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Food and Travel: Belfast and Bushmills

August 4, 2011

We really had no expectations upon our arrival in Belfast. Aside from articles, travel shows and a sampling of random options we didn’t know much about what we might encounter there.
Belfast | Fake Food Free Travels
For a travel researcher like me, this was actually a very refreshing feeling. While I’m flexible with my plan and expect it to change, I often over research and a little bit of the unexpected was a nice change.

 Belfast | Fake Food Free Travels

In this case, it was a refreshing feeling that only got better. Needless to say, I loved the Belfast area!

The minute we stepped off the train it felt different – maybe a bit more reserved, more business-like and, after Kilkenny, a lot less touristy. In an odd way, there were parts of the city that resembled Washington, DC to me. The English influence could be seen in the architecture, but it still felt very much Irish.

The food experience was equally as pleasing and I really liked learning about the differences in foods and food names between the north and the south.

For example, there was no sign of a full Irish breakfast in Belfast, but the Ulster Fry could be found on multiple menus. According to the local guide magazine I picked up the Ulster Fry is a full Irish breakfast minus the pudding, plus some potato bread and soda bread. We also noticed there was no mention of brown bread, but there was always wheaten bread.

 

Alleyways in Belfast

Our first night we randomly stumbled upon McCrackens which was tucked away on a narrow side street. It turned out to be one of our favorite finds of the trip. It was a modern bar with the feel of a pub, full of some interesting history. I also had one of the most unique meals of the trip here.

First, I apologize for the bad quality picture, but I simply have to share this with you.

Salmon sausage!

 

Salmon Sausage

The entire menu here was loaded with creativity and this was no exception. It was sausage made from salmon and it was served over creamed leeks with smoked salmon with potato slices. I’m hungry for it now just writing about it! The flavors were simply perfect.

 

Dining in Belfast
Early the next morning, we made a quick stop at St. George’s Market on our way to the train station and our day trip to Giant’s Causeway. On our walk there I thought it was so cool to see modern milk jugs that had arrived in the early morning on the doorsteps of both restaurants and what looked to be apartment buildings.

 

Milk delivery at a cafe in Belfast
Things were just getting set up at the market, but there was plenty to see. We snagged a blueberry and raspberry yogurt scone for breakfast and ate at the station.

 
Fresh Fish in St. George's Market Belfast
Potatoes in St. George's Market Belfast
 
 
 

St. George's Market Belfast

 

Cheeses in St. George's Market Belfast

 

Desserts in St. George's Market Belfast
 Blueberry and Raspberry Scones in Belfast

 

These were as good as they look. I noticed that the scones here were less of the mildly sweet variety like the fruit scones in the south and more of the sweet, pastry-like version we often see imitated in the States.

Coast near Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland

 

Next up was the gorgeous coast and Giant’s Causeway. I’m pretty sure these girls hanging out munching away redefine the term Happy Cows.

 
Happy cows in Northern Ireland 
 

Giant's Causeway

After the Causeway we squeezed in an unexpected visit to Bushmills Whiskey distillery. We hadn’t realized it would be so close and it turned out that it was even a bus stop on the route.

 

Bushmills Distillery 
Our tour guide was not as informative as the one we had for the Smithwick’s brewery tour, but it was nice to see the grounds and gather what information we could. Of course, it’s never a bad thing when there is a sample at the end. Whiskey distillery tours are hard for us to fairly evaluate because we are exposed to some of the best available with our bourbon distilleries here in Kentucky.

 
Bushmills Distillery in Northern Irleand 
 

Taking photos of whiskey at Bushmills

For lunch we headed into the town of Bushmills to look around. We had spotted Hip Chip earlier in the day and lunch was enjoyed on a bench while splitting a take-out order of Fish n’ Chips. This is the way to go for fish n’ chips. It beats a sit-down restaurant order any day. After that we managed to find some whiskey flavored ice cream!

 

Fish and Chips in Northern Ireland

 

Fish and Chips in Northern Ireland

Once back in Belfast, a bit exhausted from our day of exploring, we set out to find The Kitchen Bar which I had read about. What caught my attention was the Paddy Pizza – pizza made with a soda bread crust! The place was packed with lots of people already out to celebrate their Friday night, but fortunately they were still serving food so we got a table.

