Well foodie friends, it feels like it’s been forever since i’ve been gone, and now that i’ve been home for a few days, gotten over the jet lag, and the shock of going back to work (ugh) it’s about time to share some of the great foodie highlights from my trip to Ireland.
My family and I headed over to the Emerald Isle for the Christmas holiday to visit my Dad’s family in Cork, Ireland and we had a great time. There were lots of pints shared and memories made, and more than anything, food eaten! It was so cold outside that it felt like all I did was sit inside and eat! I know that most people think of shepherd’s pie and corned beef and cabbage when it comes to Irish food, but I can honestly say that I neither ate nor saw either of those items on any menu, anywhere. What I did find was a lot of delicious fresh breads, cheeses, chocolates and proteins that had such a unique and different flavor from anything I’ve ever had here in the states.
We arrived on christmas eve and were treated to a feast on christmas day prepared by my family. It was a traditional spread with all the trimmings, roasted turkey, ham, spiced beef (my new favorite), roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes (it’s ireland, you eat a lot of potatoes), cauliflower gratin, and lots of steamed veggies. What I loved the most was seeing how they prepare the roasted potatoes. I typically dice them and roast them in small pieces, but they were able to roast them whole and develop this gorgeous golden brown skin.
The eating schedule is very different than here in the states, its very European. That’s neither good nor bad, just something I had to get used to. Lunch is dinner and dinner is tea time. so essentially you have a huge lunch and then a small snack around tea time (or pint time as I preferred!) After the first week I got used to this, but now i’m trying to get back to normal and I want to eat at very odd hours.
On that note, I would be remiss not to mention the “chipper”, the UK’s version of fast food. I suppose you could eat there during normal hours, but my experiences have always been late night. It’s the kind of food that sounds so good at the time and even tastes good when you eat it, but lord it never seems like a good idea the next morning. I had to take a picture of the fried chicken I picked up because I was so enamored with the level of frying, I mean this piece of chicken looked and felt like it was fried 3 times! The chips (or french fries) cannot be beat though, those are unreal.
We visited some lovely cafes in Cork City and I had some of the most amazing soups. Potato and leek was a popular one, but I also had a great cup of french onion soup at the Market Lane Cafe. We were even treated to dessert and I had a rich and creamy chocolate cup, and my aunt Suzanne introduced me to what may be the most delicious taste of heaven, Banoffee Pie (banana and toffee with whipped cream).
By far the best foodie experience of my trip was our visit to The English Market. The English Market is one of Cork’s oldest food emporiums and is a mecca for every type of fresh food imaginable. The first sight I saw when I entered the market was wall to wall meat. There were butchers for every variety of protein; poultry butchers,beef butchers, pork butchers, and so on. It was definitely not a sight for vegetarians!
Beyond the meat was a huge assortment of fresh seafood where you could pick up whole snappers, salmon, cod, and giant prawns. Bakers had an assortment breads and pastries, including the famous Irish brown soda bread, and cheese mongers carried a huge selection of European cheeses that included varieties I have never seen before.
There was so much action and activity and I knew that if I was left there to my own devices I would have wandered around for hours just exploring and asking questions. My dad and I were hungry for breakfast and my uncle Paul insisted that my we try one of the best sausage vendors in the market for what’s known as a “Cork Boy”, which is a mixture of pork and beef sausage and Murhpys Irish Stout. They served it on a fresh baked bun and had sides of chopped red and green peppers, onions, and chili. Not what I would call the breakfast of champions, but boy was it good!
The purpose for our visit to the market was not just for me to wander and take pictures, we were picking up the essential ingredients for the new year’s day feast I wanted to prepared for my family. I had been looking forward to cooking a meal while I was there and could not have had a better place to shop. I selected a beef tenderloin (or fillet as they call them, pronounced “fill-it”), a foot long fillet of the freshest salmon I have ever seen, and a wedge of Cooley cheese, which is like Parmesan but made locally in Cooley, Ireland. I also picked up some organically grown carrots and parsnips for roasted root vegetables, and courgettes (or zucchini).
My cooking experience was certainly interesting, we were staying at my Grandfather’s house which has a small oven that measures in celsius so it took me some time to figure out the temperature conversion. I found my footing rather quickly and was thankful that my family lent a hand to help me prep. My menu was simple but flavorful and I was so proud of how it all turned out. Here is a rundown of what I served:
- Roasted fillet of beef, served with sauteed mushrooms and a red wine and cranberry reduction
- Cedar plank roasted fillet of salmon (thanks to my Dad)
- Potato gratin made with Cooley cheese and honey
- Roasted vegetable assortment (carrots, parsnips, onions, garlic, and courgettes)
- Irish soda bread
Overall our trip was wonderful and the food was really more about a way to bring everyone together which was unforgettable. The Irish culture is so warm and welcoming that you can’t help but have a good time everywhere you go. The food is farm fresh and rich, and the beer is cold and delicious. Plus, I learned so many interesting facts about my family’s heritage and how cooking was a large part of their daily lives. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Ireland I highly recommend it, but if you can, go in the summer!
And in case you were wondering…”Erin Go Bragh” means “Ireland Forever” 
Tara O'Keeffe