Touristing at the Guinness Storehouse

I know, I know - we're constantly told to "be a traveller, not a tourist," and that sightseeing in cheesy, crowded locations doesn't allow you to immerse yourself in the local culture and get to know the true sense of a place. And I absolutely, totally believe this! I would never let a friend or family member visiting New York for the first time only go to Times Square and think that's what city life is like. Conversely, I pride myself on embracing my adventurous and inquisitive spirit by seeking out hole-in-the-wall bars, restaurants that don't have a million Yelp reviews, and obscure historical sites honoring people long forgotten by the general public. But when I visited Dublin a few weeks ago, I threw all that out the door and visited every tourist trap it has to offer. And I don't regret a second of it.

It all started with the Guinness Brewery. See, I love a good beer. I also love a good brewery tour. And while I've been on a couple well-know tours before (Heineken, Magic Hat), I've always viewed the Guinness tour as my personal Everest (dramatic, yes, but again - I really love beer). That, and I had actually never drank a full, pure pint of Guinness. I'd had black & tans and black velvets and black castles (Guinness + Bass, cider, and Smithwicks, respectively) but never an entire pint consisting solely of the black stuff. Call me overly sentimental, but I'd been waiting until I got to Ireland to have my first pint.

The brewery was not the first thing we did upon arriving in Dublin, because that would have made us seem like alcoholics. Instead, we toured the lovely Christ Church Cathedral and the lesser known Chester Beatty Library, home to a fascinating exhibit on world religions that showcased, among many other artifacts, some of the earliest known copies of the Letters of St. Paul and fragments of the four Gospels. My inner theology-buff was beyond excited. Best of all, the Library and it's collections are free to the public.

THEN we went to Guinness. And it was great! A bit pricy (20€ for each adult ticket), but it's a lengthy and informative tour that lasts well over an hour. It's also a ton of fun - each of the seven pint-glass-shaped floors (not joking) have interactive games, photo booths, whistling clam shells (again, not joking), and stations at which you can learn how to properly pour and taste your Guinness. You're allowed to go at your own pace, and the tour culminates in a full pint at the bar on the top floor (included in your admission ticket). With 360-degree windows, the view of Dublin is nearly as impressive as the beer itself.

So was it worth the 10-year wait to have my first pint of Guinness in Dublin? Yes. Even though I can't yet compare Irish Guinness to "the stuff they pour in the states," my pint was cold, creamy, malty, and everything I'd dreamed of. I raised a glass to my friends at The Three Counties (my local pub back in Chicago) and sat back to savor my drink. And then I finished J's drink as well because he's a whiskey guy not a beer guy and was secretly hoping I'd finish my drink quickly so we could head to a pub that serves mixed drinks. Which we did immediately after going back to our hotel to take a nap. Because that's how you vacation.

If you go: The Guinness Storehouse  is located near the outskirts of downtown Dublin; we took a cab there and walked back to our hotel. It's open seven days a week with the last tour beginning at 5pm, and buying your ticket online can save you 2€ per adult ticket.

afternoon delights

The internet is a strange and magical place - here are some of this month's most awesomest offerings: 

*Who needs a sound machine when this one is free and on your computer already?
*Hey IOC - listen up and take this guy's suggestion
*New goal: Literary Road Trips
*Simplify simplify simplify
*Grease is the word
*We must continue this conversation
*Eating made easier (I think my gramma would have benefited)
*Time to get into stamp collecting
*Because bigger is better
*Edible Tetris is my favorite kind of Tetris
*It's the end of the world as we know it (and I do not feel fine)

CSA Cooking - Roasted Tomato & Zucchini Flatbread Pizza

This past week's CSA presented me with tomatoes, tomatoes, and more tomatoes. Oh, and a few zucchini as well, but at this point I'll be surprised when I don't receive some sort of squash in the box. Not that I'm complaining though! I love zucchini! There's just been, well, a lot of it. But since it's been nearly an entire month since the last time I put vegetables and cheese on top of some sort of carb, I figured it's high time I do it again ;)

To make this flatbread, I roasted the vegetables in two parts - first the zucchini for a short amount of time at a high heat, then the tomatoes for a long time at low heat. I suppose that if you're in a pinch you could do both at the same time, but I like my zucchini to have a bit of a crisp to them - and there's nothing quite like a slow-roasted tomato. I also picked up a pre-made flatbread crust from the grocery store that was big enough to feed both J and I for dinner, which for me was a nice change from my usual personal-sized lunchtime pita pizzas. Finally, I substituted mozzarella cheese for ricotta and a sprinkle of parmesan. This kept the overall dish a bit lighter (it's still so hot out!) and allowed the flavors of the vegetables to really be the star of the pizza. 

For the squash:

Slice one medium-sized zucchini and one medium-sized yellow squash into thin slices and place evenly-spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, flipping the squash halfway through the roasting process.

For the tomatoes:

If you're buying tomatoes specifically to roast, I suggest smaller-sized tomatoes - grape or small on-the-vine work best. However, if you're like me and are just trying to use up whatever's in your fridge, then by all means roast 'em if you've got 'em. Thinly slice the tomatoes (which may be a pain or impossible if you're using grape tomatoes, in which case just halve them) and lay them evenly spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with a healthy amount of salt. Bake at 200 degrees for 60 minutes, flipping the tomatoes halfway through the roasting process.

For the pizza:

Brush your pizza crust with olive oil, or if you're lazy like me, use a non-stick cooking spray (like Pam) and blot the areas you accidentally overdid with a paper towel. Spread a thin layer of ricotta cheese over the entire crust, and then add the roasted tomatoes and squash. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes (and/or according to the crust's directions). Keep an eye on the pizza in the oven though - since your vegetables are already roasted, all you need to do at this point is brown the crust and melt the cheese. Cut into squares and enjoy!