Time for Tea... or Coffee

In the US it seems there is a Starbucks on every corner, over 11,000 in fact!  Here in Ireland that number is just a little bit smaller.  OK, a LOT smaller.  25 to be exact, 21 of which are in Dublin or the outlying suburban areas, 2 in Kildare, and 1 in Cork. The 1 here in Cork happens to be in the airport so needless to say I'm not drinking my triple grande skim latte on a regular basis.  However, that doesn't mean I don't get my coffee fix.  I typically use my french press every morning to make my self a few cups, but every now and then I head into town for a cuppa.  Here are a few shots of my different lattes in Cork. 

Cafe Gusto along Lapps Quay

Cafe Gusto Washington St.

Costa Coffee

Another shot of pretty coffee's in Cafe Gusto!

Europe has such an amazing coffee and of course tea culture. Tea time (weather you are drinking tea or coffee) is a lovely experience involving cups and saucers, pretty designs on the top of your latte (pictured above), tea pots, and tiny spoons! People here don't stand in a queue just to grab their venti caramel mocha frappucchino with whip and sprinkles and run out the door.  I think most Europeans would be horrified that Americans even consider that coffee! 

Don't get me wrong, they certainly have to-go cups here, but they seem to enjoy sitting down and savoring the experience.  Adam says his office mates break twice a day for tea, which doesn't do him much good as he drinks neither tea or coffee. I just don't get that, my day is not complete with out that caffeine fix. oh well, his loss!


Did you know Ireland and the UK are tied for second place in highest tea consumption per capita, with Turkey taking the number one spot (Wikipedia factoid, believe it if you want to, sounds about right to me!) I noticed right away how tea seems to dominate coffee here upon my first stroll down the coffee and tea aisle at the store. 75% of the aisle is stocked with boxes of tea, the remaining 25% coffee.  In the states it seems to be exactly the opposite. 


And just across the aisle from tea and coffee the shelves are stocked with biscuits.  For those of you that read this post, you will know that biscuits here are not the fluffy buttermilk kind we know and love in the states.  Rather, biscuits here are cookies, and tea biscuits are unique unto themselves.  Sorry for more comparisons, but the closest thing I can liken a tea or digestive biscuit is a graham cracker...sort of. Bottom line, I LOVE them!

My Afternoon Treat!

So I have assimilated quickly to Irish tea drinking society. I still have coffee first thing in the AM, but around 3 or 4 PM it is time for tea, and of course a biscuit! I like the McVitie's Digestives with Dark Chocolate. As for the tea it's Barry's . People here are particular about their tea brands. Barry's tea is an Irish company which accounts for 40% of all tea sales in Ireland.

Tea Time at Cafe Croissant!

Every home in Ireland has an electric kettle it is practically a requirement. It boils water in under a minute!  

I was just chatting with an American friend and we were marveling at the fact that hardly anyone in the US has an electric kettle. We chalked it up to the fact that they simply don't drink as much tea there.  However, Adam just informed me that it is more likely because US power is 120V, whereas here it is 220V, so they just don't have enough juice to boil the water that fast. 


At any rate, having afternoon tea is such a lovely ritual, I simply cannot understand why Americans don't do it more often.  Give it a try next time you need a break from the stress of work, or the kids, or whatever your afternoon involves; and if you would like I will gladly send you some digestive biscuits!

Constant Comparisons

Sometimes I feel like I'm constantly comparing things here in Ireland to things back in the US. Adam has told me more than once that I do not always have to have find an American equivalent of new and different things I come across here in Ireland. I agree, but sometimes there are things that just can't be ignored, and I just can't help myself!

When we first arrived we needed a few things from the hardware store for home projects. Of course there are local mom and pop shops in town, but like any big city just outside lies suburbia, and along with that comes the big box stores. It is sad to say, but these big box stores are usually more convenient and offer so much more and usually at better prices. We didn't even know where to look for the mom & pop places anyway. So off to suburbia one Saturday in search of  B&Q. The B&Q is the largest home improvement and garden center in the UK and Ireland. Before we even walked through the doors I couldn't help but notice how similar to The Home Depot it was. Were they sister companies? Orange square logo, orange aprons, and similar in store and online layouts! I would know my brother sports an orange apron (a Home Depot one!)

Come to find out they are of no relation, and while the B&Q may have borrowed the Home Depot look, I was surprised to learn that B&Q has been around since 1969. The H. Depot on the other hand didn't come into being until 1978. So who is copying who here? hmm?

I guess this was just a lesson to my high and mighty American self that we are not responsible for all aspects of modern society. Europe may be more steeped in history, but they manage just fine when it comes to today's fast paced life of technology, economy, and apparently home improvement stores!

An Artful Weekend.

This past weekend the mercury crept up to 21 C which is just about 70 F, and the best part is not a drop of rain in the forecast!  A perfect weekend to get out and about and take advantage of local events.  

Up and out of bed early we started Saturday off with a bit of culture by attending the senior art exhibition at The Crawford Institute of Technology College of Art and Design. Then it was onto the culinary arts!  The annual Taste Fest Cork was on in Fitzgerald park where we met up with some friends and sampled cuisine from some of the best restaurants in town. Post food indulgence, a little shopping, and a few beers at the Franciscan Well Brewery rounded out a lovely Saturday. 

