<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Feeding the Irishman]]></title><description><![CDATA[Savoring Life, One Recipe at a Time]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2026 01:59:27 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[It was a beautiful day.                                    A lesson in saying goodbye.]]></title><description><![CDATA[The word Hospice burned on the screen as I sat trying to take in the meaning of it. It is one of those words that seems to carry every stage of grief all at once. Denial. No, this can’t be. I just saw them. They seemed to be doing so well. Anger. What the fuck? It’s too soon. Bargaining. They’re more energized today than they were yesterday. Maybe they’ll pull through. Depression. A sadness so overwhelming you don’t know where to put it. Acceptance. The quiet understanding that the time that...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/it-was-a-beautiful-day-a-lesson-in-saying-goodbye</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6e235d7dabe77cc22219ab</guid><pubDate>Wed, 29 Jul 2026 17:01:35 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_a5ac606b9d4642e3b364473301c23e7b~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Pantry Challenge Recipes.                             The first week...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Cooking from the pantry was easy this week as the pantry was full, with somethings already starting to run out, but trust me there is plenty to cook with. Next to the jars and bottles of spices, beans, grain and pastas, I had many of the usual suspects on hand. From the freezer Italian sausage, rashers, chopped meat and edamame. From the pantry, olive and sesame oils, coconut aminos, mirin, dried spices, garlic and onions. And there was plenty of spinach, lettuce , mushrooms, potatoes,...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/pantry-challenge-recipes-the-first-week</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6e2fea879f0041e5053dad</guid><pubDate>Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_d942cfc30470429d85a2b619153791c8~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_508,h_344,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[One Less Box to Pack, One More Meal Shared...                                        ]]></title><description><![CDATA[A new challenge is unfolding in my kitchen, not one inspired by social media or a cookbook, but one born from my impending move across an ocean. I’m calling it the Pantry Challenge. The rules are simple: between now and my move to Ireland, I am determined to cook my way through everything tucked away in the pantry, freezer, and cupboards. No more buying jars and bags of ingredients “just in case.” Only essentials now, fresh produce, protein, milk, and eggs, whatever it takes to transform what...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/one-less-box-to-pack-one-more-meal-shared</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6e34c93e0c16484ff6242c</guid><pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_5045ab7b90074c7f9c5d8948f977be5f~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_480,h_299,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Finding my Bearings...]]></title><description><![CDATA[The relocation specialist came by yesterday. Ironically, he was Irish. From Galway, just like the Irishman. We walked through the apartment while he took inventory, asking what was staying and what was going. All the while, I had Should I Stay or Should I Go playing on repeat in my head as I answered his questions. Thirty minutes later, he was gone. As the door closed behind him, I stood there for a moment. It was as if the reality of what is happening finally caught up with me. I knew...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/finding-my-bearings</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6e35773e0c16484ff6261a</guid><pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_4a04e9fa80d24c1690d5e166344a1544~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_934,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Midnight in the Kitchen.                                         Irish Brown Bread , White Bread, Scones.]]></title><description><![CDATA[The suitcases sit open, ready for the adventure that awaits, but now Goppolini curls up in one nightly, until its time to fill them up. The excitement and the terror, it turns out, are not opposites. They live side by side, sometimes in the very same breath. The lists keep growing no matter how many things I tick off. The Irishman is already in Tullamore, already home, overseeing the renovations at Cedar House, waiting to make the call that says it is go time for Goppolini and me. I’m here,...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/midnight-in-the-kitchen-irish-brown-bread-white-bread-sc</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6e36cf879f0041e50551bf</guid><pubDate>Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_54a484458d6c4f2e9a83fd884cfb98b3~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Got Noodles?]]></title><description><![CDATA[The sun is struggling to break through the clouds, and the comfort of the July chill in the air that only San Francisco truly understands. An ever growing list sits on the kitchen table, waiting for me to keep adding to it or perhaps claim a small victory with a check mark or tiny foil star. I admit to being distracted. There is a constant excitement and wonder about what’s to come when I arrive in Ireland, a constant need to pinch myself that this is really happening. This morning, as it has...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/got-noodles</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6e3bc63e0c16484ff636d2</guid><pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2026 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_f5fdfb6ae2f9435193506181e1f21b75~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Big News...                                                and the Pantry Challenge...]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Big News… I have been sitting on this for a while now, and I can barely contain myself any longer. I am moving to Ireland. Not someday. Not maybe. Not “we’ve been talking about it.” Actually, truly, really moving. The Irishman is already there — settled into Tullamore, in the heart of the Irish midlands — and work starts on Cedar House this Monday. Our house. On the canal. In Ireland. I still can’t quite believe I get to write that sentence. For those of you who have been here from the...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/the-big-news-and-the-pantry-challenge</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6e3e0e3e0c16484ff63c68</guid><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2026 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_88c4cebf85f84f4f9721e91d6fcc9d3f~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_816,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Breaking Bread, Irish Brown Bread...             a brief interlude before more of Seeing Ireland thru the Irishman's eyes...]]></title><description><![CDATA[A funny thing happened on the way to writing the next installment of Seeing Ireland Through the Irishman’s Eyes. I was rummaging through the freezer, looking for edamame to toss into a salad of little gems and smoked trout, when I stumbled upon a forgotten treasure: a small piece of Irish Brown Bread I had baked weeks earlier. Before my trip, I had tucked myself into my tiny kitchen and made a fragrant, hearty loaf. The Irishman often speaks of the brown bread his mother would make, and...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/breaking-bread-irish-brown-bread-a-brief-interlude-before-more-of-seeing-ireland-thr</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6e8eae3e0c16484ff700b9</guid><pubDate>Fri, 19 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_71a985be4fb14320ba6615580f2c15dc~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A beautiful patchwork of green...              Fáilte go hÉirinn! (Welcome to Ireland!)]]></title><description><![CDATA[As the plane dipped toward Dublin, I pressed my forehead to the small window and felt my breath catch. Below me stretched a patchwork quilt of green brilliant, textured, velvet-like fields that shimmered in the mist. I had never seen anything like it. Ireland was already beautiful from the sky, and I hadn’t even touched the ground. At immigration, the officer studied my passport.“What brings you to Ireland?” he asked.“I have the luck of seeing Ireland through the eyes of an Irishman,” I...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/a-beautiful-patchwork-of-green-f%C3%A1ilte-go-h%C3%A9irinn-welcome-to-ireland</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6e9de02aa0dd3fa16663e9</guid><pubDate>Sun, 07 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_b4432a4d310e4273a54da9bde221e553~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_974,h_318,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Get your Ceviche on...                               Cinco de Mayo is this Sunday...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Ceviche: a dish that divides the masses. Some adore it, while others simply do not like it. Personally, I fall into the former category and let me tell you, it's a breeze to whip up. If you're a fellow ceviche enthusiast, why not treat yourself to a batch this weekend? With Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, picture yourself sipping on mezcal margaritas, indulging in homemade guacamole, and savoring ceviche with warm, salty tortilla chips. And of course, what's a fiesta without the company...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/get-your-ceviche-on-cinco-de-mayo-is-this-sunday</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6ea2752aa0dd3fa1666e3a</guid><pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_513ddc6820a54f33bb43be4ed5c6f008~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Beef Bourguignon for Jake...                        may his memory be a blessing...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Apologies for the interruption, but this week's post is dedicated to Jake, a dear friend who passed away earlier last week. He left us way too soon and way too young. Jake was a kind-hearted soul with a killer sense of humor who enjoyed a good drink and a delicious meal.  During the pandemic, I cooked for anyone who asked, especially friends, and Jake was one of the lucky recipients. Beef bourguignon was a regular feature on the menu, and it quickly became Jake's absolute favorite. He loved...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/beef-bourguignon-for-jake-may-his-memory-be-a-blessing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6ea3c83e0c16484ff73c57</guid><pubDate>Wed, 24 Apr 2024 02:04:07 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_955f7f3bd17a446eae05b8f9e81cbf33~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Happy Birthday to the Irishman...     Laughter, Irish Coffees to go and of course a birthday cake...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Over the weekend, the Irishman marked another trip around the sun, another year filled with wisdom, laughter, motorcycles, writing, adventures, and mischief. His birthday wishes? First, Irish Coffees to go from the Buena Vista Café. But before the adventures could begin, I baked the Irishman a birthday cake, a Chocolate Weekend Gateau, to be exact. I used to make this dense, flourless chocolate cake when I was the Pastry Chef at Stars Restaurant in San Francisco. Flourless chocolate cake is a...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/happy-birthday-to-the-irishman-laughter-irish-coffees-to-go-and-of-course-a-birthday-cake</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6ea63a3e0c16484ff741c6</guid><pubDate>Tue, 09 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_f80a1eb8a0dc48519318e992f1bf737b~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Baby, It's cold outside...                                 and burning the midnight oil...]]></title><description><![CDATA[These past few weeks have felt like an eternity. The Irishman has been knee-deep in a project that has him rising at dawn and burning the midnight oil. Meanwhile, I've been tying up loose ends on a consulting gig of my own and gearing up for the exciting relaunch of a baking company I started during the pandemic. But more on that juicy tidbit later. As you can probably guess, my once-beloved kitchen has been eerily quiet lately. Instead of whipping up gourmet meals, we've been surviving on a...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/baby-it-s-cold-outside-and-burning-the-midnight-oil</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6ead572aa0dd3fa166899b</guid><pubDate>Fri, 05 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_eb978f80ca694fb9bc436877c9fe3500~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What's your hunger factor?                             