We’re all Irish this time of year and what better way to celebrate March 17 than with an Irish cookbook or by learning about the man himself– Saint Patrick. This is a special time of year for us at Ambassador International– after all we got our start in Belfast more than four decades ago. Here are some books perfect for helping you celebrate our Irish heritage:

Shamrock and Peach: A Culinary Journey From the North of Ireland to the American South

The Shamrock and Peach is a unique book in many ways.

It is a cookbook that explores the best of Ulster-Scots cuisine but is also the tale of an immigrant’s journey, following in the footsteps of those Scots-Irish settlers who forged the trails of Appalachia years ago.

It is a story of the many cultural overlaps that exist between the North of Ireland and the Deep South, celebrating those cultural expressions through the language of really good food.

The first half of The Shamrock and Peach is set in the green fields of Ireland and from there we cross the ocean to the American South to discover some wonderful food experiences that have their roots in the Emerald Isle.

Filled with beautiful photographs of both regions, The Shamrock and Peach will be a fun and interesting resource to browse through and use in your kitchen for years to come.

Saint Patrick: The Man and His Mission

Saint Patrick: The Man and His Mission will take you on a journey back to the early part of the 5th century. Little information exists regarding life and conditions prior to that time in the land named Hibernia – the island lay on the edge of the known world beyond the fringe of the Roman Empire. It took the mission of the man we call Saint Patrick and the discovery of his writings to see the beginning of any real history of Ireland. More important still is the fact that these writings provide such a vivid picture of Patrick himself that the force of his personality and the fervor of his faith still live today. Here then is a voice from the distant past! Not a faltering voice or a melancholy voice but a voice full of certainty and hope and joy. The voice of a man in touch with God.

A Little Irish Love Story

Set in post World War II Ireland, this retelling of the Biblical story of Ruth is an incredible love story . . . with a twist.

Elderly Sarah returns to her hometown of Adare, Ireland, with her daughter-in-law, Anna. The suffering that World War II brought them was unimaginable, but they still have each other. With all their loved ones killed in the war, the two women have nothing but a hope that one distant relative will help them. Will this new beginning bring the healing that both of them have prayed for?

With heart-pounding suspense, romance, and mystery tied up in one, A Little Irish Love Story contains unforgettable, human characters that bring humor and sweetness to the sweeping Irish backdrop.

Follow along as incredible moments of passionate faith are gleaned from the pages and a heroic young woman finds the truth about her life—that she is loved beyond what she could have ever imagined.

Ireland to the Wild West: A True Story of Romance, Faith, Tragedy, and Hope

Born in 1846 in Ireland at the start of the “Great Hunger,” James Kinnier Wilson emigrated to Philadelphia to start a new life at seventeen years old.

After his life took a dramatic turn, he found himself attending Princeton and then a college in Scotland, where he met Agnes Hately, the talented daughter of a famous figure in the Scottish “Disruption”-the emergence of the Free Church of Scotland.

Agnes and James, now newlyweds, crossed the dangerous Atlantic and settled in rural New Jersey. While there, Agnes wrote intimate letters home about her children, the people around her, the church, and the dangers of endemic disease.

Called in 1878 to the Wild West to found churches and to farm, Agnes again revealed in detail the conditions of her life on the frontier and her impressions of American women, cowboys, servant girls, church-goers, and provides some never before seen detail to what is called the “Last Indian Raid in Kansas.”

In Ireland to the Wild West, Marcus Paul uses these letters penned by Agnes to take readers on a journey through Agnes and James’ engagement, marriage, dangerous travels, and their arrival and life in America.

Through her letters, a treasure trove for historians, readers will gain a unique insight to that time period and will find an engrossing and inspiring story of romance, faith, tragedy, and hope.

A Shiver of Wonder: A Life of C. S. Lewis

He was an intellectual prig who was transformed into a man who had a mind and heart awake to holiness. He had no posterity, but few men in history have been so deeply loved by children.  He was but a mirror reflecting another Face.

He was an Oxford Don and a Cambridge Professor. He was an expert in Medieval and Renaissance English who gripped the imagination of millions through his wartime broadcasts of Christian truth for the BBC—broadcasts that later became his famous book, Mere Christianity.

He was C. S. Lewis, a name synonymous with legendary kindness, intellectual rigour, a love of nature and perhaps his greatest creation, Aslan and the land of Narnia. His writings still compel countless readers to shiver with wonder at the great imagination and depth of understanding he possessed. Controversial genius that he was, his life is a beacon for all who struggle with doubt and faith in Christ.

The Titanic’s Last Hero: A Startling True Story That Can Change Your Life Forever

The Inspiring Love Story That Will Change Your Life

Over one hundred years ago, an “unsinkable” luxury liner sank on its maiden voyage. More than 1,500 men, women, and children tragically lost their lives after the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg on the night of April 14, 1912.

Shockingly, many who perished had refused to board the lifeboats at first, believing the ship as truly indestructible and would not sink!

From that dark disaster shines an inspirational love story—the true story of one man’s great love for his Savior and for humankind. This is the story of John Harper, the Titanic’s last hero, who set his only child in a lifeboat before setting his sights on the salvation of the lost souls around him.

Re-live John Harper’s last hours as the ship took on water and passengers swarmed the decks. “Let the women, children, and the unsaved into the lifeboats!” was Harper’s cry.

Discover, through the testimonies of those who knew him, what inspired this man to go down with the ship and flounder in icy waters under a starry sky as he searched for doomed souls who needed his message of love and salvation.

The Titanic’s Last Hero presents a hero whose courageous story you will never forget.

Favorite Flavors of Ireland

Favorite Flavors of Ireland invites readers, cooks, and armchair travelers alike on a nostalgic tour of one of Europe’s most beloved destinations. From her first visit in 1984, Margaret Johnson has forged an indelible bond with Ireland and Irish food, and she shares this unique relationship with you in her eleventh cookbook. You’ll find recipes that have become her favorites along with a few recent discoveries that are sure to please. The book brings home all the classics—Shepherd’s Pie, Bacon and Cabbage, Seafood Chowder, Bread and Butter Pudding—and provides an insightful look into the seasonal ingredients that shape the country’s cooking. With over 100 recipes and evocative photos that transport you to the Irish countryside, this colorful collection will awaken your senses to the delicious food of this warm and welcoming land and keep those Irish eyes smilin’ all through the year.