I went with the Thai Fish cakes. These were tasty, but they had a lot more potato in them than fish. Not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I was expecting from the other fish cakes I’ve had.

Thai Fish Cakes

Paddy Pizza in Belfast

 

My husband went for the pizza. This was an unexpected combo, but a good one. It had a white sauce, chicken, bell peppers, onion and cheese. The crust was brilliant and I plan to give it a shot in my own kitchen.

 

The next morning we squeezed in a quick walk to Queen’s University campus and the Botanic garden. I’m so glad we did because it ended up being my favorite part of the city. The gardens were beautiful and Botanic Avenue was lined with the cutest restaurants and cafes.

 

We ended up stopping at a French café for scones and coffee. Believe it or not this was the only place throughout the trip where I finally got my clotted cream. I had been on the lookout, but it just ended up that all the places I had scones only offered Irish butter.  The best butter in the world, but butter.

Latte Break in Belfast

 

Cherry Scone with Clotted Cream in Belfast

 

I went for the cherry scone which ended up being made with maraschino cherries instead of fresh or dried, but it was still a tasty scone. My husband went for blueberry. It was the perfect quick stop to break up our walk. There were so many more things on their menu I would have loved to try.

Walking around Belfast
Belfast was the one place that felt the most rushed to me and I think that was because we planned the day trip out to Giant’s Causeway. I wouldn’t trade the day trip, but I would’ve loved to have spent more time exploring the city. The great places we found offered unique food and we were surprised to finally find some craft brews. We did a lot of quick eating, but every bit of it was delicious.

Belfast and Northern Ireland Travel

 

Last stop – Dublin!

Kilkenny, Ireland: Brewery Tours and Bakeries

July 28, 2011

Ireland is one of my favorite travel destinations! On our most recent trip, we finally made it to Kilkenny, Ireland. This is a recap of the beautiful sights and delicious food and drink!

Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free

First let me start out by telling you what we didn’t know. We didn’t know that Kilkenny was such a huge tourist attraction. Silly us, right?

What we did know was that we wanted to visit a smaller town in the middle of the country. Given this criteria Kilkenny was recommended to us so we were all for it.

When I say tourist attraction I mean that Irish residents flock there on the weekends and on bank holidays. During the week, buses line up outside the castle filled with international tourists.

Oh yeah, did I mention there is a castle?

Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free

Now, if you happen to be one that steers clear of touristy areas, do not, I repeat, do not, let this keep you from visiting Kilkenny. It is by far one the cutest, quaint, clean little towns I’ve encountered.

Yes, there are lots of people there, but the streets lined with hanging flower pots, the old churches, the architecture, and yes, the castle, is likely what most of us think of when we think of an Irish village.

Before I get to the food, let’s talk about this castle. Welcome to the location for my one and only run during our trip. My husband got in two, but mid-week jet lag hit hard and I caught an extra hour of sleep the second morning.

Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free

The grounds of the castle are gorgeous. Green space in Ireland is nothing short of perfect. It just makes you want to spend the day at the park with friends and family.

Our B&B, the Carriglea House was a two minute walk to the beautiful castle. I always say I need one Full Irish Breakfast each trip so I decided to have it here. Good choice because it was some of the best sausage and white pudding I’ve had. I managed to miss getting a photo of the pancakes which were more like crepes. This was our favorite breakfast of the trip. Well, if you take scones out of the equation.

Full Irish Breakfast in Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free

Our first impression of dining in Kilkenny was that most of the menus were exactly the same. There were also a lot of Italian and Mexican restaurants. Likely very good, we were just in the mood for Irish cuisine. However, we did end up with some delicious meals, stumbled upon the cutest little bakery and drank our fair share of Kilkenny and Smithwicks, both brewed in the city.

We ended up deciding on Matt the Millers for dinner which is located right on the water. Since the selection seemed limited from restaurant to restaurant I decided to stick with an old favorite and one that I hadn’t had until this point in the trip – Fish n Chips. I have to admit that I like the greasy, take-out version better than the restaurant version, but this hit the spot.

Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free

My husband had the roast special which screamed comfort – leg of lamb with vegetables and mash. The lamb was tender and the gravy the ideal match.

Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free

We had our first Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale at the recommendation of the waitress. I’d had this before in Dublin, but never made the connection that it was brewed here. For dessert I decided to branch out from the Irish coffee and went for a Bailey’s coffee instead. It had been a cool day in the city and this was exactly what I’d been craving.

Kilkenny beer in Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
 
 
Bailey's Coffee in Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free

The next day on our walk to see some of the attractions we found a bakery and a very interesting bread caught my eye. It’s called a Turnover Bread. I asked the clerk about it, but she didn’t give me quite the history lesson I was hoping for so the picture will have to do.

 
 
Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
 
Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
 
They also had these gorgeous dinner plate-size meringues. We went back later in the day for a chocolate jam cake roll and a petite four.
 
Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
 
I’ll also throw in here that any trip to Europe requires a doner kebab stop for us. We picked them up for an early dinner one evening. Lamb for me, my favorite. My husband always goes for chicken.
 
Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
 
Next up is the Smithwick’s Brewery tour. This one was a lot of fun. We didn’t get to see any production, but St. Francis Abbey is on the site so the tour was full of beer history. The kind of history that draws my husband and I to it in the first place, such as stories of monks brewing beer as a means of nourishment and hydration. The most interesting to me was that Smithwick was Catholic so the beer was brewed under the cover of a non-Catholic friend. The Smithwick name couldn’t go on the label for years.
 
Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
 
Smithwick's Brewery in Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
 
Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free

We had a drink in the cellar bar, which is rumored to be haunted. Our tour guide, who was cute as could be, told us she works with guys who will never go in there at night.

Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free

She spent an exceptionally long time pouring our samples – the art of getting the head to rise above the glass without spilling over. Smithwick’s is good, but I have to say I prefer the nutty flavor of Kilkenny much better. I also love the picture of the Abbey on Kilkenny logo.

Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
 
On our final morning, I got a great surprise. It just happened to be Thursday, the day the Farmers Market sets up outside the castle. I had an informative conversation with the owner of an organic farm. He had such a unique spread of produce including these Mirabelle Plums from France, cherries from Italy and my husband’s favorite, the Zespri Gold Kiwi.
Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
 
Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
 
He was so excited for me to try these after seeing them at a trade show and reading a case study on the company earlier in the year. I have to say, I like them even better than the green variety. They have such a sweet, mild flavor. We’ve heard they carry them at our Fresh Market here, but we haven’t come across them yet.
Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
 
We snagged a bag of fruit for our train ride and balanced things out by getting some amazing fudge as well. This little truffle and fudge shop was amazing. We tried the Orange Chili Dark Chocolate Fudge, Cranberry Walnut Vanilla, Vanilla Cinnamon and the Ginger Lemon. I think these may be calling for a recreation in my kitchen.
Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free

So after our first impressions, I think we managed to find some great food (and drink) in Kilkenny.

Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free
Kilkenny, Ireland | Food and travel recap at Fake Food Free

I think we may have eaten a little too much this trip. Still not done sharing our finds – Belfast and Dublin to come!

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes or images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Food and Travel: Cork and Kinsale

July 26, 2011

A travel recap for Cork and Kinsale, Ireland — where to go, what to see and what to eat and drink!

As I start this mini-series of posts about our recent trip to Ireland, I have to admit I typically don’t travel there with high expectations for food. That doesn’t mean that I don’t like Irish food. I do. There are also specific types of foods and drinks that I always look forward to having – scones with clotted cream, brown bread, Irish coffee, the perfectly poured pints of Guinness.

It’s just that we often find it difficult to get out of the touristy areas and find something truly outstanding. There have been exceptions, but in general I don’t view my own foodie travel to Ireland as a mission to find new, creative foods, but rather to enjoy some expertly made favorites.

Campus of University College Cork | Fake Food Free | A trip to Cork and Kinsale, Ireland
I’m happy to say that my expectations were blown out of the water this trip. Among a growing number of restaurants using amazing Irish ingredients, we also stumbled upon food creativity that inspired me. This year we had some of the best food we’ve experienced during any of our trips to Ireland.

