The Emerald Isle

"For the good are always the merry
Save for an evil chance,

And the merry love the fiddle,

And the merry love to dance."

-W.B. Yeats, "The Fiddler of Dooney"

The Crown Liquor Saloon in Belfast was built in 1825 and refurbished in 1885.  It is almost across the street from the Europa Hotel, which at one time, was the most bombed-hotel on the planet.  And I was there!

My niece had Guinness, of course, and the rest of us had wine at the Saloon, enjoying the beautiful, deep, and rich tones of the woodwork, the metalwork, and architecture.

The Bed and Breakfast we stayed at had shepherd's pie, Irish soda bread, and great stories told by the lovely innkeepers!  

Someday, hopefully, Ireland again....

Ooo-Lah-Lah!

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." -Virginia Woolf

Paris, the City of Lights, known for great food and romantic interludes, was our next stop.

This fruit stand is but a sampling of the quality of food we experienced in Paris.

I don't have a picture of my favorite meal of all time, but I will never forget sitting in the Parisian restaurant at about 9 p.m. and savoring every bite.  And I know we had creme brûlée!  We each ordered differently so we could share with each other.  

The next morning I ran three miles through the streets of Paris before  our crepe breakfast.  

We then embarked on the great adventure of finding the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Notre Dame, without knowing a bit of French!

The adventures continue!

Weird Tourist Nutters

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." -J.R.R. Tolkien

I decided to use Tolkien's quote because he is from Great Britain, and that is the location of our next Planet Food visit.

In 2005, my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, niece, and I traveled to Europe to visit a friend in England.  We decided to visit a few places for this once-in-a-lifetime trip.  While in London, we ran across the bookshop from "Notting Hill," a great chick-flick starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.

So, the "weird tourist nutters" (read the writing in the above window) that we were, we decided to have a "Notting Hill" night at our bed and breakfast.  We rented the movie, got some food, and had a great chick-night-in at the real Notting Hill in London!

Kimchi, Korea, and Cabbage Cuisine

"People Who Love to Eat Are Always the Best People"

-Julia Childs

Korea and Kimchi!  What is Kimchi?  I'm glad you asked!  It is fermented cabbage that is cooked with multiple  kinds of vegetables and has been a staple and loved food in Korea for hundreds of years!  Finally, it is becoming a global phenomenon.  The antioxidants from the fermentation, the B vitamins and minerals are just a few of the benefits received from eating this delicious, low-calorie food.  Kimchi: it's what's for dinner!

Ice Cream, Rickshaws, and Happy American Women

Eat Ice Cream.  Ride a Rickshaw.  Be Happy.

Though ice cream may not be considered a Chinese fare, like hotpots, Peking Duck, Shark Fin Soup, Eel, and Wontons, one evening in Tianjin, while walking through their multi-street market, the ice cream at a food stand just beckoned!
Meet my adventure buddy, sister-friend, Charlotte.  She was one of the 11 people I was with in China in 2002.  Ice cream and a ride in the rickshaw seemed like a great way to end an eventful day.  

As these two ice-cream-toting, middle-aged, American women climbed into the rickshaw that was powered by this sweet, older, Chinese man who weighed maybe 110 pounds soaking wet, the irony of it all hit us both at the same time.  We laughed until we cried all the way to the hotel.  That poor man was pedaling for all he was worth while these two American women porked the very American ice cream.  We gave him a wonderful tip, thanking him profusely, and inwardly praying that he would not have any muscle spasms on the way home!  Yes, ice cream, rickshaws, and lifelong friends...it doesn't get any better than that!  (Ask me sometime about the hotel room, twin beds, and late-night laughter!)

Eat Well, Travel Often

"Eat Well, Travel Often"

Food and culture are interdependent.  One cannot exist without the other.  To experience food is to be graced with an extension of the culture.  

 This is a traditional Chinese restaurant in Beijing that has hotpots. We Americans have fondue.

The Chinese have hotpots.

Hotpots sit in the middle of the table, with the fire underneath, and the food is cooked right there.

The hotpot includes every part of the animal (fish heads and company) and vegetables.

My friends did not seem to feel very graced, but I LOVED it!