Cook This Now! Margaret Johnson’s sticky toffee pudding

Margaret Johnson wants to set the record straight about Irish cooking.

“When I first started writing cookbooks, nobody was writing about Ireland except for saying bad things about Irish food,” says the Westhampton Beach resident and author of over 14 cookbooks celebrating the Emerald Isle. “Now I find that the people of Ireland are happy that I am publicizing that Irish food need not be associated with the soggy carrots their grandmother made.” 

In her latest tome, “Delicious Ireland: Forty Years of Fabulous Food” (Ambassador International), Johnson shares over 60 collected recipes woven through history-rich stories that help confirm Ireland’s new footing as the home of award-winning cuisine.

Johnson’s “100 percent Irish” ( she assuredly states) lineage is equally impressive, with grandparents on both sides born across the pond. “My mother’s mother was born outside of Killarney in a town called Rathmore, and her father was born in Cork,” she continues. “My paternal grandparents were born in Ballyvourney and County Meath.”

With a fascination and longing to visit her ancestral home, Johnson’s first trip came a bit later than expected. “After college, I was getting my master’s, and I took a lot of Irish history and literature courses. I became mad about Ireland,” she recounts, “And for my 40th birthday, my husband said, “I can’t take it anymore. I’m taking you to Ireland.” That was in 1984, and I’ve been going at least twice a year for 40 years.”

With near ambassador status in Irish gastronomy, Johnson acquired this delicious recipe for sticky toffee pudding without pulling too many strings, perhaps with the help of her being a self-described “friendly sort.”

“This deliciously gooey sponge pudding, also known as sticky date pudding in some parts of the globe, is as classic as it comes to Irish sweets,” explains Johnson. With origins in British cooking, the recipe continually evolves — some cooks add Guinness, others add nuts — except for the rich toffee sauce that always tops it.

“You’ll find it on menus from the five-star Merrion Hotel in Dublin to the legendary Durty Nelly’s Pub in Bunratty, County Clare,” she says, as well as, “at Mikey Ryan’s, a quaint gastropub in Cashel, County Tipperary, where this recipe originated. The chef adds a bonus piece of honeycomb.” The latter ingredient being optional, of course.

With the distinct taste of dates, commonly used in Irish cuisine, and the slightly bitter flavor of black treacle (similar to molasses), this pudding will be an authentic and delicious ending to a St. Patrick’s Day feast. Don’t forget to top it with vanilla ice cream to ensure the Irish tea room vibe, which the prolific author also knows about. “I wrote a book called ‘Tea Time in Ireland,'” Johnson notes. “And do afternoon tea programs in many libraries. They sell out very quickly!” 

Visit Johnson’s website to learn more and purchase her excellent celebratory book.

Bain taitneamh as do bhéile!