I have so much to tell you about that I thought it would be easiest to share our adventures separated by the different areas of the country we traveled to this time. We set out to explore a few new spots including Cork, Kilkenny and Belfast. In each place we found markets, delicious food and even new ales and stouts.

We arrived in Dublin on a Sunday and immediately hopped on the train to Cork. We stayed in a quaint little B&B there with the friendliest of hosts, the Fernroyd House. We don’t have much experience with B&Bs because we tend to enjoy the amenities of hotels, but we decided that it was a good time to try out this type of accommodation.

Irish Scones | Fake Food Free | A trip to Cork and Kinsale, Ireland

We were greeted with freshly baked scones which we also had each of our two mornings there. These are 100% worthy of all the compliments they receive by previous guests. I later learned they use the recipe from Ballymaloe Cookery School, a place I really wanted to visit, but it was just too far out to fit it in this trip. They also source their jams locally. One variety we got to try was Blackberry Apple.

I might also mention that the rest of our breakfasts were equally delicious – Savory French Toast, Poached Free Range Egg over brown bread with Ballymaloe tomato relish, Porridge with Irish Honey and Full Irish Breakfast. Unfortunately a photo of the scones was all I got. One morning we had a minor malfunction with the camera card and the next day I forgot to bring it down.

We had some great dining and sight seeing suggestions from the B&B owner, Tony. One of them being Scotts on Caroline Street which we found to serve wonderful, locally sourced food. We both enjoyed the Seafood Chowder which included local seafood and Cork salmon.

White Chowder | Fake Food Free | A trip to Cork and Kinsale, Ireland

 

A trip to Cork and Kinsale, Ireland | Fake Food Free

I’m pretty sure my talk about my next course didn’t stop for two days. I ordered the Bruschetta, but this was unlike any other I’ve had before. This version included toasted baguette with red onion marmalade and a large, slightly warm slice of local goat cheese. It was outstanding and I can’t wait to recreate it.

Irish coffees were on special the day we were there so it was impossible to pass one up for dessert. Not only is this one of my favorite drinks, but I always love how neat they look in the glass.

Irish Coffee in Cork, Ireland | Fake Food Free

I knew that the English Market had to be a stop on our list and we made it there the next morning. It was full of so many beautiful foods – cheeses, fresh seafood with a special emphasis on Irish salmon, breads, marinated olives and meat, meat and more meat.

English Market in Cork, Ireland | Fake Food Free
 
 
Salmon at the English Market in Cork, Ireland | Fake Food Free
 
  
 
English Market in Cork, Ireland | Fake Food Free
 
 
English Market in Cork, Ireland | Fake Food Free

We didn’t get to eat at the well known Farm Gate restaurant at the market, but we did grab a bite at the café next door – a cheese sandwich (surprisingly tasty) and cappuccinos. There is just something about a good cappuccino in Europe. I have yet to have one as delicious, creamy and expertly made in the States at any location. We ordered many throughout our week, while also enjoying tea with milk and sugar from time to time.

Travel to Cork and Kinsale, Ireland | Fake Food Free
Travel to Cork and Kinsale, Ireland | Fake Food Free

We hadn’t researched much on what to do while in Cork and were surprised to learn we had so many options. We chose to head out to the coastal town of Kinsale (about a 30 min bus ride) to see Fort Charles and eat at the well known Fishy Fishy.

Fort Charles in Kinsale, Ireland | Fake Food Free | Travel

The Fort was beautiful and historically intriguing. In addition, it was a long and hilly hike up so we worked up an appetite for our meal at Fishy Fishy.

We ordered the seafood chowder to start. It was delicious and very different from our first version at Scott’s. This used a tomato stock and was flavored with tarragon and coriander.

Kinsale, Ireland | Fake Food Free | Travel and Food

We followed this up by sharing the Steamed Local Mussels with basil and lemon butter and the Warm Salad of Chili Seafood with monkfish, shellfish and salmon. The salad also had fried potatoes and homemade potato chips on top. The mussels were very good, but still didn’t beat the mussels we had in Howth on the east coast on a previous visit. I enjoyed the seafood salad, I just wish the chili dressing had more of a spicy kick to it.

