Behold! The Pouldoody Oyster
“You’ve never heard of a Pouldoody oyster?” My friend Dave Donohue was surprised. He was sure I must have encountered the name while researching the Irish chapter of my book, Sex, Death & Oysters....
Savoring Kinsale: The Scilly Walk
A spread of smoked Irish salmon, local oysters, seafood chowder, fish & chips and a few pints of Guinness was the reward waiting for the four of us at the end of our Saturday hike along the ramparts of Kinsale...
Kinsale: A Wild Atlantic Way With Seafood
Kinsale was already a thriving fishing center and market town when the Anglo-Normans drove the Irish out and built a fortified castle there in the 13th century. It remained the headquarters of a large fishing...
Pepper Dillisk & Sea Spinach: A Forager's Lunch
The Burren is quite a place. There’s mountains, sheep and cattle farms, ancient ruins and a seashore that runs for miles along the Wild Atlantic Way. Last weekend, son Joe and I went foraging...
The Burren Smokehouse: Smoked Salmon & Seaweed
This silky smoked salmon with lots of buttery white striations seasoned with a little Irish seaweed made a delcious lunch–its also offers an intriguing glimpse into Ireland’s ancient food traditions. I bought...
My Top 10 Dishes of 2017 #1
No. 1 Killary Mussels on the banks of the fjord The farm-raised mussels of Killary Fjord are extraordinarily fat and sweet thanks to the waters they grow in. The unique merroir of the Connemara fjord...
My Top 10 Irish Dishes of 2017 #2
No. 2 Kromeski of mutton and pickled herring, with red dulse and kohlrabi at Chapter One This ground meat cylinder in red gravy was so good, I virtually inhaled it. I should have taken my time....
My Top 10 Irish Dishes of 2017 #3
No. 3 Irish Producers Plate at O’Connell’s Okay, granted–it’s a bit of a cheat to make my number 3 on the countdown an appetizer plate made up of wonderful artisan foods from all over Ireland,...
My Top 10 Irish Dishes of 2017 #4
No. 4 Lobster & Chips at The King’s Head Bistro, Galway Steak frites, fish & chips, its an old formula, after all. But how is it I’ve never seen a whole lobster split open and...
My Top 10 Irish Dishes of 2017 #5
No. 5 Smoked trout and horseradish pate with pickled vegetables, lemon, caper-berries, greens and sourdough toast at the Winding Stair. This awesome appetizer of smoked trout spread on sourdough toast with lemon and...