Ireland Rocked

We got back from 2 weeks in Ireland this past weekend. Snapshot of my impressions:

1) Boiled cabbage and carrots; no wonder people think they don’t like vegetables!

2) I had heard that Irish people have a higher incidence of celiac disease. Well, in St. Nicolas’ cathedral in Galway, there was a sign that read “Coeliac Communion Line Starts Here.”

3) We ate a lot of meals in pubs. “The Gift of the Gab” is a publican’s provenance. It helps you digest your meal when you’re smiling.

4) While almost all meat and dairy products seemed to be from Irish grass-fed animals, I discovered a pretty minimal local food economy otherwise. Tiny to non-existent farmers markets, where some of those farmers sold produce from abroad. Strawberries came from Wales or Scotland, but most other produce in Marks and Spencer’s seems to come from North Africa, and had caveats on the labels like “Not to be eaten raw! Needs to be washed!”

5) Ever hear of the “Ulster Fry?” It’s breakfast in Northern Ireland. It consists of 3 or 4 types of fried meat, including black pudding, and then fried eggs, potatoes and some beans and mushrooms, topped off with a deep fried potato bread called “farls.” Wow!

6) Also, gas was 8 bucks a gallon, diesel was 9 bucks. The cars were tiny and very cool.

The damp, verdant land of my ancestors was really compelling for me to see, but I am glad, I must say, to live where we live. That’s a good feeling to come home to.

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