Kinsale, Ireland | Fake Food Free | Travel and Food
Kinsale, Ireland | Fake Food Free | Travel and Food

After a great meal of seafood we just had to stop at a place advertising ice cream made with milk from an Irish dairy – Baldwin’s Farmhouse Ice Cream. We both settled on Caramel Fudge. As far as ice cream goes, it doesn’t get much more perfect than this.

Kinsale, Ireland | Fake Food Free | Travel and Food

Lastly, I can’t forget to tell you about the stout. We had never heard of Beamish until we arrived in Cork. Apparently it is the original Irish Stout for the area and it’s still brewed there. We both agreed that it doesn’t have the same distinct flavor as Guinness, but it was still a very good beer.

Beamish Irish Stout | Fake Food Free | Travel in Cork and Kinsale, Ireland

As our B&B owner pointed out, it was also 80 cents cheaper than Guinness which meant we would always find locals drinking it. We ended up finding a bar or two in Dublin City that carried it on tap, but there and Cork were the only places we saw it. It seemed to be very unique to that area of the country.

Beamish Irish Stout | Fake Food Free | Travel in Cork and Kinsale, Ireland
 
As you can see, I most certainly was not lying about new and exciting food experiences this trip. The mix of old favorites and new finds in Cork and Kinsale exceeded my expectations!
 
Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post.  If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out. 

A Trip to Ireland in Food

March 17, 2010
I’m ashamed to say that this year I have let St. Patrick’s Day arrive with no food celebration in my kitchen. It seemed everything I wanted to make was an Irish-inspired dessert, and well, I thought it best to wait to fill the house with sweets until after Easter.
I haven’t completely forgotten the day, though. I have my Guinness shirt on and made sure my husband was wearing green before he left the house this morning.
Since I have no recipe to offer today I thought I’d turn to my backup – travel.
My first trip to Ireland was in 2007 and then I had the opportunity to go again in 2008. Unfortunately I skipped 2009 to take our month long tour around SE Asia last October. With the new house chances I’ll make it in 2010 are slim, but I have decided that I’ll get there in 2011 even if I have to swim myself! As you can image by this point withdrawal symptoms from the lack of fresh Guinness, Irish coffees, brown bread and fruit scones are almost unbearable.
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day I decided to sort through my photos and take you on a food tour of trips to the country. If you have ever been to Dublin then you know that this tour will include much more than traditional Irish food. In fact, the traditional stuff can sometimes be hard to come by in such an international city.
So here you have my Ireland through food.

Fish & Chips from Leo Burdocks

My first real Shepherd’s Pie from Bruxelles in Dublin

Hoisin Duck Wrap from Bewley’s Graffton Street Cafe

Sweet Potato Coconut Soup with Brown Bread at the GastroPub in Dun Laoghaire

Chicken & Pancetta Open-faced Sandwich from Harry’s Cafe Bar in Dun Laoghaire

Thai Vegetable Yellow Curry from Cafe Mao in Dun Laoghaire

Irish Fruit Scone, Clotted Cream, Jam & a Latte from Poppies in Dun Laoghaire

Weekend Farmer’s Market in Dun Laoghaire

Thai Prawn and Cod Cake & Chips for Beshoff Bros in Howth

Mussels, Clams & Cockles and Crayfish Pizza from Deep in Howth

Bailey’s Irish Cream ice cream from Maud’s in Howth

Drinks of Choice – Guinness, Bulmer’s Cider and Irish Coffee

If you would like a little scenery with your food check out my Photo Tour for St. Patrick’s Day.

A Week Full of Foods

September 8, 2008

I am back at the computer and in my own kitchen after a wonderful week city-hopping in Europe.

Sorry for the delay in posting. Last week was not nearly as leisurely as my time in Ireland which translated to little time at the computer and limited web access.

One thing the week did not lack was interesting food. I am going to be honest and admit that there was a lot of splurging last week. But what better place to do it than in Europe where some of the best foods in the world originated.

