Michelle's "Funny" Scones | Derry Girls

Set in the 1990's in Northern Ireland, Derry Girls is one of my absolute favorite shows on Netflix right. Although I know there's a good bit of nostalgia involved in those feelings since I was high school age in the early 90's, there's more to it. Not only do I eat it up, so does my (almost 17 year old) teenage daughter. And while she's a bit of an old soul, she's definitely a modern child...and she finds it just as funny as I do. But also, it's heartwarming and inclusive and highlights the value of family and friends.

If you haven't seen it, there's currently 2 seasons. Each season is only 6 episodes (British shows, am I right!?). Each episode is only about 20 minutes long. So technically, each season is about the length of an average movie. You could binge both seasons in the time it would take you to watch a couple of movies. I can wait for you to catch up, if you want. Go ahead.

Dublin Lawyer (Lobster in Whiskey Cream Sauce) | #FishFridayFoodies

Welcome to the March installment of Fish Friday Foodies, where a group of bloggers gets together to share fish and seafood recipes. I'm hosting this month, and since today is St. Patrick's Day, I asked everybody to create Irish recipes, or recipes with an Irish lean.

Spotted Dog (Irish Soda Bread w/ Raisins)

Okay, so there are certain dishes or recipes that I only find myself eating or making during a certain time of year. I'm not talking about things that rely on seasonal produce, either—more like the stuffing and whole turkey that I only make around Thanksgiving and the corned beef and soda bread that I only make around St. Paddy's Day.

Lamb Shanks w/ Einkorn & Potatoes | #EinkornExperiment

It's hard to believe that we're already midway through March, but today is the 15th, and that means it's time for another update on the Einkorn Experiment! Since I talked about einkorn flour three months in a row, I wanted to switch things up and share my latest experience with the whole einkorn wheat berries this month.

Cabbage with Bacon and Cream

With St. Paddy's Day less than 3 weeks away, the Progressive Eats bloggers have come together this month to share a menu fit for the occassion. Whether  you want something traditional, something with an Irish twist, or something green—we've got some recipes that you're bound to enjoy!

Colcannon

It's pretty amazing how something as humble as a potato can produce one of the most beloved side dishes in the world. Who else lists mashed potatoes in their all-time favorite comfort foods? Served plain with butter and salt, enriched with cheese and cream, strewn with greens, punched with roasted garlic, or spread thick on top of minced meat—I love it all.

Dublin Coddle

In my search to find some good traditional Irish recipes to try over the past couple of weeks, I came across a dish called Dublin Coddle. If you're familiar with coddled eggs, which are cooked slowly and gently in a liquid just below the boiling point, you probably got the gist of this dish. Potatoes, onions, good pork sausage, and bacon are layered and cooked together gently to make a sort of stew that is basic - in the best of ways.

It's said that an Irish wife could leave a pot simmering on the stove for hours when she went to bed, that way it would be ready when her husband arrived home hungry from the pub. It's also one of those dishes that tastes better after sitting for a day, allowing all of the flavors to mingle and develop. A coddle was a good way to use up stray sausages and rashers of bacon on a Thursday in times when Catholics weren't supposed to eat meat on Fridays.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

It seems like corned beef and cabbage is the St. Patrick's Day equivalent to margaritas and burritos on Cinco de Mayo. So, Irish-American (or Mexican-American) food. I get, though...and it's not necessarily a bad thing. Growing up in a melting pot, we often grab on to symbolism and culture in only flashy, consumeristic way we know how.

I grew up in a country that uses Lucky Charms, four leaf clovers, Irish cream, green beer and spry little leprechauns to represent something that has nothing to do with any of those things. And while I've been told that I have a sliver of Irish in me, that was the extent of it. I knew nothing about my Irish roots (or my German, Bohemian - as in Czech, or Cherokee ones, either).

Bubble and Squeak

Traditionally Bubble and Squeak is made using the leftover vegetables from a roast. Often times the meat is cut into bits and fried up with the veg, others times, it's served alongside. If you don't happen to have any leftover veggies from a roast, you can still enjoy a wedge of this hearty comfort food by starting from scratch.

