First thing's first. I just purchased new coffee. I ran out of my safe, organic, free-trade dark roast, and I decided to try something that has been taunting me for months: Dunkin' Donuts. To be honest, their commercials are to blame. I love those sleepy, jammy-clad women being drug by their coffee cups into the coffee isle. I relate to those women -- I am that woman each and every woman except I stagger to my coffee pot sans coffee cup, and I am not nearly as cute.
Anyway, commercial aside, their coffee is not bad. Oddly, it smells buttery. I was plowed over by the sweet buttery smell this morning when I opened the bag. I would encourage you to buy a bag just to experience this.
Moving on! As I mentioned, I was shocked by the Irish fare. Shocked and tickled. In fact, my guidebook was enormously helpful in pointing out the culinary gold mines. My travel partner, Krista, wanted to visit castles. I wanted to visit cafes. Go figure.
Ireland is experiencing a food revolution similar to our slow food movement. Local farmers and producers are marrying well with local chefs and restaurant owners and as a result, Ireland has become a foodie's paradise. Had I had more time and more money (obviously), I would have stayed for one of the many food festivals that were taking place the week after my departure. Damn the timing!
To kick things off, here is the full Irish breakfast. Sausage, eggs, tomato, beans, the BEST BACON IN THE WORLD, white and black pudding. I have heard rumors of this bacon. I had to taste it to believe it. It looks similar to our Canadian bacon -- thicker, less fatty -- but it tastes just like our bacon. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.
Black and white pudding. For those of you who are squeamish, skip this part but really, put on your big girl panties. Black pudding is in fact made mainly of blood, and the recipe varies a little, but the congealed blood is typically combined with grains, potatoes, bread and spices. White pudding is made with pork. It tastes just like my mom's scrapple recipe, which is ground pork and cornmeal. No one was entirely sure what makes up white pudding (oddly), but what I could gather from the most helpful waitress is it is made of ground pork and other entrails plus the grains, etc. Both were very tasty, however, I did particularly love the white pudding. Probably because it tasted like home.
What did I love the most, though? The bacon. I will go back one day just for the BACON.
Cutest little sugar cubes.
Marmalade tastes better in Ireland.
Bacon!
Black pudding: don't dog it 'till you try it.
1 comment:
I've read that corned beef and cabbage is an American thing. It resulted from early Irish immigrants substituting cheaper corned beef for more expensive bacon. They had used bacon in Ireland and would have preferred it here if they could have afforded it. Now I see why.
By coincidence, I made red cabbage with bacon last month and it was wonderful. I'd like to try red cabbage with some Irish bacon!
Jim
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