Irish meal.
There are two women that I sit side by side with on a wooden bench from 4pm to 6pm every Monday afternoon. We watch our kids swimming in squad and get dripped on by the condensation running off the roof. We put the world to rights because we are so perfect! ahhhem, well in our eyes anyhow!
Then on a Tuesday we all meet up again as our kids practise Rugby training, and again on a Saturday morning as we cheer the kids through their match carrying water-bottles, orange wedges for half time and mouth guards.
The conversation carries on from the start of the week to the end and then the following Monday we find ourselves back on the wooden benches, avoiding the drips, carrying on the conversation and never actually running out of topics to talk about.
We have lots in common but are also distinctively different. One friend is Australian, married to an Australian with kids that are Australian. One friend is English but married to a South African and spent many years living there and bringing up her kids there so we think of them as our South African friends. I, if you haven't already worked it out, am Irish, married to a Welsh man, kids born in England and now Australian Citizens.
On one of our many Monday conversations last year we talked about our favourite meals. By the end of the swimming lesson we had hatched a brilliant plan. To have three dinners over the year 2010, one in each house, entirely catered for in the nationality of that family.
It is now June so I finally set the date for our Irish night. It was yesterday and we had a wonderful time. I'm going to be a tease and just show you the menu because I am falling off the computer chair with tiredness and I will follow up with part two tomorrow night!
You are cordially invited to an evening of Celtic food,
music and entertainment this weekend only
Baynham Manor
Saturday evening
Entrees served from 5pm
Children are admitted at the discretion of the Maitre D.
Must be toilet trained and able to tell good quality Irish Jokes
Home made Brown Bread
served with cream cheese, smoked salmon and fresh chives
Beef and Guinness Pie
Topped with a crisp pastry lid, bacon and leek práta bruig
and a side serving of steamed vegetables
Irish Whiskey Bread and Butter Pudding
served with Vanilla Ice-Cream and a Baileys Butterscotch Sauce
Irish Coffee
Whiskey, coffee, brown sugar, topped with double cream
Irish Tea
Tea leaves, water and milk...
Sounds divine! What a great idea you ladies thought of. Wish I was joining you. Since I am an American living in Japan, I guess I could serve BBQ ribs and Macaroni and cheese...and then some sushi for dessert?
Sounds scrumptious, no wonder you are tired, what a feast Lxx
Oh the irish in me wishes I was there for that dinner!! Sounds like a wonderful time! Thanks for your well wishes Gina... we can use them!
Oh my...I'm salivating here, and wish I was one of your bench friends, so I could join you for this meal! I'd cook you all a classic coastal New England meal...maybe lobster or fried clams, or steamers...
If you ever decide to type up and share any of these recipes, you would have my ever-lasting love & devotion. Seriously. I need to eat this meal!
Yummy and delish. Fair play to you Gina. I'm sure they were delighted. I for one, would love any recipes your sharing, please!!
Fantastic Idea! And your menu sounds delicious ~ pity there is so many miles between us, would love to have been there to enjoy the food and company.
Hi Gina - I want to first say thanks :) You're my first follower, and you're the first person who made me realise that others might read my blog instead of just my Family in South Africa (that awareness has made me change the way I blog a tiny bit - for the better I think). Since you commented the first time I have been visiting your blog and I feel I know you and your family a little bit - it's a reversal of our story. Both of us living away from "home" but making a home somewhere else.
I love your story about your friends and all the nationalities and I LOVED your menu - truely truely Irish :)