Although I used brussels sprouts, you could use shredded cabbage if that's what you had on hand. If you have leftover mashed potatoes, feel free to use those in place of the plain boiled potatoes. You might wonder why I used duck fat AND pork in this recipe. The simple reason is because I had both and wanted to use both up. Duck fat adds excellent flavor, but you can definitely substitute extra bacon grease or butter if you don't have any hanging out in your fridge like I do.

Irish Barmbrack

Although I have a soft spot for Irish food (and Ireland in general), it usually takes the thought of March on the horizon and the imminent arrival of St. Paddy's Day before I consciously think about cooking up some traditional food...triggering a towering stack of Irish cookbooks, old photos and notes from my trip to Ireland, and endless internet scouting.

I have a few Irish foods ready to share over the next couple of weeks, starting today with a loaf of Irish Barmbrack as part of Twelve Loaves (our theme is Irish Breads). The word barm comes from beorma, an old English word that means yeasty fermented liquor, while brack (or brac) is the Irish word for speckled. And so it is a yeasty bread that is speckled with dried fruit, and often candied peel. It's also known by the names Barnbrack, Báirín Breac, Boreen brack, Bawreen brack, or simply brack.

Irish Porter Cake inspired by The Quiet Man | #FoodnFlix

This month's Food 'n Flix pick is an oldie, originally released back in 1952, starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara—The Quiet Man. This flick is set in the fictional town of Innisfree, Ireland...not to be confused with the isle of Innisfree, an actual place made famous in a poem by William Butler Yates, located on Ireland's western coast.

Our main character, Sean Thornton, is an Irishman by decent, although he grew up in Pittsburgh. Looking to start over (I won't tell you why—I'll let you watch the movie to find out), he leaves the states and moves to this Irish town that he's known only through his mother's stories.

Though not particularly a foodie movie, there is plenty of inspiration to be had. First of all, it's March—and the movie is set in Ireland (exactly why I'm sharing this post on St. Paddy's Day). But even if it wasn't the month where everybody taps into their inner Irish, I would have went the same route. I can't think of Ireland without fond memories...from divided plots of land in all shades of green with sheep roaming freely to the whiskey distilleries and many glasses of beer to the breathtaking cliffs of the Giant's Causeway to the brown bread—Ireland will forever be a part of me.

Irish Soda Bread Scones

You know you've made something beyond good when you want to smack your own ass as you walk by. These scones are one of those things. Tall, tender, lightly sweet and studded with currants and flecks of caraway seeds. I haven't even mentioned the thin, crackly sugar shell that tops them off. I've already made them three times in the last week.

These came about when I was pondering the fact (sort of) that I don't have many Irish or Irish-inspired recipes on my blog. And I happen to love Ireland. It was the site of my first-ever airplane landing, and a person never forgets the site outside the window as you descend into Dublin—a patchwork quilt of every shade of green imaginable. It will forever be a part of me.

So, I decided it was time to work on beefing up my Irish repertoire. I mean, I didn't even have a simple loaf of soda bread to demonstrate my affection. I still don't...but I do have some tall, tender scones inspired by Irish soda bread to share today! If you have a soft spot in your heart for that beautifully craggly and rustic quick bread, you'll enjoy these currant studded, caraway seed flecked treats.

Irish Champ

Mashed potatoes are a universal comfort food. Everybody loves them.

Or do they?

I always thought so...until I met my youngest son. He doesn't like mashed potatoes. Like, at all. I think that's absolutely the strangest thing in the entire world. Before him, I never met a kid in my life who didn't want their plate piled high with them.

I tell him so. He doesn't care. So, almost everybody loves mashed potatoes then.

Whiskey Mussels en Papillote for Two

Is it just me, or do the places that you visit become a part of you? Since St. Paddy's Day is almost here, let's use Ireland as an example.

I have always looked forward to St. Patrick's Day, but in the way that a non-Irish American girl with an appreciation for food and culture does. More years than not, I've made Corned Beef and Cabbage. If I get a good enough head start, I'll even cure my own brisket so that we have homemade corned beef. I've been known to eat Reubens all week long, just to get in the spirit.

Beef and Guinness Stew? Oh yes. Champ? You bet. Bangers and Mash? Of course! Don't forget the Soda Bread, Brown Bread, and the Cabbage and Bacon Soup. But then it happened. In 2012, I hopped onto an airplane for the very first time in my life, and 8-1/2 hours later, I landed in Dublin.