Soup for the Soul...]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Irishman is known for his unique catchphrases, and one of my personal favorites is "What’s your hunger factor?" It's safe to say that whenever he poses this question, his stomach is likely growling, or he's already past the rumble stage of hunger and needs food in his belly immediately. Despite my food adventures and obsession with everything culinary, the Irishman and I typically only indulge in one hearty meal a day, whether hanging out together or not. It is not quite the healthiest...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/what-s-your-hunger-factor-soup-for-the-soul</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6fc2bb16cff318c18619b6</guid><pubDate>Mon, 25 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_858653aff0044650b2bbab205ae674a6~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Pie for Pi Day...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Pi Day, the annual celebration of the mathematical constant π, falls on March 14th because 3, 1, and 4 are this magical number's first three significant figures. This quirky holiday was first cooked up in San Francisco in 1988 by Larry Shaw, a brainiac working at the Exploratorium Science Museum. And get this - it just happens to be the same day as Albert Einstein's birthday! What a deliciously nerdy coincidence! But Pi Day isn't just about numbers and birthdays. Oh no, my friends. It's...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/a-pie-for-pi-day</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6fc6243e0c16484ff9fde9</guid><pubDate>Thu, 14 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_8c394f47c81140d59650c36fe310aff5~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[If it's Monday it must be Carnitas...]]></title><description><![CDATA[For several days, I have been craving carnitas.  My mind has been consumed with perfectly crispy, salty, fatty pieces of porky goodness, topped with spicy tomatillo salsa,  fresh cilantro, crumbled queso fresco, and a squeeze of zesty lime juice, all snugly wrapped in a warm, slightly charred corn tortilla. Can you blame me for obsessing over this mouthwatering masterpiece? When cravings like this strike, there's no time to waste—I need those carnitas on my dinner table pronto. Lucky for me,...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/if-it-s-monday-it-must-be-carnitas</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6fca2c2aa0dd3fa1693f28</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_6c84cb1678dd49a7b766640af887ed42~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Fresh Lemon Cake and that sexy drip...]]></title><description><![CDATA[I was a featured chef in the Cookbook Tastes of the South Bay a few years back. The cookbook is a compilation of mouth-watering recipes and menus from the top chefs in the Los Angeles South Bay region. The mastermind behind the book was Jen Dunbar (whom I met when she became a loyal customer of my shop, Cake Bakeshop); Jen lovingly nudged me to break out of my comfort zone. It was a nerve-wracking yet exhilarating journey, and I am forever grateful to Jen for giving me that extra push. I...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/the-fresh-lemon-cake-and-that-sexy-drip</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6fd5ef3e0c16484ffa2556</guid><pubDate>Wed, 28 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_475d4a3a375b45098711dceccd9a7ae4~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[My Scones are better than yours...                     A battle of scones... or is it???]]></title><description><![CDATA[Legend has it that the Irishman would set up a tray each night for his Mum and Dad. He would place a steaming pot of tea, scones, Irish butter, and homemade blackberry or strawberry jam on that tray. In the early days, the Irishman's Mum would make the scones with the Irishman by her side. As time passed, the  Irishman grew more skilled and independent and took charge of the scone-making himself. The Irishman’s scones were traditional scones made with Irish butter, plump raisins, or black...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/my-scones-are-better-than-yours-a-battle-of-scones-or-is-it</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6fe2d83e0c16484ffa492e</guid><pubDate>Fri, 16 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_4bafec2f91f64810990237d0a1d3c954~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[No pictures please...                                         a delicious dinner with friends...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Over the weekend, the Irishman and I were dinner hosts to dear friends at the Irishman’s home. I cooked, and the Irishman set his usual beautiful table and kept the wine and music flowing throughout the night. That was the easy part… deciding what to serve was difficult. As I have often cooked for these friends, I wanted to cook something I had not yet cooked for them, and of course, it had to align with the Irishman’s palete. After coffee on the stoop, we decided that filet mignon would be...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/no-pictures-please-a-delicious-dinner-with-friends</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6fe47f3e0c16484ffa4e23</guid><pubDate>Mon, 29 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_7501e4992302416497f86e9a67fba89a~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Would you like some eggs with that?            A simple frittata recipe...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Last weekend, the Irishman hosted a proper Irish breakfast for friends.  All the usual suspects were there: rashers, white and black pudding, sausages, Brennan’s bread with plenty of Irish butter (I get my traditional Irish ingredients from Food Ireland.com), sautéed mushrooms, fried eggs for those that wanted, and, of course, Mimosas.  One of the friends had kindly let us know that there was a vegetarian among us and hoped that would not be an issue considering the “meat parade” that would...]]></description><link>https://www.feedingtheirishman.com/post/would-you-like-some-eggs-with-that-a-simple-frittata-recipe</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6ff9412aa0dd3fa169baf6</guid><pubDate>Sun, 21 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08e018_490c1b44e38a400a9ead8fb1d715d595~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>laura mayer</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>