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Rating: 
Summary: Forget the Rabbit Hoggan and go for the Ginger Beer!
Review: I bought this book 2 months ago for a Celtic theme party I was doing. I found it facinating what recipes originated from where. It is well layed-out, but there are no pictures for what it should look like when you are done. Overall I liked it.
Rating: 
Summary: A very interesting overview of the entire Celtic spectrum
Review: I bought this book 2 months ago for a Celtic theme party I was doing. I found it facinating what recipes originated from where. It is well layed-out, but there are no pictures for what it should look like when you are done. Overall I liked it.
Rating:
Summary: Forget the Rabbit Hoggan and go for the Ginger Beer!
Review: What a pleasure to find this treasure of a cookbook. Helen Smith-Twiddy (who is listed as "an experienced cookery teacher and author" and lives in Wales) has put together a terrific collection of Celtic traditional and popular recipes. The recipes have been adapted and expanded for an American readership. The book is divided into chapters on soups, fish, main courses, breads and cakes and so on. Within each chapter, recipes are sorted according to the six Celtic regions represented: Brittany, Cornwall, Ireland, Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales. There is also a full index, sorted by region.What amazed me most about this book is how simple the recipes are. Irish Soda Bread directions are one simple paragraph. Likewise the watercress soup, to take just two examples of recipes one would expect to be long and complicated. The Plum Pudding recipe lists ingredients and then has only two sentences of instructions! It's refreshing actually, as Smith-Twiddy not only illustrates her own confidence in the kitchen, but shows a respect for the abilities of her readers. I have made at least two-dozen of the recipes in this book and EVERY SINGLE ONE has come out beautifully! The Irish Stew is simple and tasty, the Whiskey Cake is divine, and the fish dishes are particularly tasty -- and a bit different, well...Celtic! A really nice section in this book is Drinks. Of course you'll find Mead and Irish Coffee. But the Tea Wine is quite wonderful and was completely new to me. It's the Ginger Beer that's worth the price of admission, though. It's ready in only 24 hours and it's terrific. Everyone we've offered it to has been impressed. I didn't find much in the Game section that fits my cooking style. Pigeon Casserole, Roasted Grouse and Rabbit Hoggan may all be delicacies, but they're not anything I'd be likely to cook myself. I loved reading the recipes though. And next time I travel to Celtic regions, I'll be sure to try some of these specialties. Some of them look delicious. Too bad this cookbook is now out of print. Grab a copy if you can find one. You won't be disappointed. It's a perfect wedding gift for anyone with Welsh or Irish ancestry too! These dishes have been passed down through generations of Celtic peoples, and it's such a wonderful link to that past to read and cook these recipes. It's a terrific bonus that everything turns out tasting so good!
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