My Brown Bread, inspired by the Brown Breads of Ireland

One of the things that I remember most fondly about the food of Ireland was the Brown Bread.  That may seem cliché, or even boring, however it is anything but!  Every place you go, you'll find a different variation.  Images of rustic, craggy soda bread probably pop to mind - and yes, there is plenty of that.  And no joke - it tastes better in Ireland than it does in the US.   It's as if the gurgling streams and emerald landscapes are embedded in each loaf, and every bite you take helps Ireland take root in your soul.

Cashel Blue & Hazelnut Shortbread

I have been nibbling on a wheel of Irish Cashel Blue cheese for a couple of weeks now.  It's creamy, almost buttery texture, and it's delicate, green Roqefortii-veins have a way of beckoning me to snag a crumble and let it melt into a primal, musky puddle on my tongue.

Much to the chagrin of the other inhabitants of my home.  Aka, the family.  The only ones in my house whose senses trill at the presence of blue cheese are me ...and the cat.

But that's not all bad.  That means that I wasn't batting off advances toward my wheel of Cashel Blue as I tossed around recipe ideas and commenced testing.  Mine.  All mine.  Though in all honesty, it would be nice to share.

Irish Coffee and Irish Memories

In truth, I always thought that the first place my international travels would take me would be Italy.  Most likely, Tuscany.  It's just a dream I've had for as long as I can remember to see rows of grapevines stretching over waving hills as far as the eye can see.  I imagined fat lemons and olive groves and "creepy Italian trees".  In the land of make-believe, I even envisioned finding my very own Bramasole.

Then again, maybe Mexico would be my first destination.  Sure, I've been there... when I was approximately too young to remember.  Being born a southern California girl in the mid-seventies, strolling leisurely across to border for a plate of good food and continued expanses of sandy beaches was just what you did.  Or so I hear.  Plus, I married myself a Mexican.  Surely we would one day have our own colorful hacienda, complete with a hand-crafted iron entryway and an open courtyard in the middle where we would sit with our cafecitos under the gentle morning sun.

Italy and Mexico were definitely the top two destinations on my itinerary.  But the rest of the world had its spot on my list of "one day".  Never did I imagine that instead, my first airplane ride would bring visions of lush land in every shade of green imaginable, parceled off with vegetation and stones and trees.  From my window seat high above I would be stunned into watery-eyed silence by the sight of row houses and farmland and quiet, winding roads.  The sparks of dormant Irish locked up in my DNA began to awaken.

My time in Ireland was a whirlwind of buses and whiskey distilleries, mash pots and drams, magpies and beautiful scenery passing by at a clip.  I longed to scream STOP THE BUS!  How badly I wanted to spread out a blanket and breathe in the bustle of Monday morning in Dublin or the enveloping hush of the late Monday afternoon in County Cork.  I found it utterly dizzying how the soil under my feet (and all over my shoes) felt so comfortable.

That whirlwind left me longing for more.  I met fabulous people.  I tasted amazing food.  I learned a whole awful lot about the process of making whiskey.  And then I jetted off to Scotland (love story part two).

And now, just remembering, I feel the a tug at my heart that threatens to pull it straight from my chest.  One day I will return to Ireland, and I will take it slow.  I'll drink leisurely in the pubs.  I'll take photos of the streets and the countrysides.  I'll chase off the evening chill with an Irish Coffee.  And I'll wave at the buses going by from my blanket in the park.

My favorite Irish Whiskey seems to be the one I'm drinking at any given moment.  I love the small nuances each distiller adds to their amber liquid.  While in Ireland, I visited several distilleries and sampled several more types of whiskey.  Concannon was not one that I tried until back home in the states, though.  But as fate would have it, this Concannon Whiskey is distilled in collaboration with Cooley distillery, which is located in County Louth at the foothills of the Cooley Mountains.  Cooley I was familiar with!  Concannon combines both malt whiskey and grain whiskey, blended by Master Distiller Noel Sweeney, whom I met and had a whiskey tasting with while at Kilbeggan distillery.  (You can catch a glimpse of him in this post.)

