Making Winnie-the-Pooh Proud

Irish people love their carbs which is dangerous – because I really love carbs, too, and have very little resistance to them if they are on the table.

Last night, my fish was served with three different types of potatoes: steamed with butter, scalloped and fried. The cooking at Seaview House Hotel is much like their hospitality -- honest and truly Irish. Nothing fancy, but really good food as if you were staying at a good friend's place. 

A lot of the food reminded me of stuff my grandmother used to make like the creamy vegetables and the way the meal was prepared (although she was Scottish). The meal was carb heavy and filled with comfort.

But the breakfast carbs were even more delicious and in abundance.

This morning, breakfast began with an assortment of breads and a strange runny porridge. As I was eating these with stewed prunes and feeling very healthy, I was thinking what a good girl I was going to be today. I would eat this and then bike all over the countryside. Maintaining my diet plan in Ireland won’t be hard at all. Nope, not at all.

I couldn’t be more wrong, because it was then the server brought over the real menu.

Marmalade and toast

Apparently, what I thought was breakfast was just the starter course – something to amuse your taste buds while thinking about the real breakfast. The Irish potato pancakes, crepes, eggs, puddings, fish and everything else were still to come.

Still, I was thinking I could do it. I would just eat a bit of everything and besides, the black and white puddings are meat based so I wouldn’t be eating those, and really, how bad can potato pancakes with melted butter be?

I reserved myself to being only a little bad and settled back to wait for my pot of tea.

By the way, I love that they bring you this gigantic pot of tea just for one person. They totally get tea here. None of this tiny cup with a little baggy you get back home – where if you want more, they pour you hot water and expect you to squeeze the little bit of color out the bag (unlike coffee drinkers who get unlimited fresh cups). Here you get real tea in a real pot that seems never ending. Now that’s what I’m talking about.

So, anyway, while I’m praising Irish tea tradition in my head, the server brings out toast to go with it – because you know, just because I’ve eaten porridge, two croissants and some sort of grain bread they call Irish Soda Bread, I can’t have my morning tea without toast. That would be wrong.

And what goes with toast in Ireland? Only the best marmalade in the universe! OMG…it was good. Thick and chunky and wow.

I felt very Winnie-the-Pooh eating my homemade marmalade and toast and I swear if I keep eating like this every day, they just might have to roll me onto the plane when I leave.