I’ve returned with a renewed inspiration for cooking, along with a desire to return to some healthier foods. There is that feeling of the need to detox a bit after so many sausages and beer.

As I do that I am planning to research some of the best things I had while traveling and try my chances at recreating them at home.

I love this season in the US – fall, apples, Halloween, pumpkin, Thanksgiving and Christmas. It gets me excited about cooking and baking and this year I have this blog to share it.

Here are some of the more cultural foods I had the opportunity to try this past week. I plan to get back to regular posts this week and incorporate some of my inspiration from my travels.

Pork-filled Dumplings and Sauerkraut in Prague

Medovnik (Honey Cake) in Prague

Goulash and Bacon and White Bread Dumplings in Prague

Turkish Lamb Kebab in Vienna

Langos (fry bread) with garlic and cheese in Budapest

Hungarian Paprika Chicken with Egg Dumplings in Budapest

Easy Labels

September 1, 2008

Last week in Ireland I stopped in one of those upscale, healthy foods grocery stores to grab something for lunch. I ended up with a Mexican Bean Wrap. After making my purchase I realized that I used the handy labeling on it to make my selection. It looked like this:

Then on Friday I was checking out all my favorite food blogs and came upon Very Good Taste again and this post about food labeling in the UK. This is basically what I was witnessing on my packaging.

One thing I’ve found to be true is that the more you cut fake, shelf-stable foods from your diet the less you need food labels.

Sure, I know from past calorie counting that there are about 80 calories in an apple, but other than that who cares. My point is, we know fresh, healthy foods like produce are good for us. We really don’t need a specific number to tell us that.

However, for foods like the wrap I got, it is helpful. It was delicious by the way.

I found the above post to be really interesting because it outlines all the politics that go into food labeling. We have similar problems in the US. All this infringement on rights of either the consumer or manufacturer.

Then I think they purposely make it confusing so people really don’t know what they are eating.

I understand food labels well, but that is only because I was required to study them for about 2 years of my life! I doubt the general public is going to put in that much effort. I’ve also found they are really hard to explain to someone else.

I wish we could come up with a similar system, where the important things are listed right out in the open for you. I know several attempts have been made at simplifying it, but they are brand specific.

A cohesive, simple program that everyone follows would be perfect. Dreaming, I know.

All’s Fair…

August 27, 2008

It seems every café I’ve walked into during our trip (and I’ve walked into a lot) there has been something on the menu that is Fair Trade. I’ve seen it everywhere and after a little research I found that the emblem I’ve been seeing is from the Fair Trade Foundation out of the UK.

Over the past couple years I’ve had a growing interest in Fair Trade items. I believe it is a worthy cause and as I research it more I recognize its importance.

I’m not to that point where I seek out and only purchase Fair Trade items. This is mainly because where I am from in the States, it isn’t very available. Although, I hope that is changing.

During my trip, if it has been available I order it. I know Fair Trade goes beyond food, but that is what I am focusing on.

It is probably pretty important that I make the decision to purchase these products because of three things – I am a coffee enthusiast, I have a growing affinity for tea and I love chocolate. All three are items that receive a lot of attention when it comes to Fair Trade.

With some of my research I am glad to be learning that there is an effort to keep prices of these products competitive. It seems with a lot of things that have value or importance there is a trend to cash in and charge higher prices even when it is not necessary.

Last December I did a quick walk through the coffee aisle at a Wal-Mart and was surprised to see that the Sam’s Choice brand actually had some Fair Trade choices. In addition, it was the least expensive on the shelf.

Now, I’m not sure of the quality and I know I have a lot to learn about the different Fair Trade certifications and foundations, but it is nice to know that I can actually afford to buy these products on a regular basis.

How do you feel about Fair Trade products? Are they readily available in your area?

Grains and Gluten

August 26, 2008

When I worked at a bakery during high school and college, gluten was seen as a good thing. It is the protein in wheat that gives bread its texture and improves performance of a product when baking.

