I'm coming to the end of a wonderful trip full of warm welcomes in Sligo, where I learned all about the versatility of Irish stew, feasted on the most scrumptious food Ireland has to offer, and above all met some wonderful new friends.
Table of Contents
Sligo - A Culinary Town
I am thrilled to say my Guinness Beef Stew was awarded a Silver Award in the World Irish Stew Amateur Competition. A big thank you to the organizers of this fantastic, fun contest which I hope will continue to grow in years to come.
The official event photographer is going to send me some of his photos, so in the coming weeks we'll have a stewing good time. I never imagined there are so many ways to cook, season, plate, and savor the humble stew. So stay tuned to learn all about Irish stew.
A Delicious Meal
But rest assured there was far more to my gourmet trip to Sligo. I was thrilled to attend the Gala Banquet honoring the chefs and students who made this event possible.
Before I picked up my fork or spoon, or lifted a glass, I remembered to raise my camera to take a shot of these delicious dishes to share with you.
To-MAY-to or to-MAH-to, whatever you choose to call it, this was the most delicious soup I ever tasted. I don't even like tomato soup, but I could have thrown back a few more shots of this one.
Simply delicious - what more can I say.
No gourmet meal is complete without a fish course. Fresh, local fish from the shores of Sligo helped create this sumptious feast. Just perfect!
Irish chefs know how to cook good, wholesome food, plating it in a unique and inviting manner, to get your taste buds tingling and your mouth watering.
This dessert was my favorite course, a perfect combination of sweet and tart. My Irish sweet tooth was delighted by this combination. I always find American desserts a little too sweet, so I was in heaven as I savored my rhubarb blancmange.
To tell you the truth I am a little bit of a rhubarb freak. This summer I'll share some of my favorite rhubarb recipes with you. Can't wait to see some for sale in Louisville. Just like Ireland, rhubarb grows well in Kentucky soil.
Don't worry! It's Irish craic, not the American variety being promoted in this poster. After experiencing the culinary excellence of Sligo, my faith in and love of Irish food grew stronger. I definitely will make no apologies for Irish food.
Thank you to the Glasshouse Hotel and their amazing chefs and staff for treating us to such a wonderful meal.
Sligo is a beautiful town situated in one of the most scenic settings in the whole wide world. The sun may only have peeped out for one day of my stay, but that didn't stop me from taking photos. I'll share my shots over the coming days and weeks. So come back again for another taste of all that Sligo has to offer, or even better, make sure to visit Sligo and experience some of the wonderful restaurants throughout the town and county.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Mairéad -Irish American Mom
Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th
Mairéad - rhymes with parade
Irish Soups And Stews
- Homemade Vegan Vegetable Stock Cubes
- Deliciously Hearty Beef Barley Stew
- How To Make Irish Style Cream of Celery Soup
- Beef and Ale Stew
A Taste of Ireland
- Celebrate the Holidays with a Taste of Ireland
- Best Irish Desserts and Recipes You Need to Try
- Easy Irish Recipes for Summer
- What Is A Spice Bag?
Kim
On our two trips to Ireland, we found the food wonderful! Lots of curry and only one time did we find corned beef and cabbage. It too was wonderful!
Irish American Mom
Hi Kim - Corned beef and cabbage is really hard to find in Ireland - glad you enjoyed it there. I always find the food is wonderful in Ireland. Fresh, wholesome food always tastes great. I love Irish curries too, especially chips smothered in a sweet curry sauce. Yummy!!!!
Thanks for stopping by,
All the best,
Mairéad
Sara
I thought of you often this past week, in Sligo, one of my favourite towns in Ireland.
These were lovely food photos. You have inspired me to take my camera to dinner on my own Irish trip in two weeks or so. I congratulate you on your award in cooking the stew.
Irish American Mom
Sara - Have a wonderful trip to Ireland. I hope you get some good weather. I was very lucky and got some sunny days. Thanks for all your support.
Take care,
Mairéad
Mariana
It seems you had a great time. Congratulation on your award. I'll be waiting for the recipe 🙂
Irish American Mom
Mariana - I'll work on a post for my stove top stew recipe. I only had an hour and half to cook my stew during the competition - a lot shorter than my 12-hour slow-cooked crockpot recipe. I'll take some photos of the different steps and post it soon.
All the best,
Mairéad
Jenn Ross
You're in my home town! Go have a pint at The Strand and say hi to my family for me 🙂 Congratulations on your award winning stew! Looks tasty!
Maureen O' Hanlon
Well done, Mairead, you did brilliant and thank you for the beautiful photos, A silver award thats great, you are a wonderful cook and ill be waiting for your cookery book to cook all your recipies. glad you enjoyed your stay and beautiful stay. 🙂
Irish American Mom
Thanks for all your support and encouragement Maureen. I really appreciate it. I'm just back in Kentucky after a whirlwind trip to Dublin and Sligo. I hope to make it to Cork in the summer.
All the best,
Mairéad
Maureen O' Hanlon
Well done Mairead, its just wonderful, a silver award , you did us proud and thank for the beautiful photos.
Irish American Mom
Thanks Maureen.
Bonnie Banters
Congratulations Mairead! Thanks for sharing wonderful photos and a wonderful experience! Looking forward to more photos of your trip...bring back some rhubarb blancmange for me...sure it would be difficult to pack!
Irish American Mom
Bonnie - I'm going to try to figure out how to make a rhubarb blancmange - it was delicious. A lovely smooth combination of sweet and tart.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Peggy Hopes
Congratulations Mairead on your award and thank you so much for the beautiful pictures! I so hope I make it to Ireland one of these days. Looking forward to your rhubarb recipes; one of my best ways to enjoy rhubarb is with a salt shaker
Irish American Mom
Hi Peggy - I just got back to Kentucky yesterday evening after a short, but wonderful trip to Ireland. I hope you make it there someday soon. I've never tried rhubarb with salt - will give it a try as soon as I can get my hands on some.
All the best,
Mairéad
Aimee
Congrats!! The food looks amazing! Kentucky is happy to have you back. 🙂
Irish American Mom
Thanks Aimee. I think my husband is glad to have me back too. Looking after four kids solo is no mean feat.
All the best,
Mairéad
Aimee
Oh, I'm sure he is! Being mom is definitely not for the feint of heart. What a great husband you have.
Irish American Mom
Aimee - I really do appreciate my husband giving me a week off from Mom duty. It was good for him to learn how much is involved caring for the kids 24/7.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Lynne Miller
I can't seem to log on to your site. Can you put me on? It's lynne1946@gmail.com.
Also, do you have a recipe for that Guinness Irish Stew?
Thanks - this my first time reading you, and it's all definitely good craic!
Irish American Mom
Hi Lynne - So sorry to hear you had trouble signing up for my e-mail list. I've added you, so you'll receive a weekly update with links to all my new blog posts. Thanks for following.
Here's the link for my Guinness Irish Stew -
I hope you'll like it.
All the best,
Mairéad