Concannon is aged in bourbon casks for a minimum of four years (Irish whiskey must be aged for at least three years to be authentic Irish whiskey) before being transferred to barrels that previously held Concannon wine to allow for mellowing and maturing of the whiskey, which results in some sweet, fruity notes in the finished product.  To me, Concannon's nose is fruity with hints of light caramel and vanilla.  When tasted, I pick up those same notes, but it also blooms on the tongue sort of soft and floral-like.  It's mellow and smooth enough that you can kick back and enjoy a dram, but I can see some tasty cocktails coming out of it in the future, as well.

In honor of St. Paddy's Day, I went traditional.  It's soft sweetness made it a welcome flavor in my Irish Coffee.  Have you tried Concannon Irish Whiskey?  What would you use in your Irish Coffee (or what is your favorite type of Irish Whiskey)?

Erin go bragh...you will forever have a piece of my heart, Ireland.

Irish Coffee

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: beverage alcohol coffee whisk(e)y St Patricks Day tailgating Irish

Ingredients (2 coffees)

• 4 tsp. brown sugar
• ¼ c. Irish Whiskey
• 1 c. freshly brewed, strong, hot coffee
• heavy cream

Instructions

If you can, warm two clear mugs in a very low oven for a few moments before making and serving this coffee.

Carefully set the two warm mugs down and add 2 teaspoons of the brown sugar to each. Add 2 tablespoons of the whiskey to each mug. Next, add ½ cup coffee to each.

Adding the cream is the last step. In order to achieve that layer floating on top of the coffee, turn a spoon upside down and but it up to the inside of the mug, just slightly above coffee-level. Slowly pour the cream over the back of the spoon, letting it run down and hit the side of the mug and gently drizzle into the coffee until you have a good layer of the cream.

Serve immediately!

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I received a free bottle of Concannon Irish Whiskey for the purpose of tasting.  All opinions stated in this post are my own.

Irish Cabbage & Bacon Soup w/ Blarney Castle Sourdough Toasts

aka Proscrastination Soup - so worth the (unnecessary) wait. 

A few days ago, I mentioned my habitual practice of procrastinating  - especially when it comes to things that are quick and simple to make.  And I'm gonna go ahead and say those things are usually particularly tasty, as well.

This soup is one of those things.  I guess that mentioning it "out loud" must have given me the kick in the seat that I needed - because you're looking at a bowl of soup four weeks in the making (errr...waiting).  And two potatoes in the compost bin.  

Today, I finally called it lunch.  Thirty-odd minutes after I decided I was not letting more spuds go to waste.

Slightly sweet from the cabbage...slightly viscous (in a good way, not a gummy way) from the starchy potatoes...slightly meaty from the bits of pancetta...slightly tangy from the addition of sourdough toasts...slightly creamy on top from the blanket of melted cheese...

...100% comfort food.

(I don't know what little Charlie Bucket was so upset about.  Cabbage Soup makes me happy.  Well, okay, maybe not Cabbage Water Soup.  And maybe not every day.  Nevermind.  I get it.)

Irish Cabbage & Bacon Soup w/ Blarney Castle Sourdough Toasts

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Cook Time: ~30 minutes

Keywords: soup/stew cabbage pancetta Irish

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 4 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 10 oz. diced pancetta
• 1 extra-large potato, peeled & diced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled & smashed
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 4-6 c. chicken stock (or vegetable stock or water)
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can fire-roasted, diced tomatoes w/ their juices
• 4½ c. shredded cabbage (~½ of a small cabbage)
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

to serve:

• 1 (8 oz.) sourdough baguette
• ~4 oz. Kerrygold Blarney Castle Cheese

Instructions

Place the butter in the bottom of a Dutch oven (or large, heavy pot) over medium-high heat. Once it has melted, add the pancetta, potato, garlic, and onions; saute for a few minutes. Cover and allow to steam for 10 minutes.

Add the stock, oregano, and tomatoes with their juices to the pot, and bring to a boil. Stir in the shredded cabbage. Partially cover, reduce heat, and allow to simmer gently for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (you may not need salt if your stock or broth was salted).

Serve right away, or cool and refrigerate for up to 3 or 4 days (soup only gets better with time).

If you are serving this right away, turn on your broiler while the soup is simmering. Slice the sourdough baguette into thin slices, slightly on the bias (diagonal-ish). Slice the cheese into ¼" slices. Set the baguette slices under the broiler, when they turn golden around the edges and a bit in the middle, flip them over. Once they've started to turn golden, lay a slice or two of cheese on each and continue to broil until melted.

