The Irish Black Stuff

Cork has the second largest natural harbour in the world and is the largest county in Ireland. The first potato was planted in Cork and you often see potato sellers along the roadsides as we see Strawberry sellers. Cork is also home to 2 Irish stout ales to rival Dublin’s Guinness. Beamish and Crawford (now owned by Guinness) produce Beamish stout and Murphy’s owned by Heineken produce Murphy’s. Depending on your family employment history over the years will determine which Cork stout you might prefer. I got to taste the difference between Murphy’s and Guinness and the later was sweeter but neither were something I would be drinking regularly. Irish Stout is very popular in Cork with both sexes and both opting for the full pint and not the ‘glass’ (half pint).

Whilst we were have been staying with Louis and Niamh who live a lovely old farmhouse just outside Cork we parked up in their garden and were woken each morning by the parliament of crows who have made their home in the tall conifers.

In Ireland ‘public rights of way’ do not exist over farmland as in the UK so you have to walk the local lanes and roads. But Irish hedgerows are a delight to the eye. They are full of flowers and edible goodies….blackberries, meadowsweet, elderberries, blackberries, sloes and more blackberries….  

Niamh’s family are Cork born and bred and have an extended family in the area. We have met many of them and are always given a very warm welcome. Her parents live on over an acre land that they use to produce an abundant supply of vegetables including potatoes, carrots, lettuce, onions, chillies, tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes…….the temperature climate of Ireland gives ideal growing conditions and they have a huge polytunnel that maximises this. This trip we were invited to a meal eating produce from the garden and given a fridge-full of freshly dug vegetables for our onwards travel.

We also got the opportunity to see Louis gig in Cork city – Cork was bustling this week as Westlife were playing for a few nights in the local arena but they are not in Louis league!! We last saw him play in Cork before 2020 and his voice just gets stronger and better each time. We are super proud parents that he follows his dream and look forward to his next album early next year.

In case you’ve not heard Louis – click here for his songs.

The picture at the top of this blog was a simple drop scone recipe topped with homemade blackberry compote (2 cups blackberries, 2 dessert sp castor sugar and half squeezed lemon – simmered on the stove for 10 mins) sliced banana and strawberries and a big dollop of natural Greek yoghurt.