Pro-Brunch, Anti-War

Another brunch, another great time catching up with friends. We were a smaller group than expected thanks to some serious train issues in Queens, but the five of us who did gather had a great brunch. Dublin 6 was surprisingly not crowded, which made for good service and the chance to take our time catching up over eggs and coffee. Brunch favorites, like Popover Cafe and Good Enough to Eat, which I love, are great, but they get a little intense during the rush. It's easy to feel hurried when you see a line of people waiting for your table and giving you the evil eye as you linger over yet another coffee refill. Feeling welcome to stay for as long as we liked was one of the great benefits of Dublin 6. Another benefit? The not one but two bloody marys that came with my breakfast!

The location proved good, too. After we all went our separate ways, Todd and I stumbled across an anti-war rally just a few blocks away. It was heartening to see so many people out there making themselves heard, and we joined in with them for a few blocks before heading back up town.

Interesting Irish Easter Traditions

I thought that this was appropriate for the place that we're having brunch tomorrow. I've quoted it below.

In Ireland, people dance in the streets on Easter Sunday. The dancers compete for the prize of a cake.

In Ireland Easter is a very sacred time of fasting and prayer. On Easter Saturday at church hundreds of small candles are lit off the Paschal candle that has been blessed by the priest. On Easter Sunday a quiet meal is eaten at home. Traditional Easter meal of leek soup and roasted spring lamb.

Little Easter houses are built in some parts of England as well. These are filled with coloured eggs. The eggs are rolled down a hill in a competition before they are eaten.

Irish Easter Customs

• Clean house thoroughly Inside and out-whitewash applied.
• Obtain New clothes.
• Good Friday-do no work on the land just in the house.
• Fast More than is Required on Good Friday.
• Good Friday- Plant a small amount of crop seed to bring blessing on it all.
• Shed no blood on Good Friday, work no wood, hammer no nail .
• Maintain quiet on good Friday from Noon till three P.M.
• Visit church-take off shoes-good Friday. Visit holy wells and graveyards.
• Do not fish with nets or lines on Good Friday no fishing boat puts out to sea alternatively gather bia tragha-shore food-seaweed and shellfish for the Main meal.
• Cut your hair on good Friday to prevent headaches in the year to come-trim finger and toe nails.
• Water from the holy well will have curative properties on Good Friday.
• A child born on Good Friday and baptized on Easter Sunday had gift of healing. (if a boy he should go into the ministry) die on good Friday go right the heaven.
• Eggs laid on Good Friday-Mark with cross and each eat one on Easter Sunday. Eggs Hatching on that day will produce healthy chicks.

Easter Saturday

• Have Holy water blessed.
• Drink three sips of holy water each for health. Sprinkle on everything for good luck.
• Bring cinders from the Paschal fire to be blessed.

Easter Sunday

• Butchers have mock funeral for a herring symbolizing end to abstinence.-whip the herring, have a procession involving the herring.
• Go to church and then herring procession.
• Go up at sunrise to view the sun dancing with joy.
• View the reflection of the sun in a pail of water and move it so the sun appears to dance.
• Do something with eggs. Give them, color them
• Have a Cludog or cluideog ritual-children collect and cook eggs and other food in a structure which they make on the edge of the farm-roasted eggs.
• Brightly dressed Tobies go from place to place to demand the eggs of Easter Singing, dancing dressed in bright colored rags.
• Keep shells of Easter eggs for the May bush. 9.Roll eggs to race them.-may be Presbyterian custom.
• Have feast on Easter-Kill a cow if you can-
• Take down the Spoilin meith na hlnide-little piece of meat pinned up at lent and burn it giving house a rich smell
• Have a Cake Dance. Cake being the prize for best dancer. Easter cake dance-a pruthog.
• Go to a "Sunday's" well-have a bonfire.

Irish Pancake Recipe:

Basic Batter Ingredients:
100g flour Pinch salt
1 egg 150ml milk
Oil to fry

Method:
Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour and beat in the egg using the back of a wooden spoon.
Slowly add the milk and beat in gradually to avoid lumps. Beat for a few minutes to entrap air. Leave in the fridge to chill.
Heat a drop of oil on the frying pan, ensure the pan gets really hot. Pour on a little batter to coat the base of the pan. Cook for approx. 2 minutes.
Toss the pancake and cook for about 1 minute or until golden brown.
The pancakes can be served with lemon, icing sugar, fruit or savoury items.

