Ten years ago I was lucky enough to travel in Ireland. I loved it: the people, the places, the pubs. Irish people know how to celebrate each day, and live life to it’s fullest.

When I travel, it is all about the food. (Who am I kidding? When is it not all about the food?) You learn a lot about people, their history, and their culture, by what they eat, while at the same time tasting things that you might not otherwise encounter. (I’ll tell you about the scary French dining experience in another post.) The first thing to come to mind about Ireland is usually not the cuisine. Beer and whiskey, yes. Food, no, unless it’s potatoes. I have to say while traveling around the Emerald Isle, we ate darn well. Extremely fresh lamb and fish, artisan Cheeses and tasty desserts were all readily available, and sometimes in the most unlikely places.

While doing the pub crawl in Dublin, I was determined to find a traditional Beef and Guinness stew or to die trying. My traveling companions and I had a difference of dining philosophies. I wanted traditional Irish meat and potatoes 24/7. They wanted vegetarian. Challenging to say the least. Strangely, I never did find my Beef and Guinness Stew, but I have cooked many versions of it since.

Here is one of my favorites adapted from Irish Traditional Cooking by Darina Allen. Try it instead of Corned Beef this St. Patrick’s Day. And if you ever get the chance, go eat your way through the green hills of Ireland. You’ll be glad you did.  Read more…