Spring and summer offer the most stunning flower festivals in Italy. Today, on March 21st the celebration “Festa della Primavera” offer guests, of most every town in Italy, streets covered with gorgeous, multicolored flowers, regional fare made to resemble flowers and some actually made of flowers themselves. While visitors and townspeople alike stroll and…
Parmesan Crusted Cheddar Stuffed Chicken Breasts and Una Pentola (One-Pot) Garlic & Olive Oil Pasta (Aglio e Olio)
Parmesan Crusted Cheddar Stuffed Chicken Breasts This is a simple, quick and very flavorful poultry recipe; Suitable for a quiet dinner at home or with friends during a dinner party. The Dubliner cheese provides a sweet, salty and pungent edge, not to mention a pleasant surprise when the recipient cuts into the center to find…
Solstices & Equinoxes: The Mystical Meaning Throughout History
Solstices & Equinoxes: The Mystical Meaning Throughout History Solstices and equinoxes were not celebrated as purely physical events. They also held vast ritual and spiritual meaning in many cultures. The life cycle of the sun finds its parallel in the lives of solar deities and spiritual figures around the world and in the legends of…
Spring; The Vernal Equinox, What Pleasure It Will Bring…
Ah, spring! This season brings increasing daylight, warming temperatures, and the rebirth of flora and fauna. The word equinox is derived from the Latin words meaning “equal night.” Days and nights are approximately equal everywhere and the Sun rises and sets due east and west. Spring is also the time when worms begin to emerge…
Irish Shepard’s Pie
Irish Shepard’s Pie
The 411 on Saint Patrick, 3-17 and a wee More!
While much of St. Patrick’s life is clouded by legend, there are some generally agreed-upon facts. Most historians agree that he was born in Scotland or Wales around 370 A.D and died on March 17, 461. So, our celebration of Patrick is on the day that he died. His, birth name was Maewyn Succat, born…
Bailey’s Donegal Oatmeal Cream
This is a traditional, lightly sweetened Irish pudding which calls for “pinhead oats” also known as “Irish or steel-cut oats.” Do not substitute rolled oats in this recipe! This simple cream has a mousse-like texture and is slightly reminiscent of tapioca pudding with a twist! It’s a bit time-consuming due to the “two day” process….
Is There Really a Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow?
Picture of Sedona Rainbow Dating back to Old Ireland, the legend of the pot of gold is claimed eagerly by the Irish. They’ll tell you tales of fairies putting gold there and that leprechauns guard it from us humans. The leprechauns decided that humans could not have the gold because of what our greed would…
Traditional Irish Soda Bread
In the wake of the recent post of my Americanized version of this conventional soda bread, I wanted to add the traditional recipe for comparison’s sake. This recipe makes a fairly dense, rustic loaf of Irish-inspired, yeast-free bread that is full of flavor and extremely quick and easy! Unlike my Americanized version, this bread is…
Leap Castle of Ireland: The MOST Haunted in the World!
Perhaps the most haunted castle in Ireland is “Leap Castle” and according to legend was built on a Druidic site. The O’Carroll family once lived here, and they were vicious murderers, who would throw the bodies of their victims down a hole in the wall called an “oubilette.” There is a small windowless room below…
Once Upon a Spice 