Sunshine Mash

Days to departure: 416
Dishes made: 2

Forgive the lapse of time, but I have been busy! And slightly lazy, I can't lie.

I didn't even plan on cooking tonight. I've hardly slept at all this week, and I planned on sleeping all day and all night. My mind, however, had other plans and decided to start thinking. So I decided I needed to cook a little. Cooking always helps a restless mind, yes? So here is tonight's creation.

This is a dish called "Sunshine Mash" containing a total of three key ingredients, and two key spices: carrots, parsnips, butter, salt and pepper. Not too difficult right?

 Actual carrots, something I have neither purchased, cooked with or eaten....

And parsnips....something I didn't even know existed....If you're a Harry Potter fan, you'll notice they look a little like Mandrakes....

I'm not going to lie...Parsnips have to be the most interesting vegetable (root?) I've ever smelled. It almost smells like a household cleaner, but also like ginger. I guess you'd have to smell it to understand what I mean.

After boiling (you're supposed to do it separately, but I boiled them together to save time), the carrots and parsnips get mashed together. Then add butter, salt and pepper.

The final product. I can't lie, this is a very bland, yet tasteful dish. I probably won't make it again, as the semi-spicy (yet sweet) flavor of the parsnips and the rootish flavor of the carrots are not something I really enjoy. 

This is traditionally a summer/midsummer dish. I can see why this would be something to cook on a warm summer day, as it is somewhat refreshing. 

Tomorrows experiment: Rice custard.

Pan Haggerty

Days until departure: 452
Meals cooked: 1

Tonight I made my first meal of the journey! Yay! Tonights dish was Pan Haggerty, a meal of layered potatoes, onions and cheese, topped with bacon and cooked solely in a cast iron pan. One thing I did learn tonight? I have the worlds most sensitive smoke alarm! Seriously, even with one window in the kitchen open, the stove fan on and finally the fan in the living room, it STILL went off for almost fifteen minutes.

Step one: everything in the pan, waiting for the final layer of potatoes

Step two: the final layer of potatoes, topped with cheese and bacon

Done! After five final minutes in the broiler, it is ready to eat! 

And finally, all the deliciousness on a plate to eat and enjoy! 

This was a very simple meal, with quite a bold flavor. You really have to be appreciative of onions if you're going to enjoy this. For only having three ingredients (four, if you count the bacon), it is a delicious meal! Now, who's going to come clean all the dishes? ;-)

First Shopping Trip

I just got back from my first shopping trip, and boy was it a challenge!! As someone who is fairly new to this whole cooking thing, not to mention a lot of the ingredients in the book are not just everyday ingredients, this trip was a bit difficult. One of the main meals I was hoping to prepare this week called for lamb, which my local grocery store does NOT carry. I've asked around, and several people have said butcher shops and meat markets...so I guess my search will commence when I can make it to these places. However, in the meantime, here is the beginning to my Celtic-inspired pantry:

Never in my life have I seen 20 lbs of potatoes, nor purchased parsnips or shallots (I didn't even know these existed??) I couldn't be more excited to start cooking this week!!!

Interested In Cooking?

If you are interested in cooking from this book, or interested in more Celtic information, here is the book I'm using:

Celtic Folklore Cooking

Welcome!

In April 2014, I will finally get my chance to go to the country I've dreamed about since I was a little girl: Ireland. Growing up, I was introduced to the heritage of the Celtic people; the music, pictures, my dad even bought a dulcimer. I only have a minuscule amount of Irish heritage, I've loved this place since I can remember. There is something haunting, something....inspiring and...fairytale-like about the place. And now I finally get to go.

A little bit about me. I'm 24, recently moved out on my own, and am trying to learn how to cook. I'm a decent baker, but as far as cooking, I'm definitely a novice. So this may be a very interesting journey.

I recently saw the movie "Julie and Julia" featuring Amy Adams and Meryl Streep. If you haven't seen it, let me give a short synopsis. Julie is living in modern day New York at a dead end job. She loves cooking, so she embarks on a journey to recreate all the recipes of her idol, Julia Child, author of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". During her journey, she decides to write a blog documenting her journey. This inspired me to do something similar.

When the wonderful world of "Borders Bookstore" closed its doors, I purchased the book "Celtic Folklore Cooking" by Joanne Asala based on my love for good food and the Celtic culture. This book has a lot of actual information on the Celtic people, as well as ancient (and I really do mean ancient) recipes from the land itself.

By mimicking the work of Julie in the movie, I hope to learn much more about the Celtic culture through cooking from this book. Over the course of the next fifteen months, assuming I have all the necessary resources and funds, I will be cooking from this cookbook and documenting what I've learned, what I've cooked, and how much I've discovered about the Emerald Isle.

If you have information, stories, bits of history or folklore on Ireland....Please share them!!! I'm trying to learn as much as I can before my trip. I'd love to hear what all of you have to say!