A large majority of the student exhibition seemed to be installation pieces. Many utilized video, lighting, and sound to convey the artist's "message". I am in no way saying that it is not art, because who am I to judge what is art. I just personally do not enjoy having  to search for meaning in a pile of rocks on a gallery floor. I guess I am just more of a canvas and paint kind of gal.  I simply gravitate towards more traditional art in regards to subject matter and medium.  Maybe that is boring, maybe landscapes and still life aren't your thing, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion right? That subjectivity is what makes art, any art, intriguing.

My favorite piece of art was not even a part of the exhibit!  There happens to be a nice view of St. Finbarrs Cathedral from one of the third floor windows, and some creative student thought so too!

Going from art to food was not such a stretch.  Most chefs are artists in their own way, and the appeal of their craft is largely subjective. Fortunately this is Ireland and not Paris or LA, and the majority of the food at the Taste Fest was unpretentious and didn't leave me searching for meaning like some of the art we viewed earlier in the day.  Rather it left me scraping my plate and searching for seconds instead!  

Don't misunderstand when I say unpretentious. The Irish are not all cabbage and potatoes as many Americans have been brainwashed to believe.  Most of the participating restaurants at Taste Fest were upscale and quite gourmet.  I simply mean that the majority of the dishes utilized locally sourced ingredients, flavors were thoughtfully paired, and plates, albeit paper ones, were served with pride. 

herb goat cheese crostini and spiced beetroot relish.

Maire enjoying a lemon lime custard with honeycomb and mint.

saffron risotto with peas and chorizo

Overall, it was a wonderful way for us to familiarize ourselves with some of the local restaurants, especially some of the pricier ones that we might not normally visit. We shared a bottle of wine with friends and made our way around the park sampling some tasty treats!

My only complaint was that in addition to paying between 2 to 7 euro for each tasting, there was also an entry fee at the gate.  We paid 15 euro a piece to get in!  I would have rather paid an extra euro towards each plate.  30 euros would have gone a long way towards trying a few more restaurant offerings I wish I had had a chance to taste! 

Homemade with Love and Flowers

This past weekend our Irish friend, Ciaran, came by for brunch and like a very lovely guest he brought us a little gift.  Two bottles of his brother and sister's homemade Elderflower cordial.  

I have heard of Elderberry, but have never consumed any products containing the berries, or the flowers for that matter. Elder exists in the US, but is native to Europe and very common here in Ireland. The flowering season is short, typically late May through June; but by making enough of this cordial you can stock it away and enjoy it year round!  

The cordial is made by steeping the flowers in a solution of sugar, water, lemons, and citric acid for a day or two, and then it is simply strained and bottled.  Berries can be added to the steeping process for a little variety!

A small amount of cordial mixed with still or fizzy water over a bit of ice makes for a wonderfully refreshing drink.  Additionally it makes a great mixer when it comes to cocktails!

If you're interested in making your own Elderflower cordial, recipes abound on the web. You can also follow this link to www.cullyandsully.com. This duo from Cork serves up locally sourced meals on the grocery store shelves here in Ireland and know a thing or two about cooking!

Gypsy vs. Gypsy

The USA is chock full of different social groups, ethnic groups, gangs, etc.  In Ireland and the UK things are no different, but there is one group I was not familiar with until our move across the pond.

The Gypsies.

As an American the word gypsy conjures up images of old women in long-flowing skirts, heads covered by scarves, who are often viewed as outcast, beggars, and thieves.

These are Romani (or Romany, Roma) Gypsies, which is not exactly the same type of gypsy I am aiming to inform you of.  While Ireland does indeed play host to these types of Romani Gypsies there is another social group vying for the gypsy title.


I am talking about Irish Gypsies, or Travelers as they are more commonly referred to.  They are also sometimes called tinkers or knackers, which refers to services that were traditionally provided by them.  Tinkering being the mending of tinware (pots and pans) and knackering being the collection of dead or old horses for slaughter.  Pikey is yet another, but apparently more derogatory term for the travelers. Irish Travelers claim to be decedents of the aforementioned gypsies, but they have somehow morphed into something entirely different.

From this:

to this:

Irish Travelers are almost beyond my realm of explanation.  They are not exactly what Americans would call trailer trash, although upon fist glance that's what they appear to be. I had to ask a friend of mine to explain travelers to me.  The long and short of it is they live outside of mainstream society, travelling in caravans and often squatting on public land.  They maintain their own language, practice age-old traditions, and hold religion and virginity to the highest regard.


These apparent high moral standards had me scratching my head when I saw pictures of their children dressed like this:

This is a First Communion dress!!!

Not to mention they condone a practice called "grabbing" in which teenage boys can "grab" a girl and force a kiss upon her, and most are married by the age of 16! Which brings me to the real reason for this post!  If you enjoyed the clips I posted about Jedward a few weeks back you may just like this as well.  It is just as much of a train wreck!

"My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" is a behind the scenes look at the secret lifestyle and outlandish weddings of these travelers.  I believe the show has now made it's US debut, but if you're not interested in frying your brain cells watching this Toddlers in Tiaras meets Jersey Shore trash television let me help you out.  The only thing you really need to see are the outrageous dresses of both the brides, attendants, and even some of the guests. So I've collected a few pictures from the web in order to present you with this Gypsy Wedding (and 1st Communion) photo montage!