Eating in Ireland
Our trip to Ireland focused on gardens but we managed to get in some very good eating as well.
While recovering from jet lag, we ate a couple of light meals where we stayed, the historic Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin. My favorite was the Grace Kelly salad: mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, wild rocket, Parmesan, cucumber, and sweet red peppers. I had to look up “wild rocket” — apparently, it’s a mustard that grows like a weed and has become popular for salads. It has a nice flavor, a bit bitter with a nice tang.
Grace Kelly Salad, Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin
The Traditional Irish Breakfast was the default choice in the mornings and include all of this: eggs, bacon, sausage, black and/or white pudding, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, and potato pancake. We often also got toast just because we ordered tea. I never ate all of that at one time, but I tried everything at some time during the trip. I liked white pudding — a cake made of grains and sausage. Black pudding is the same thing but with blood added as flavoring. I didn’t notice much difference, just a bit darker of a flavor. Bacon is thicker and less crispy than in the US — very tasty. Sausages were also delicious, less spicy but with an amazing texture. The best surprise, though, was that I liked two of the lowest fat components of this feast — grilled tomatoes and the potato pancake which was sometimes called “farl” and sometimes “boxty.”
One of our most memorable meals had nothing to do with the food. We enjoyed a medieval feast at Bunratty Castle, complete with entertainment — quite lovely music, although not all medieval. I suppose the tourists rather insist on “When Irish Eyes are Smiling” and “Danny Boy.”
Medieval feast at Bunratty Castle
I didn’t get a photo of the best meal we had the whole trip. We were guests of Lady Fitzgerald at Glin Castle. It seemed a bit rude to take pictures. We knew we were in for a treat when the walk-around appetizers, smoked salmon and smoked mackerel, were so delicious. The meal, prepared by a talented local chef, was served buffet style: salmon roll, beef with horseradish, salad greens, chickpea salad, new potatoes, and potato salad. The dessert buffet was amazing: brown soda bread ice cream, rhubarb tart, sticky toffee pudding, and strawberries and cream. I had a taste of each and it was all yummy. The brown soda bread ice cream was wonderfully creamy with crisp-frozen sweet bits of the bread, so good. And the sticky toffee pudding. Well, there just aren’t words to describe how delicious that was. So good, in fact, that I didn’t have it again the whole trip — I figured I’d already had the best, so why water down the experience?
The Glin Castle visit was on our one rainy day. That meal made up for what was otherwise a rather miserable day due to the weather. It quit raining in the evening, which turned out well. We had a meal on our own in Killarney. The service was slow in the hotel bar where most of our tour group gathered to eat, so we slipped across the street and had a fun meal of fish and chips.
Back in Dublin for a few days on our own after the tour ended, we wanted to have a picnic with local cheese and artisan bread — the kind of European adventure one reads about. The wine expert at the Celtic Whiskey Shop sold us a great wine for the occasion and recommended Sheridans Cheesemongers. The concierge recommended Fallon and Byrne for the bread — a fun shop that felt like a cross between a 19th century grocer and a Whole Foods. The weather conspired against eating outdoors in St. Stephen’s Green or Merrion Square, but we had a great picnic in our room.
Picnic in our hotel room
Weekend Cooking is hosted at the blog Beth Fish Reads. Check out today’s post for links to cookbook reviews, cooking adventures, and restaurant experiences.
Sounds wonderful and makes me want to go straight there.
By the way rocket is their name for arugala.
Loved this post. Wow. Rocket is also arugula and roquette. You can get in most American grocery stores (though it won’t be wild).
I think your picnic looks the best!
LOVED reading this post! My mouth is watering as I type. Thanks so much for sharing your adventures in food!
Now I’m getting excited for my trip next month! Good to know about the pudding… I will let my husband know (who I’m sure will pass at this). I tend to get very strict with eating on vacation, I never trust that some animal element is included! Lot’s of salad for me
Sounds like you had a lovely time!
Mari– Watch for “super salads.” I saw them at least twice. They are salads made with ingredients that show up on lists of super foods. So healthy and quite tasty, too!
We just booked a spontaneous trip to Ireland and I can’t wait to show my husband the picture of your hotel room picnic. Love!! We haven’t made any concrete plans yet so I’ll have to see if Bunratty Castle is close to where we’ll be.
Sounds like a fabulous trip. Love all your meal descriptions. I’d pass on the black pudding, though
. . .
I loved our trip to Ireland too and Bunratty Castle was a favorite. Thanks for sharing this, it brought back such fond memories for me.
I first had sticky toffee pudding on a rainy day in a little restaurant in Dingle….the best dessert of my life.
I love that image — thanks!
Your breakfast is making my mouth water! Now I want to go to Ireland.
Oh, it sounds like you had a delicious trip! *grin* That salad does look scrumptious, and the Glin Castle meal… be still, my heart. YUM.
How fun to read about your food in Ireland. We have the rocket lettuce over here in the Netherlands as well, and it is lovely to grow on my balcony. A very easy vegetable to grow
Looks like a great trip. I would love to go to Ireland.
Have a super week.
Your trip sounds like it was wonderful and the food mouthwatering, except the black pudding which I never much cared for. The Grace Kelly salad looks delicious.
My family is from Cork and Tipperary, and I was lucky enough to travel there and meet them after high school. I couldn’t believe the size of the breakfasts — they made lunch pretty much unnecessary. Glad you had such a fabulous trip!
Our tour was constantly running behind schedule. It was fairly common to have breakfast at 7:30 and not get to lunch until 3:00 — I was grateful for a large breakfast on those days!
Ireland is someplace I’ve always wanted to go and I am a potato freak! I love boxty!
The potatoes are amazing in Ireland! I recommend going in June when the new potatoes are so delicious.
Eating anywhere works for me! My favorite style has to be grazing, nibbling a little of this and that, always with bread. Scrumptious pix, especially the last one. Food and paper work so beautifully together, like opening a present.
Oh, I’m SO jealous. I would SO love to take a trip to Ireland. It sounds amazing. I would be hunting down cheese, whisky, beer, and some of that wild rocket (I have a slight addiction to it right now!).
Everything sounds delicious, but I really like the picnic in the room! Fun!
Pingback:It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? | Joy's Book Blog
I would love to get to Ireland!
One of the best things about travelling is the chance to try new foods! Loved this post.
The salad.. the cheeses….MMMMMmm
Pingback:Saturday Snapshot — More Ireland Photos | Joy's Book Blog
Pingback:Wordless Wednesday — Rainy Day in Ireland | Joy's Book Blog