Community Corner

Irish Chef Markets New Book With Overseas Tour

Westhampton Beach resident Margaret Johnson's tour includes stays at some of the hotels whose chefs have contributed recipes.

Westhampton Beach's Irish cook is getting ready to celebrate the release of her latest recipe book, Flavors of Ireland, Celebrating Grand Places and Glorious Food, which features recipes from some of Ireland's top chefs.

But, unlike her other releases, this one has a 13-day culinary tour of Ireland to go with it, and her fans — and fans of Irish cuisine — are invited.

The tour, said Johnson, goes along with the new book and includes Irish food experiences and overnight stays at some of the four- and five-star hotels whose chefs have contributed recipes to the book.

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To deliver the $4,575 tour, Johnson hooked up with Quinlan Tours to create an oversees experience to what Johnson says is one of Europe's fastest growing food destinations.

"You can take a visit to a salmon smoker, cheese maker, and farmers' markets," Johnson said.

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But, she said, the tour isn't just for foodies. There are plenty of cultural and heritage sites to visit, opportunities for golf at three of Ireland's best courses, and spa treatments. You can also spend an entire weekend in Dublin with an open-top bus sightseeing tour.

Johnson says the tour, which is offered starting on both May 5, 2012 and October 6, 2012, was a unique opportunity to market her book and one that wasn't originally in her marketing plan.

"I happened to meet Jerry Quinlan, the tour operations owner, in Ireland last year and we started to discuss non-golf tours there," she said. "One thing led to another and ..."

Johnson, who has released three other books, said she is excited about the venture and knows that anyone who takes the tour will have a great experience.

"As the Irish say, 'it will be great craic!,'" she said.

To view some of Johnson's recipes, click here.


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