In Search of a Good Teapot

Though I have found a good pot of tea already in Cork City, I have yet to find a good teapot, thereby making it possible to make a good pot of tea at home. The search will continue. Perhaps it will take a day or perhaps a month (or longer), but I am patient and a good pot of tea is worth the wait.

When I arrived, I quickly learned there are things a Cork woman should have handy. An umbrella and/or light raincoat is very important. I did not have one with me on Friday and learned my lesson. Also the usual odds and ends that define city life, such as a wallet, a mobile phone, a few empty totes for the market, lip gloss, perhaps even a hat (not baseball). All this is handily carried around in the all-important city purse. This purse managed to not make it with me on my trip (yes, I am kicking myself that my D&B handbag is back in the States with parents). To make sure I was ready for life in Cork, I needed such a bag. Someone suggested a few shops downtown and we set out to find a purse. Quite a mission and I must admit I enjoyed myself. The move itself was a bit stressful so having some fun here was a treat. First, at Penney’s we found a light beige faux leather purse that was just five Euros! Then I fell in love with a Jasper Conran purse at Devenham’s, but resisted since it was not within impulse buy budget range. However, no sooner did I look away then I found an orange-tan shoulder bag that was perfect. A medium outer pocket and a large inside space. It can carry my raincoat, umbrella, market totes, wallet, change purse, and kitchen sink! I’ll admit I was surprised I had such immediate luck and now feel a bit more prepared to live here knowing I can at least make my way around town and back relying on the contents of my new purses.

To Market, To Market…

The market and grocery store experience is not to be missed when visiting a different country or locale. Cork City is no exception. The English Market has dozens of stalls selling fresh fish, meats, pastas, produce, cheeses, olives, and convenience foods. Convenience foods is fast becoming my new favorite phrase. It is what Americans may consider “semi-homemade” or “from fridge to oven to table” dining. What I was accustomed to seeing in the frozen food aisle is available here unfrozen. Tonight, we will have Chicken Kiev with corn and a side salad. Maybe it is just my first impression and shock that their markets are not 1/3 frozen food aisles, but I must admit I am enthralled. Even the market has fresh-baked loaves galore, including loaves from O’Keeffe’s Bakery.

©2009, Evin O'Keeffe

Walking in Cork City

Cork is a very walkable city, so long as you watch out for all the cars. Pedestrians are not kings here like in the States. And 99% of pedestrians do not obey the crosswalk signs. I have yet to understand when one knows it is “safe” to cross, but hope to learn. It also sheds light on the title choice for David Monagan’s book Jaywalking With The Irish (available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk as well as in the travel essay section of bookstores).

In just one day of walking around town, I visited the Cornish pasties shop, Brennan’s Cook Shop, Devenham’s, Guiney’s, Tesco, the English Market (think Reading Terminal or Pike Place – only with more groceries and fewer places to dine-in). I set out to find a favorite butcher and succeeded! We purchased (raw) two large stuffed chicken breasts and marinated potatoes for dinner and as our purchases were tallied at the register, the butcher gave us cooking instructions. The meal was delicious and tasted like something for a holiday. The best news of all is that Tesco has jarred cranberry spread so we made sandwiches with the leftovers.