Okay, so I got this idea, right? To put together a proper “little Ireland menu” for a get-together I was planning. Sounded like a grand old time, real simple. Thought it’d be a piece of cake, a walk in the park. Boy, was I wrong. Things never just go smooth, do they?
The Grand Plan Hits a Snag
First off, I hit the internet, trying to figure out what a “little Ireland menu” even looks like. You type that in, and whoosh, a whole flood of stuff comes at you. Some of it looked fancy, probably from some high-end restaurant, and other bits looked like stuff anyone could whip up in ten minutes. I wanted something, you know, a bit real, not just a pile of potatoes with green food coloring.
I spent what felt like actual days scrolling, clicking, trying to sort the good ideas from the just plain weird. You wouldn’t believe the things people call “Irish.” It was a proper headache, trying to nail down a few solid dishes that felt right.
Then Came the Hunt for Ingredients
Right, so once I had a vague idea, a list of hopefuls, I went out to actually buy the bits and pieces. That was a whole other saga. I live in a regular town, not Dublin city center, you know? Finding specific things like decent Irish bacon, or even just some good, strong tea that wasn’t the usual supermarket stuff, was a mission. I remember wanting to make a specific type of bread, needed a particular kind of flour. Forget it. My local shops just didn’t have a clue. I think I ended up visiting four different stores, and still had to make a bunch of swaps.
It’s funny, you think with all this online shopping and global whatever, everything’s at your fingertips. Nah. Not when you’re looking for something a bit specific for your little project.
Making Do and Making a Mess
So, the original grand vision for this authentic “little Ireland menu”? It kinda had to shrink a bit. Or a lot. I had to get practical. My fancy ideas met the brick wall of reality, and reality always wins, doesn’t it?
Here’s what I sort of ended up with, after all the drama:
- A stew, of course. Beef and some dark beer. Tried to make it like the pictures. It was… hearty. Yeah, hearty is a good word.
- Mashed potatoes with some cabbage mixed in. That was colcannon, I think. Hard to go too wrong with spuds.
- Some bread that I definitely bought. My baking attempt earlier in the week? Let’s just say the birds enjoyed it.
- And for afters, I found some green jelly and custard. Close enough, right?
The actual cooking part was pretty chaotic. I’m not exactly a chef, more of an enthusiastic amateur. The kitchen looked like a bomb hit it. There was a moment, I swear, a real moment, where I nearly just gave up and called for takeout. The temptation was strong.
So, How Did It All Pan Out?
Well, we had the get-together. People came. They ate. Nobody actually complained to my face, which I’m taking as a massive win. Was it the picture-perfect “little Ireland menu” I’d dreamed up in my head? Absolutely not. Not even in the same universe. It was more like “food, some of which is vaguely Irish-themed, made with effort.”
Looking back, it was a bit stressful, a bit messy, but hey, it happened. I guess I learned that “authentic” is a tough target to hit when you’re just messing about in your own kitchen. Maybe next time, I’ll just focus on getting the drinks right. That usually goes a bit smoother for me. Or just buy some Tayto crisps and call it a day. Way less washing up, that’s for sure.
