898 A Fog Feed

Our Irish dinner at the home of friends was delicious and educational. Our hosts tell us that "Fog Feed" is Gaelic for "An Extravagant Meal," and it surely was. Here's the menu and their notes:

Bacon, leek and potato soup with cheddar--Sir Walter Raleigh gave potatoes from his farm in Virginia to the poet Edmund Spenser, who became the first person in Ireland to cultivate them. The Walter Raleigh Potato Festival is still held annual in Ireland.

Shrimp cakes with lime mayonnaise--In the early 19th century, shrimp accidentally caught in the nets of Dublin Bay fishermen were considered a waste product and sold to the poor by fish mongers.

Fluthered Chicken--Cooked in stout.

Ham potato patties--The Irish almost never serve chicken without being accompanied by ham.

Oatmeal bread--Oatmeal was introduced by the Celts.

Pickled beetroot salad

Apple dumplings with raisins and mincemeat served with cream

Coffee, wine and Irish dark beer.

My ancestors on my father's side were Scots-Irish who came to the United States in the 1730s. I don't think they ate this well.