the world. Forbes ranked them number three behind Germany (#2) and Switzerland (#1). It’s easy to understand when you realize that Irish chocolate is also among the best in the world.

We’ve combined the Irish love of chocolate with one of the country’s favorite berries, the blackcurrant, and created a delicious frozen treat. The blackcurrant is a tart berry and fares well with the added sugar in jams. It is the backbone of one of the country’s most popular beverages, Ribena, which we’ve used as flavoring in this smoothie. It’s also used as an herbal medicine in Europe and is catching on in the States for good reasons. High in Omega-6 fatty acids, it helps to reduce inflammation in the body, is sky high in antioxidants, has 3-4 times the vitamin C of oranges based on serving weight and can help lower blood pressure. Combine those superfood qualities with the anti-oxidant power of pure cacao powder and the nutrient dense, fiber and protein rich, antioxidant knockout punch of chia seeds and you’ll have reasons to smile at this sweet concoction.

Keep in mind, Ribena contains a fair amount of sugar, so we couldn’t list this as a healthy drink.

Ingredients (makes two 14 once servings)

• 1 frozen banana (break banana into 4-5 segments before freezing)
• 2 tablespoons cacao powder
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• 1½ cups Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk, chilled
• ½ cup Ribena Blackcurrant Concentrate (sold in some international aisles), chilled
• 7-8 ice cubes

No one is going to hold it against you. You don’t have time to prepare all the food you’d like to. No one does (especially as I prepare for my trip to Ireland!). But if you have even five minutes you can create a delectable sweet and creamy treat and take in a load of antioxidants at the same time. Okay, so the cream might outweigh the benefits of the berries, but who’s counting? You can hold your head up high knowing your indulgence is also packed with an all-natural superfood.

Organic whipping cream is a healthier alternative to the regular brands found in the supermarket, but it’s also sometimes pretty hard to find. If you can buy organic, use it. If not… well, it is dessert after all. And while fresh blueberries aren’t found on the Dirty Dozen list (compiled by the Environmental Working Group) this year (2016), they are often listed on it, having had more than 50 pesticides detected as residue on them by the US Department of Agriculture. Frozen blueberries seem to be a little safer, but frozen just won’t cut the mustard when it comes to berries and cream. You can, of course change up the type of berries you use or even create a mix, but keep in mind that non-organic strawberries are one of the greatest pesticide-laden culprits according to the Environmental Working Group.

We’ve omitted one of the main ingredients usually found in whipped cream: sugar. For us, the berries add enough sweetness and added sugar is now considered one of the worst things you can ingest. Try just berries and cream; you may not go back.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 cup organic heavy whipping cream (makes two cups)
• Fresh organic blueberries (or berries of your choice)

Balance is an important aspect to eating, and here, it is embodied in two distinct drinks – although they do share my latest obsession with peppermint oil. Cannot get enough of the stuff.

The martini is for the St. Patrick’s Day party; the smoothie is a cure for the hangover after the party!

Irish Mint Martini

Put ice in your martini shaker.

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1 ounce of Amaretto
• 1 ounce of Kerrygold Irish Cream Liqueur (or another Irish Cream)
• 2-3 ounces of organic milk (amount depends on your flavor preference, I like 3 ounces)
• ¼ teaspoon of organic peppermint oil
• 5 drops of green food coloring (optional)

Alcohol robs the body of B vitamins, so start March 18th out right with this Shamrock Smoothie. It contains spinach, which is great for cleansing and boosting some B vitamins. Banana contains a load of B-6 and vitamin C for immunity. Peppermint is also great for digestion. Maca powder (optional) boosts immunity and contains B vitamins – and gives you an energy kick. Note: please check with your physician if you are taking any medications before using maca, and avoid peppermint if you have heartburn due to GERD.

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1 ½ cups of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• Large handful of organic spinach
• ½ -1 tsp of organic peppermint oil (depends on how much you love peppermint)
• 1 banana
• 3 ice cubes
• 1 tsp of vanilla paste or vanilla extract
• 2 pitted medjool dates
• 1 tsp of maca powder (optional)

Shamrock Smoothie ingredients

This cake is versatile, tasty, and dare I say it: sort of healthy. It uses no eggs, no white sugar, and spelt flour, making it easier to digest than regular flour. A somewhat guilt-free indulgence.

I left mine plain since I find the chocolate chips plenty. I treated it like a brownie. However, a creamy soft vanilla frosting will be lovely. I also tried it one time with some peppermint extract, which also worked nicely. Leave the vanilla extract in, but add on a tablespoon of high quality peppermint oil with the other liquid ingredients. The batter can be used to make cupcakes as well.

Cupcake version with peppermint oil too!

Ingredients

• 2 cups of spelt baking flour (I use Bob's RedMill)
• 1 cup of raw cacao powder (packs a super chocolate punch, available at most grocery stores now)
• 1tbs of baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• ½ cup of vegetable oil
• 1 cup of maple syrup (pure maple syrup, Grade A Dark Amber is best)
• ½ cup of light agave syrup
• ½ cup of Guinness Stout
• ½ cup of soy milk
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
• 1 cup or so of chocolate chips (use at least 60% cocoa and/or vegan if you need to ensure no dairy)

The week before Ash Wednesday, again back in 1989, I first heard about the event in Ireland known as Pancake Tuesday. Even in the States, Fat Tuesday was foreign to me, so I was double clueless. As the big day approached, I finally figured out that it was a day of eating indulgence before Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent). However, a big stack of old fashioned American pancakes was in my head – then I arrived home on my first Pancake Tuesday. The yummy smell of pancakes filled the air; however, they were crêpes! And we filled these crêpes with any sweet we could find – from marshmallows to chocolate chips to strawberries. The entire ritual was a self-indulgent delight.

Below is my recipe (but adapted a bit from Clodagh McKenna): simple, quick and delicious. And of course add in whatever sweets you are craving.

Ingredients

• ½ heaping cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 organic, cage free eggs
• 1 cup of organic milk
• 1 teaspoon of organic orange extract
• 1 tablespoon of canola oil for the pan
• a spoonful of butter (melted)
• sugar
• 1 lemon
• Cookie butter (or Speculoos, available at Trader Joe’s)

Version 1
After you’ve completed cooking each one, fold it into quarters, plate, and squeeze lemon juice over them, then sprinkle a nice amount of sugar on as well. The orange essence of the pancake mixes well with the lemon/sugar combo. The taste is light and fresh.

Version 2
Place the cooked pancake onto a plate and spread cookie butter on one side. Make sure that you give the cookie butter a few seconds to melt before spreading (folding over the pancake for a minute speeds up the process). After spreading on one side, fold into quarters for a sweet, gingerbread-like treat.

Voilà! Pancake Tuesday debauchery complete. I hope you enjoy!