IRELAND 2026-FINDING TRADITIONAL IRISH FOOD AND SOME ITALIAN TOO

 A wonderful Irish experience discovering some of my family roots. October 16 to October 26 in Ireland. Left Canada on October 15 which was the day Adolph and I celebrated the number of years we were together. So 60 years ago in 1966 we had started dating.

I could not photograph all the food I ate but did capture some along the way.

Day 1 at a stop on the way to Limerick Gino's ice cream at a truck stop. It all looked so yummy.

Checked in then waited with the group to go to a Medieval Castle Banquet. It was a long bus ride down country roads but worth the adventure.

Long tables and cramped but the food was good along with the entertainment of 4 young women singing traditional Irish songs and one enthusiastic Irish young man dancing Irish dancing.

Day 2  I bought an Irish cider and some wine for my room.

Day 4 a small pizza with some of the group in Killarney. Dinner was later in the evening.

So a traditional Irish dinner. Irish stew on mashed potatoes at an operational Traditional farm. The staff showed how they churned butter for jus. It would have been more fun to to there in the day to see the farm actively demonstrating the traditional activities. 

Day 4 at Blarney Castle. I bought an Espresso Coffee and toasted Adolph.

Day 5 and 6 went to Fields Pub in Kilkenny to experience the Pub atmosphere,

Day 7 we had dinner and entertainment at a farm in Kildare. Lots of fun Irish songs and dancing.

Day 8. I craved a strong coffee. So found this Nero brand in Dublin and took it back to the room.

I spent some time in the Lobby and was approached by the server and ordered a Paddy Irish whiskey. She brought some popcorn and ice to go with it. We chatted. She was from Sri Lanka with her husband and 4 year old daughter. I told her about that Sri Lanka community in the Toronto area. It was good to know other people's experiences.

At night on my own, I found a place to eat and sat at a single table by the window so I could people watch.

So on Day 8 in Dublin. I had fish and chips for dinner.

I decided to stroll some more around downtown Dublin and craved a donut. No Timmies but there was a good place.

The Rolling Donut. It was 3 for 11 Euros. I ate one whole one and nibbled the other two. I should have bought one. As I wasted them and could not bring them in my carryon!!

So just a small amount of the food I ate. Breakfasts were in each hotel with a variety of buffet items and could order a meal.

Oh Ireland what a trip.

#ireland2026#blarneycastele#pizzainkillarney#traditionalirishfood#espressocoffee#eatingeandirishentertainment#kenmare#kilkenny#pubatmosphere#granpalovestocook#adolphdimambro#therollingdonut#dublin#fishandchipss

THANKSGIVING 2026-A CANADIAN FAMILY FEAST

 With 10 of us around the table, with one granddaughter in France on a student exchange, it was a good family time.

We started with appetizers and drinks- beer, pop, wine, water.. The main meal- turkey, italian sausages, corn kernels, peas, red peppers, brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes, bread stuffing, acorn squash, sweet potatoe, and cranberry sauce. Butter for the buns and mashed potatoes and turkey gravy to add to the meal.

Dessert was pumpkin pie, apple pie, apple coffee cake, rainbow ice cream and vanilla ice cream.

Coffee.

All in all a feast.

#turkey#thanksgiving#canadianthanksgiving#gravy#breadstuffing#acornsquash#italiansausage#cornkernels#peas#brusselsprouts#redpeppers#mashedpotatoes#cranberrysauce#buns#turkeygravy#granpalovestocook#adolphdimambo#reflectivethoughtsbbybarbara#thanksgivingcanadianstyle

PREPARING FOR THANKSGIVING 2026

 Always a process to buy all that is needed for any big dinner or festive celebration.

Turkey bought. 

Sausages bought.

Potatoes, Frozen peas. Frozen corn kernels.

Variety of pickles.

Gravy mix.

Squash. Acorn and Butternut.

Buns and put in the freezer.

Shopping done.

Veggies cut.

Now to get that neck out of the turkey.

#turkey,#thanksgivingpreparations#granpalovestocook

OCTOBER-THE MONTH TO HARVEST HOME AND TRY NEW PRODUCTS-FIRE BEAN FROM THE YUKON

 In my effort to support Canadian Companies, I ordered coffee from a company in the Yukon.

It is their 4 pack of a variety of coffee. I got the bean to grind myself as I have a little grinder machine.

I am still trying to get the right amount of coffee for my taste. 

Used them in my coffee machine an my espresso pot to determine what gives me the best strength that I like. I have made it too weak and too strong. Maybe I will get it right. It has a great aroma.

Fire bean coffee and a Canadian company.

Fire Bean Yukon

It has been an adventure to try new Canadian products. I often buy local from Farmers Markets if they make pickles and jam.

#firebean#firebeanyukon#tryingcanadianproducts#coffeebeansfromtheyukon#granpalovestocook#adolphdimambro#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara

CNE 2026 AND EATING FRIES AGAIN

 

A day at the CNE ( Canadian National Exhibition) Toronto Ontario Canada on Lake Ontario.

FOOTLONG Fries was the booth. When I bought my rings in the Hobbies and Craft Building I asked the young man who sold them, if he had tried any of the special foods at the EX. He suggesting this booth.

So crunchy foot long fries with the garlic and parmesean cheese sauce. Very tasty.

I bought a blueberry lemonade freshly made from the booth beside them.

Of course I could buy a few days worth of groceries with what I spent. 

But it is the Ex and trying something new is the thing to do. And spend money.

#footlongfries#freshlemonade#adayattheEX#eatingattheEX#granpalovestocook#adolphdimambro#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#torontoontariocanada#lakeontario

EATING FRENCH FRIES AT AN ED SHEERAN CONCERT AUGUST 22 2026

 So Ed Sheeran did three shows in Toronto at the Rogers Center. His LOOP tour. It was a gift from my daughter for my birthday that I have waited to happen since January.

The energy was so electric.

So French Fries, a ginger ale, water for Tasha and a bag of licorice sustained me during the show.

My favourite songs Perfect and I found my old phone today were ones I actually sang along with the crowd.The song that he asked us to jump at certain sections, had most in the crowd jumping but not me.

The Fries were actually quite good.

#edsheeran#rogerscenter#torontoontariocanada#toronto#torontoontaio#granpalovestocook#adolphdimambro#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#frenchfries#licorice#gingerale#bottledwater

MUSKOKA CHAIRS ARE SUCH A CANADIAN TRADITION

 I love finding muskoka chairs everywhere.

So finding chairs near food locations. The red ones are from the Dairy Queen in Richmond Hill on Bathurs.

The pink one was from Unionville when I went to lunch with a friend. I need to find the ones from other locations.

The Collingwood Farmers Market 2014.

CNE 2014.

So will continue to search for more chairs. 

#muskokachairs#cne#collingwood#farmersmarket#findingmuskokachairseverywhere#granpalovestocook#adolphdimambro#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro