I love good food. I love fresh fish and I love experimenting with recipes when I get some free time. I have been promoting Ireland for over forty years now and am passionate about our food, our music, our culture and the countryside that brings with it so many historical sites.
Ireland has so much to offer. What we lack in weather compared to our Mediterranean cousins, we make up for in spades with world-beating landscapes, coastal walks, historic sites, traditional tasty food and friendly people.
I want to share with you some real Irish secrets and hidden gems. When you visit Ireland I want people to take back their own real experiences and enjoy what I get to live each day. My blog will explore a variety of Irish treats over the next few months, including recipes from my favourite restaurants. I consider where you can drink the best pint of Guinness, the most wonderful local cuisine and many more. I want to encourage you to embrace your adventure in Ireland; hopefully as well as finding new places to visit you can try at home some of the recipes featured as well.
Let’s start with county Wexford located in the sunny south east of Ireland. I believe that the ancient east coast of Ireland has some hidden gems for people coming to Ireland yet to discover!
The Ring of Hook or the Hook Peninsula is a marvellous place to start my journey; focussing in on a small sea-side village called Fethard on Sea and the area around.
Right in the middle of the quaint village, is a very very old pub. Over 100 years old, “Nevilles” has expanded over the years with a large spacious lounge and eating area, but it has still retained THE SNUG… a lovely small little nook of a place and a perfect spot for enjoying a pint of Guinness and a chat with the locals. Everybody is very friendly. In the summer you can sit at the windows and watch the world go by but my favourite time in this pub, strangely enough…is the middle of the winter…when the lights are low and the chimney fire is blazing and people gather around to tell tales and share the exploits of the day. Agh…my favourite pub and the best pint of Guinness to be had…at least I think so.
Well worth a visit if exploring this area. A second gem not too far away from Fethard on Sea is another old pub called “THE HOLLOW”.
I firmly believe that some of the best fish to be tasted in Ireland can be had here. Mary the owner is so friendly and chatty and will endeavour to cook your fish exactly as you want it. Try the pan fried sole, simply divine; that with a few Wexford new potatoes and you wont be able to say a word as you will just be savouring the delights of the food. I guess the menu has other items on it such as steaks and pate etc. But for me and actually all of my friends, my family and anybody I have brought down there never sample anything except the fish; whether it be scallops or pan fried hake, or monkfish or scampi, all simply delicious. In my opinion that’s what we in Ireland have to offer and we should be shouting about it from the rooftops… wonderful secret little pubs… super fresh fish… friendly chatty owners and staff.
Simply perfect.
Eliz.
In my next blog I will be exploring the oldest operating lighthouse in the world, Hook Lighthouse. I think the most majestic and breath taking lighthouse in Ireland!
