Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A few years back I spent St. Patrick's Day in Dublin with Teresa, who was living there at the time. Today I'm thinking about how wonderfully lovely it is in Ireland. Also I'm and trying to decide if I have the patience to make Avoca's Fish Pie, one of my favorite things I ate while there. 

If you're in the mood...What the Irish Drink, A Weekend in Dublin and Teresa's fun Guestbook

St. Paddy's Link Fun

Do you have any big St. Patrick's Day plans? Patrick and I will be in Mexico so I just plan to wear a green dress and reminisce about when Jenny and I spent March 17th in Dublin itself. Here are some great links from around the web if you're planning to get into the Irish spirit:

Jenny, Laura and I -- Dublin 2011

Irish coffee cupcakes or something a bit more traditional.

The "color of the year" is perfect for St. Paddy's.

Lovely green cucumber margaritas and easy DIY cake toppers.

Great dinner recipes from one of Ireland's own.

These "cups" bring me back to elementary school (with a grown-up twist!).

This important PSA makes me chuckle every year.

How much do you know about Ireland?

If you're in Seattle this weekend this looks fun and sporty.





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Pancake Tuesday

In the US today is both Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras -- but in Ireland, Great Britain and Canada today is also Pancake Tuesday! Also known as Shrove Tuesday, the tradition of making pancakes the day before Lent came about because families wanted to use up their milk and eggs that were likely to expire during the Lenten season. 

When we lived in Ireland I was a part-time nanny for a 10 year old girl named Claire. She introduced me to Pancake Tuesday and all of the fun that comes with it! On this day every year Claire and most Irish children eat pancakes for breakfast (and sometimes lunch and dinner!) and I was in charge of whipping some up for her and the neighborhood kids as an after school treat. In Ireland, "pancakes" are actually more like what we think of as crepes here in the States, thin and eaten with jam or Nutella. But Claire always wanted me to make "American pancakes" which were extra thick and fluffy. Up until that time I had never made pancakes without a mix of some sort but cake and pancake mixes are nearly impossible to find over there so I learned to make them from scratch, which is actually very easy and saves money.

Here are a couple of recipes for everyone, courtesy of the Irish Times. I love the tradition of Pancake Tuesday, might have to be a new annual treat in our house!

Basic Irish-style pancakes: 

225g plain flour 

2 eggs 

1 pt milk 

3tbs melted butter 

A pinch of salt 

Sieve the flour and salt. Make a well in the centre, drop in the eggs and add the milk. Mix to a smooth batter then stir in the melted butter. Try to leave the batter to rest for an hour before you use it, or make it the day before.

American-style pancakes (with baking powder) a la Jamie Oliver: 

3 large eggs 

115g plain flour 

1 heaped tsp baking powder 

140ml milk 

A pinch of salt 

First separate the eggs, putting the whites into one bowl and the yolks into another. Add the flour, baking powder and milk to the yolks and mix to a smooth thick batter. Whisk the whites with the salt until they form stiff peaks. Fold into the batter – it is now ready to use. Heat a good non-stick pan on a medium heat. Pour some of your batter into the pan and fry for a couple of minutes until it starts to look golden and firm. Turn over and continue frying until both sides are golden.

PS. More types of pancakes from around the world!

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Christmas in Ireland

Two years ago we spent Christmas in Ireland. As I've mentioned, Patrick and I spent the 2010-2011 school year living in Dublin while he studied for his MBA. While we would have loved to have gone home,  ultimately we decided that flights were too expensive and we'd rather spend our limited funds on traveling within Europe after the program. But....we ended up having one of the most memorable and magical Christmas' I could have imagined! 

One of Patrick's best friends in the program, Christopher, invited us to join his family in County Sligo for the holiday at their 250 year old "farm home" in the country. That week before Christmas brought a very unusual foot or two of snow to Ireland and the country was a winter wonderland. We had a "picture postcard" experience on the farm, joining in all the Irish traditions and loving every minute of our white Christmas. We were so blessed to be embraced by a wonderful family. The photos tell the story better than words I think, thanks for indulging my walk down memory  lane. 

Christopher's family home in Co. Sligo, Ireland

A Christmas Eve stroll on the frozen pond and through the woods

Christopher and his mother and brothers

View from the living room on Christmas morning

Church we attended on Christmas day, this church has no power or heat and it was about 25 degrees. Quite and experience with everyone all bundled up in the pews!