Easter Dinner

The Easter Sunday dinner is similar to the Christmas meal. It usually consists of a turkey or lamb, along with potatoes and vegetables. Desert can be anything, but usually children stuff their faces with their chocolate Easter eggs!

Getting there

Just in case you need directions to Dublin6.

360 of DUBLIN6

This is a kind of nice feature. You can view the restaurant from your browser. Pretty darn cool.

DUBLIN6 MENU

BRUNCH

pre fixe $14.95

(1 item from menu plus 2 drinks)

or

ala carte

Full Irish Breakfast

2 Eggs, Irish Bacon, Sausage, Baked Tomato, Sautéed Mushrooms

Black Pudding, Home Fries, Baked Beans, Irish Brown Bread

$14

Vegetable Frittata

Fingerling Potatoes, Asparagus, Fava Beans, Tomatoes, Button Mushrooms and Gruyere cheese

Baby Greens

$10

Eggs Benedict

“House style”

Poached Eggs, Jamon Serrano Ham, Béarnaise Sauce on Toasted Muffin

$12

Brioche French toast

Grand Marnier Butter, Navel Orange, Maple Syrup

$10

Eggs in a Nest

Soft Fried Egg inside Golden Brioche, Grilled asparagus, Oven Dried Tomatoes

$11

2 Eggs your way

(scrambled, poached, fried, sunny side up)

With wheat toast and choice of sausage or bacon

$7

Sausage, Beans and Chips

$10

The D6 Burger

Prime Ground Beef

Choice of Cheese, Hand Cut Fries

$12

Prince Edward Island Mussels

Coconut, Lemongrass, Chili Broth

French Fries

$14

Lobster blt

Tender lobster meat, smoked country bacon, oven roasted tomato, on brioche.

With baby greens and hand cut fries.

$19

(ala carte only)

SALADS

Cobb Salad

Poached Chicken Breast, Smoked Country Bacon, Oven Roasted Tomato

Avocado, Gorgonzola Dolce, Hard Cooked Egg, Champagne Vinaigrette

$16

($2.00 supplement with pre fixe)

Baby Greens

Mesclun Greens with balsamic vinaigrette

$8

French Onion Soup

$7

Soup of the Day

$7

The D6 Cheese Plate

A Daily Selection of Imported and Domestic Artisanal Cheeses

$12

Charcuterie

Jamon Serrano, Country Pate

Rosette de Lyon, Garlic Sausage

$12

Oak Smoked Salmon

On Warm Crispy Potato Rosti

Lemon Crème fraiche, Mache

$10

One half Dozen Seasonal Oysters

Cocktail sauce

$14

Roasted Onion Tart

Caramelized Sweet Onions, Gruyere, Crème Fraiche

$9

Sides

Home Fries $4, Hand Cut Fries $5, Sauteed Spinach $5

Side Bacon $2.50, Side Bangers $3.00, Side Toast $1.00

CHILDREN BRUNCH

Choice of cereal

$3

Brioche French toast

Butter, Maple Syrup

$5.00

Grilled Cheese Sandwich W/Chips

$5.00

Sausage and Chips

$5.00

Pasta

Tomatoes sauce or butter and cheese

$5.00

Children’s burger

$7.00

Executive Chef Donal Crosbie

Irish Brunch

We're not one to celebrate St. Patty's Day. Frankly after trying to get jokes at the last Parade and hearing no less than 30 of the worst and most despicable racist jokes, I'm pretty much over that drunken Irish holiday. However, that doesn't mean we don't want to show some respect for our proper Irish brethren. So to honor those Irish folk who can hold their swill we've decided to go to DUBLIN6 where you can get a "full irish breakfast" (not a half) and with the price fix you get 2 drinks. We hope that you can come and tell us a great story about how drunk you were at one St. Patty's Day. I'm sure Tori can come up with more than a few since she has a wee bit of Irish in her.

And I promise that I will not tell any of the horrible jokes that I heard at the parade. This one is about the cleanest drunken joke I could find.