Everything comes full circle. Since my book is being introduced to the world this spring, I have been asked to do many interviews about my unusual journey from an American city to an Irish country life. And no conversation about that crazy voyage would be complete without talking about my wonderful years as a columnist for Irish Country Living.

I’ll never forget the day Mairead Lavery contacted me just after I first started writing my blog. She thought sharing stories about my new life on the farm might appeal to her readers, which I found to be an absolutely thrilling (and scary) notion. She convinced me to come on board and for over three consecutive years I wrote each week, documenting my transition to Irish country living and the hilarity and humility that came along with that. It was a lot of fun.

Naturally, I eventually turned to food. My new home had pastures rich with dairy cows, clutches of chickens, heaps of hedgerows, and superb soil to start a bountiful kitchen garden, and I saw how this could be my contribution to the family farm, carving out my own unique niche. Growing and preparing food was comforting; it helped me to really understand and further connect with Irish culture. I also discovered that by baking a dozen scones or a loaf of tea brack, I could make some new friends in the community.

Down the years, I have been fortunate to meet and break bread with a bevy of magnificent food producers, farmers, writers, chefs and enthusiasts who share a deep respect for the honest, simple ingredients that make classic Irish dishes so extraordinary. My book, The Farmette Cookbook, is a compilation of tried-and-true recipes that emphasise local, fresh ingredients and utilise traditional Irish country kitchen skills, all deliciously blended up with some pretty entertaining anecdotes of Irish farm living.

I hope you enjoy it.

Sweet Caraway Seed Cake

Serves about eight

For as long as I can remember, I have had a crush on caraway. Maybe it’s because when I was growing up, there was always a loaf of rye in the bread box, and caraway seeds were also sprinkled on various suppertime dishes, such as pan-roasted pork chops or poached fish. The distinct anise-like flavor is delicious and always brings back fond memories of home.

When I noticed this classic seed cake recipe turning up in many of the old Irish cookbooks I had been collecting, I put it on my must-make list. I could not wait to sink my teeth into a slice and see how caraway would fare in a sweet cake. And, lo and behold, it is the perfect balance of sweet and savory – and delicious.

175 g butter, softened

175 g superfine or granulated sugar

3 large eggs

About 1 tablespoon milk or water

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

225 g all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon fresh caraway seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the base of a seven-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

2. Cream the butter in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs, milk or water, and vanilla together, and gradually add to the creamed butter and sugar. Fold in the flour in batches; mix the baking powder in with the last addition of the flour. Gently mix in the caraway seeds. Pour into the prepared cake pan.

3. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean. Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before slicing.

Farmhouse Spring Pudding

Serves four to six

For my first Easter in Ireland, I was kindly invited to dinner at the farm. I remember my mother-in-law, Peggy, had prepared a glorious roast dinner that we all feasted on while the sun shone through the windows and the birds chirped and sang outside. I had decided to bring along a dessert. My recipe for rhubarb-strawberry crumble was a spring staple in my mother’s kitchen. I was a bit nervous as it was the first time I’d made anything for my husband’s family since the previous Thanksgiving, when my pumpkin pie was met with varying degrees of admiration. After we finished our main course, the desserts were brought out, mine being part of a larger selection. Everyone chose a little bit of everything. Luckily, the crumble went over very well and was liked by everyone, including Richard’s grandmother, who thought it was “beautiful”. This crumble has been requested several times for our Easter celebration and is now a seasonal farm staple.

My farmhouse spring pudding was adapted as a variation of my family recipe for rhubarb-strawberry crumble. In an effort to make it even more Irish, I made the topping more like the traditional Irish Eve’s pudding-style, cake-topped, cooked fruit dessert.

For the fruit base:

225 g diced rhubarb

225 g strawberries

100 g sugar

1½ teaspoons vanilla bean seeds

1 tablespoon orange juice, freshly squeezed

For the topping:

3¼ tablespoons unsalted butter

50 g superfine sugar, plus more for dusting

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 large egg, beaten

85 g all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 or 2 tablespoons milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a one-quart baking dish with butter and set aside.

2. Combine the rhubarb, berries, sugar, vanilla bean seeds, and juice. Set aside for one hour.

3. Cream together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy – about five minutes. Slowly add the egg and beat until well blended. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; fold into the butter mixture. Add enough milk to reach a dropping consistency.

4. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread the batter over the fruit. Bake in the center of the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and dust with superfine sugar. Best eaten the same day, but will keep for one week in the fridge.