After church we took a walk on the beach with my favorite dog, Tiffin! One of the older guys even decided to take a dip in the sea, brrrr.

Having some a "picnic" at the beach. I love this photo

Christopher and Patrick

Christopher's parents opening gifts - everyone wears a funny hat while opening!

Christmas dinner in their huge old dining room with a blazing fire. We all did "crackers" and wore our crowns.

(Wo)man's best friend?

   

Tiffin and I in County Sligo, Ireland

So I'm sure you've guessed by now that I'm a bit of a "cat-person." But...being around my friend Erica's French Bulldog, Gavroche, last weekend got me thinking again about the idea of getting our own puppy. Right now Rafa is enough for us (more than enough some days!) but we'd love to get a pooch someday. When we lived in Ireland there were tons of Border Terriers around and I totally fell in love with the breed. Our friend Christopher's family had a super friendly little terrier named Tiffin that I almost smuggled home in my luggage.

I would be a little afraid that a small/medium dog would be barking all the time though. And Patrick would prefer a larger dog like a lab, which seems like a lot to me. He also isn't thrilled about terriers rough coats. So...it'll probably be a while until we get a dog! But no harm in daydreaming...

Are you a dog person? What's your favorite breed?

(Top photo from BorderJoy)

Friday Roundup: Irish Style

What are your St. Paddy's plans for the weekend? Last year Jenny and I were in Dublin (see photo with my sister Laura) so it's going to be hard to top St. Patrick's Day 2011!


Here are some great links to get you in the Irish-spirit for the weekend ahead:

Irish rockabily throw-back Imelda May. Love her, take a listen.

10 Contemporary Irish Authors you need to know.


It's PADDY not Patty. Check it out.


Gorgeous lambswool throws from my favorite Irish shop.

St. Patrick's decorating inspiration from Apartment Therapy.

Yummy grasshopper cupcakes for your St. Paddy's party.


Cute wallet from Irish designer, Orla Kiely.


Great album from the Chieftains with some guest artist you'll love (Bon Iver, Decembrists, etc).


Celebrate Irish Culture Week in Seattle or hit one of these great Seattle Irish Pubs.

Drink O'the Month: St. Paddy's Edition

Any guesses on our March drink of the month?

Irish Coffee? Nope, us Americans drink that one far more than the Irish (and some say we even invented it). Green Guinness...not this one either, the Irish don’t dye their Guinness green. Irish Car Bomb...no again, this one is offensive when you think about it, please don’t ever order it while in Ireland.

OK, OK. You guessed it...CIDER! While it could be hard to get your hands on some authentic Irish cider such as Bulmers or Magners there are tons of local and national hard ciders to chose from in the US. And big plus for me, most cider is gluten-free! In Ireland most folks drink their cider on the rocks but here in the US it’s either served from a bottle or if you’re lucky straight from the tap in a pint glass.

Recently, some friends and I got together for a little cider tasting at the Noble Fir in Ballard. We sampled four ciders and rated them below.

1) Winesap Estate Cider, Blue Mountain Cider Co, Oregon: We were lucky enough to drink this one straight from the tap. The group described it as dry, tart, clean, crisp, white-winey, not very carbonated and less appley. This one is great for people who don't like sweet drinks. 

2) Anthem Cider, Wandering Aengus Cider Works, Oregon: This was the other on tap cider and was a crowd pleaser for sure. Group descriptions: sweet but not too much so, apply, somewhat tart, closer to apple juice taste, not very bubbly. Great everyday cider.

3) Samuel Smith's Organic Cider, Tadcaster, England: This was my personal favorite, the closest to a traditional cider taste. Highly carbonated, semi-sweet, almost like a hard-Martinelli's. Very yummy.

4) Crispin Honey Cider, Minneapolis, MN: Jenny was a big fan of this cloudy cider. It was described as very sweet, candy-appleish, tart bite at the end, and pear-ish taste. Great choice for people who like a sweeter cider. 

