Genealogy Reviews Online

Irish Food Tour

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I just came across this Washington Post article in the travel section about Irish cooking.  It's interesting because the writer travels around Western Ireland in what he calls a "food safari" and discovers the food is not just boiled meat and potatoes.  His judgment is Ireland is becoming more "European" and the food reflects this fact.  Not only does he sample food from all over the world - Ireland is a big destination for immigrants - but he also finds the traditional Irish fare.  I remember when my wife and I visited Ireland about 15 years ago our favorite meal was breakfast with all of the Irish favorites - except for blood pudding...I just couldn't bring myself to try it...I would now, but back then was a different story.

Food and Family History

For some reason this morning I was thinking about food and my family history so you'll have to bear with this stream of consciousness.  On my father's side I have very vivid memories of zesty spaghetti sauce and home-made pasta, but any ethnic memory from my mother's side (Irish and Scottish) probably faded out over a century ago.  In fact, if my research is correct, the last person on my mother's side who came from another country died in 1911 (85 years old) and lived 75% of his life in the United States.

It's easy to find Italian restaurants anywhere you go, but I don't think I've ever seen Irish or Scottish restaurants.  I searched Google for Irish and Scottish eateries, in the US and came up with many pubs and a few restaurants who say they serve authentic Irish or Scottish food, but nothing like you would find in Baltimore's Little Italy or one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Denver.  After searching Wikipedia, I did find histories of food in Ireland and Scotland as well as in England and Wales (I love some of the names of Welsh food).  While there are many variations, the food in these areas of the Europe actually appear to be much like the mainstream food we eat in the US today...many of you may be wondering what I expected since the country was an English colony and absorbed millions of Irish immigrants, but I can be a bit slow at times...I'm now finished with my Saturday morning food stream of consciousness...

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