Throughout my week here in Ireland I have noticed that gluten is mentioned quite a bit. Most bakeries and cafes have a note posted to ask for gluten free options. I heard a lady at breakfast the other day ask for gluten free bread.

There are conditions where gluten is an actual allergy such as in Celiac disease. In these cases it is necessary to eat a gluten-free diet. However, I know that gluten-free is also a bit of a health move for people wanting to eat a vegetarian diet, or maybe just a healthier diet in general.

Also, I have read information that gluten can trigger depression in some people. I actually worked at that bread store with a girl who blamed her mood swings on the gluten in the bread.

We did make bread with spelt flour for those unable to eat gluten. After reading more about it though, I see that spelt does contain gluten it just appears that it is easier to digest than wheat products for many who are sensitive.

Let me go ahead and say that I’m not at all speaking about people that have to eliminate gluten. I understand the necessity of accommodating food allergies.

I am curious about those that eat gluten-free because they view it as a healthy option.

I am not on a mission to eliminate gluten from my diet. I guess there is a part of me that doesn’t understand the reason for doing this when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.

To me, it is a natural part of a very natural product – wheat and other grains.

I am wondering if the offering of gluten-free products I am seeing here comes from higher rates of allergies in this area or if there are a lot of people around trying to eat gluten-free diets as part of healthy habits.

I am thankful that I have the choice to enjoy all wheat products. There is really no motivation for me to cut it out of my diet.

How do you feel about gluten? Do you avoid it, and if so, what are the benefits for you?

Photo from Festival of World Cultures 2008, Dun Laoghaire, Ireland

Back to the Tap

August 25, 2008

I’ve come across an interesting trend during my visit in Ireland.

Tap water is all the rage.

I have even seen menus that advertise both carbonated and still water from the tap on their menus. There is an effort to promote its safety and taste.

Of course, everyone knows the problems with all those plastic bottles.

I am a water advocate for sure. I try to drink about 2 liters a day. Sometimes I do fall short. When I go without water for an extended period even a morning, I can definitely tell it.

I feel sluggish and I am usually on the verge of a headache. I can also tell a huge difference in the appearance of my skin. Drinking water helps it to look clearer and healthier.

There has been a lot of talk in the media these days about how the recommendation to drink 8 cups of water a day is a myth.

Well, that is true. The recommendation has always been 8 cups of fluid. However, seeing that people steer more towards soda and sugar-laden fruit drinks as opposed to water, milk and fresh juices the recommendation slowly evolved.

The latter provide the body with lots of water and healthy fluid while the former include caffeine, sugar and chemicals.

It became important for people to take in water to promote health and I still think it is a healthy habit. I stick by the 8 cups of water recommendation to feel better, help skin and lose weight.

I am all for the tap water craze, although I’ll admit it is a switch that is taking some time. Sometimes I can really taste a difference in tap water and I don’t like it. However, for the most part, I think I’m getting used to it.

It still buy bottles every now and then when I travel, usually just for transport throughout the day.

I do hope the tap water crazy is catching on or soon does in the US. It is cheap, convenient, and of course, better for our environment.

One of my favorite meals of the trip so far has been this beauty. Steamed mussels, clams and cockles in a garlic lemon cream sauce. Then a Crawfish pizza with ham, onion and green peppers, topped with lemon creme fraiche.

Top photo of Killiney Bay, Ireland.

Healthy Beer

August 21, 2008

A beer with all the benefits of green tea?

Maybe.

I stopped by a great restaurant today called Cafe Mao. It was a neat Asian-fusion inspired spot that seemed like a cross between fast food casual and modern café.

On the menu they advertised a new beer called Iki. After reading the description I just had to try it.


According to a Japanese recipe, it is brewed with green tea and the Yuzu fruit. It is supposedly very high in antioxidants. Iki is Japanese for life.

It tasted very good. It was light, but with a fruity accent.

So what about this healthy beer? Overall, I personally feel alcohol in moderation is a healthy habit. If you can add some more disease fighting antioxidants to the mix, why not?

Sure, curling up with a cup of green tea is comforting, but cheers to partying a little healthier too. I’d definitely have it again.

Oh my dinner was Yellow Vegetable Curry. It was amazing!

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