PS.  How not to order a drink. ;)

A Weekend In: Dublin

Dublin is one of my favorite cities in the world! Have you been? Patrick and I had so much fun living there last year and I get asked often what are the best places to hit if you only have one weekend there. Here are my (totally biased) suggestions:

View from Gravity Bar

Cultural/Sightseeing:
*Pose in front of Dublin Castle on your way to the fabulous Chester Beatty Library Museum
*Stroll through through Ireland's oldest and most beautiful university, Trinity College, and ogle at old buildings and students modeling Europe's latest fashion statements.
*Discover the bullet holes in pillars outside of post office on O’Connell Street (also, indulge in the best donuts EVER at tiny stand on the east side of the giant spire).
*Walk down historic shopping row Grafton Street to St. Stephen’s green for a jaunt through the park.
*Give in to being a tourist and take the Guinness Storehouse tour. The views from the Gravity Bar at the top are incredible, go on a clear day if possible.
*Enjoy a play or concert in one of Dublin’s many fabulous theaters - The Abbey, Gaity and Olympia are all great.

Drinking/Eating:

*The Stag’s Head is a MUST SEE traditional Irish pub from the Victorian era. It's always packed but very has a great old feel and lively vibe. If you don’t love Guiness go for my favorite Irish beer, Smithwicks (pronounced Smithicks).
*Sip cocktails and eat great seafood at Coppinger Row restaurant – they don’t take reservations but it’s worth the 30 minute wait. Try the Basil cocktail, it's set you back $18 but it's well worth it.
*Join the young professional crowd at the No Name Bar: Super fun pub/bar with fabulous heated outdoor area. Just around the corner from Coppinger Row, this one is a must see too.
*O’Donoghues Bar is super authentic and a great place to catch Irish music at it’s best.
*Sip a pint at Bono's Octagon bar in the Clarence Hotel in Temple Bar. (He and the Edge have been known to grab a pint there themselves!)
*Grab a microbrew and Irish food at Porterhouse Brewery in Temple Bar.

Shopping:

*My absolute favorite shop in Ireland is the Avoca store and café. Great Irish made clothes, wool blankets, Irish potter, etc. It has a sort of Irish Anthropologie-like feel. The café upstairs is fabulous, try the fish pie, you won't regret it.

*The Powerhouse Centre is full of lovely and eclectic shops and has a really nice ambiance. The Loft Market on the top floor features 8-10 revolving Irish fashion designers work. 
*The Kilkenny Shop is my favorite spot to buy great Irish made gifts, souvenirs, and clothes all made in Ireland.
*And finally, a trip to Dublin isn't complete without stopping off at Ireland's best bargain clothing shop, Penny’s. Crazy low prices and fun trendy clothing that will last for about one wear per Euro paid for it. 

I'd love to hear your recommendations! What am I missing?

Irish Cooking with Darina Allen

Would you ever to go cooking school? I'm not much of a cook but I do collect cookbooks from different countries that I travel to and love the idea of going on a "cooking holiday" abroad (you know, Julia Childs-style).

When we moved to Dublin I quickly learned about one of their most famous chef's, Darina Allen. I'm dying to visit her gorgeous organic farm and Cookery School in County Cork, Ireland. The The New York Times essentially calls her the Alice Waters of the UK/Ireland. 


Darina founded the Ballymaloe Cookery School in 1983 and is now the director of the Slow Food movement in Ireland. Obviously she has come up with tons of fabulous Irish recipes (she has 16 cookbooks) but I'm thinking her famous soda bread recipe would be especially appropriate for this week!

In honor of St. Paddy’s Day next weekend I’m excited to say that we’ll have three posts with Irish themes this week! Stay tuned for a guide to Dublin and the Drink of the Month later this week.


PS. Darina's daughter Rachel is also a fabulous chef, check out her drool-inducing home kitchen.
Also, Gourmet.com's World's Best Cooking Schools!


(images from gourmet.com , ralphlauren.com)

Travelogue: Photobooth Guestbook

Patrick and I had the opportunity to spend the 2010/2011 school year in Dublin, Ireland while he studied for his master's degree. While we were there, we welcomed so many guests from the States that I took to calling our two bedroom flat The Hillis B&B! When my friend Stephanie was visiting we discovered this eclectic little bar called Shebeen Chic that has an old school photobooth in the back. We ended up taking all our guests there for an authentic photobooth quad-shot to commemorate their visit. Instead of having a regular guestbook, we had everyone put their photo in a little notebook and then write a memory of their time in Ireland.

One day I’ll find a cute way to display these in my house, any ideas from you creative types out there?

I love how the photos trace the seasons, some with winter hats and coats, others in t-shirts. Each photo brings back a memory of a fun night drinking pints in a great city with treasured friends and family.

Also, please note that in the last strip Patrick and I are competing for best Jason Bourne hardcore face… I obviously take the cake.

Sláinte!