Serve the soup with a few of the toasts on top and/or on the side.

note:

If you are unable to find pancetta, you can use bacon instead. However, I would cook it first (without butter), until the fat is rendered and it is slightly crisp. Scoop out the bacon onto a paper towel-lined plate and add enough butter to the bacon grease left in the pan to equal 4 tablespoons. Continue recipe with the first 10 minute steam of the veggies. Stir in the bacon just after the soup finishes cooking completely.

inspired by and adapted from Clodagh's Kitchen Diaries

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disclosure:  I am a member of the Kerrygold Food Blogger Network, but that in no way influences my love for Kerrygold cheese (I loved it before I was a member).  I bought this cheese with my own money.  All opinions are my own.

Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur {I'll Drink to That}

Hear ye, Hear ye!

I am the Queen of Procrastinators.  Would you like to see my crown?  But the really funny thing about it is - I usually procrastinate on the really, really easy things.

For example, I have a pot of soup that I have been meaning to make for three weeks.  I have everything that I need to make it.  It's simple.   It takes no time at all to put together.  And yet I can find twenty-seven random ways to spend any given moment to take the place of actually making the soup.  I shouldn't even tell you that I've already had to pitch one of the ingredients into the frozen-rock-hard compost pile.  And pick up a replacement at the market.  And If I don't use that replacement soon, I'm going to have to repeat the whole process again.

I don't know what's wrong with me.

In the case of Irish Cream Liqueur, I've been *meaning* to try a batch of homemade for a good two... maybe three years.  There is absolutely no excuse...other than having a title to live up to...that I have not made it sooner than now.  It simply requires measuring a few things into a blender, and blending them.

And I waited years to do it.  See?  I earned my title fair and square.

Oh, and on a side note, Irish Cream is not minty.  Why was it in my head that it was should be the slightest bit minty?  I mean, due to the procrastination, I've had a store-bought bottle or two hangin' around now and again.  Not minty.  Ever.  Was it!?  Apparently I have several issues.

Anyhoo - try this.  Don't wait a moment longer.  Grab your favorite Irish Whiskey and your blender.  Grab the various other ingredients which don't include mint.  And get a-blendin', my friends.  You'll be forever grateful that you did not join my loyal order of subjects.

Fondly,
The Queen (of Proscratinators)

Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: beverage alcohol whisk(e)y cream St Patricks Day Irish winter spring

Ingredients (~1 liter)

• 1¾ c. Irish Whiskey
• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 2 Tbs. chocolate syrup
• 2 tsp. instant espresso powder (or cold, brewed espresso)
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• ½ tsp. pure almond extract
• 4 large eggs, optional

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients in the jar of a blender and blend until smooth.

Serve immediately over ice (or in your favorite cocktail), or pour into clean, sterilized bottle(s) and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

notes:

Adding the eggs is optional. It does make it a bit thicker and richer, sort of along the lines of eggnog. If you are worried about consuming raw eggs, or are sharing this with elderly drinkers, leave the eggs out. Also, if I'm not planning to use it within a day or two, I just leave them out. It will still be thick enough to satisfy.

Try using this in a milkshake for a tasty, adult treat. I made one using Thin Mint Ice Cream, but I'm guessing that vanilla, chocolate, coffee, or even butter pecan would be delicious.

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p.s. - I beseech you, make a milkshake with some of your Irish Cream.  And if you're like me, you'll get your mint this way.

Irish Cheddar Whiskey Fondue

{Close your eyes.}  Wait.  Don't close your eyes.  Read this and imagine closing your eyes.  Envision my words in a soothing, transportive (totally a word) voice.

Picture, if you will, a bright, snowy day.  You've just donned your avocado-green ski suit.  You know the one.  It has sunset yellow and burnt sienna stripes across the breast.  You even bought special ski boots, a hat, and gloves to match those stripes.  Your chunky, white goggles are poised across your hat, on your forehead and your cheeks are bright pink from the winter air.

Fast forward two or three hours and many rides up the lift.  Your last trip down the slope, you feel a pull towards the belly of that lodge burning warm and glowing from within.  You set your skis by the door and strip down to cozy leggings, an over-sized turtleneck sweater, and warm, fuzzy slipper-boots.