With Valentine's Day coming up, I told Hubby I wanted him to get me some piece of jewelery this year. I thought it might be nice to get a wedding ring because since I've spawned two children, my fingers have grown 2 ring sizes (yes, my fingers are like sausages now) and the old wedding ring doesn't fit anymore. But I didn't want to spend that much money because we're watching our pennies, so Hey Hubby, why don't we go to the nearest Irish store that sells irish goods, especially jewelery!!! More specifically a Celtic themed ring!! So off we go to said store and we peruse the rings and I find a very lovely one with Celtic knots all 'round it and Hubby buys it for me...yay! And the great thing is that I don't even have to wait till V-Day to wear it! So that was totally cool.

I don't know what my preoccupation is with all things Irish and English either. You know that SNL skit with Chris Farley when he interviews celebs and he just ends up asking lame technical questions about movies...


Chris Farley - Interview Paul Mc Cartney (SNL) - MyVideo

I felt like hanging around the counter of the store all day and say in that Chris Farley tone of voice..."You know like Irish stuff? I really like it. You know the Celtic Woman musical group and the High Kings musical group? I like really really like them. Do you like them? I know all the words to all their songs now..."

But then maybe that would be too creepy.

So we left the store and spotted a heretofore undiscovered Irish Pub across the street. Hubby didn't even bother to ask whether we were gonna go in, I grabbed his hand and immediately dragged him inside. I looked excitedly at the menu and there was the usual pub fare: bangers and mash, irish stew and shepherd's pie...but there was something I hadn't seen before (only briefly mentioned in one of Nora Robert's irish romances)...boxty. At first I thought it was maybe something like a Bento box (cuz they both have "box" in the name, yes lame I know), but it turns out Boxty is a potato pancake, which they fill with various meats and veggies and sauces. Kind of like a meat crepe. So we order the chicken with a wine cream sauce (onions and mushrooms), and also steak fries (proper term: chips) with accompanying creamy curry gravy to dip in. And while we are waiting for the food, The Old Triangle comes up over the speakers and I sing along loudly (because I know all the lyrics after repeatedly listening to The High Kings CD), much to Hubby's embarrassment.

So the food comes, and the chips w/ the gravy were really good and the boxty was very hearty and good, but a bit bland. I'm sure there was plenty of salt in there, but now I'm wondering was it intended to be so bland?



"You know what would make this dish? Green onions, then there would be a bit of the savory in there and it would be perfect!" I tell Hubby.

"You mean like the Asian Green Onion Pancakes?" Hubby replies. "Ah so the foodie in you is really Chinese!"



Bah.