when in ireland - part two

What I say is that, if a fellow really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow. - A. A. Milne

I'd bet that the first two things that pop into most people's minds when they think of Ireland's food is some variation on meat and potatoes. (I know that's what I always thought, but maybe it's just my Irish blood at work...) I had no clue until I actually got to Ireland just how prevalent these staples are. From shepherd's pie to Irish stew, almost every dish focuses on some kind of meat paired with some preparation of potatoes... even fish and chips, if you want a broad take on the idea. 

I'm going to digress for a moment to talk about chips and how to eat them.

The best chips are thick planks of potato, browned and slightly crispy on the outside but soft and fluffy inside. Take a plateful of chips, prick them thoroughly with a fork, and douse those babies in malt vinegar. I really soak mine, but that's beside the point. Anyhow, once the chips are all infused with the lovely acidic vinegar, salt them liberally, and go to town. Ahhh so good.

if you're ever in Dublin... hit this place up!!

Okay, now that I've got that out of my system... back to meat and potatoes. The first full day I spent in Dublin, one of my friends and I wandered into what would remain our favourite pub of the trip - Sheehan's. The special of the day was bangers and mash. It's a traditional dish of sausages and mashed potatoes that I'd had before at my favourite pub in Iowa, but somehow, Sheehan's took it out of this world and turned me into a huge fan. In fact, we made a point of trying bangers and mash at several other pubs just to compare, and hands down Sheehan's had the best. We decided that it was mostly a matter of potatoes - Sheehan's were rich and creamy. They also had the perfect ratio of onion gravy sausages and potatoes. 

the best.

I'm still working on a good recipe to make this at home. I have faith in my mashed potatoes, and can order bangers online, but have yet to perfect a gravy. Ah, well... practise makes perfect. Besides, I can always go to Jameson's if I want them done well... and then there's always a return visit to Ireland to look forward to, whenever that may be!