A quick stop in Cookstown

We headed from Bushmills to Cookstown, and according the name we looked for a place where is served a good food besides a good beer. We found a restaurant, inside a hotel, where we made our tummies happy of delicious Irish dishes. Let us to dream about a slice of salmon (which we were ready to order, but it was out of the order unfortunately). Bros Seegers decided for a slice of meat, and I? Hmm, the Big Fresh Atlantic Sea Trout…

Thanks to a curvey road, we passed through “Oh my Ghosh”, and “Ennes Killen” this late afternoon. The road was more a two way tiny lanes then a real road that we are use to. It was ten past eight, when we get back to Sligo (the Town that will always stay as trouble town in my mind), and agreed spend tonight in one of many Double Bee’s Accommodation that our handy travel book recommended. Believe it or not, we knocked on more than ten doors to ask for any room for tonight, but no vacancies, some of the BeeBee’s were completely dark, some of them don’t do business this part of season, others had a sign on the door, not even the Hostel was open… What is it about this Town, if doesn’t do business with tourism? Kinda weird! After three hours we were getting tired of looking for a place to stay, and looked as far as to drive all night long, although we didn’t need to drive farther than Galway. We had one more option, the last one… drive slow, all night long, switch each other as drivers, and stop by the road to take nap if necessary. Gas station is probably closes about 10 pm in this surrounding…we don’t have much gas. Oops, what now? Once more across town to see if we missed any hotels… Yup, a hotel is the last option to have a roof above our heads for tonight, if we don’t count the car’s roof. It is the last chance to keep ourselves in a cotton nest, return the car on time, and in right place. And? Let’s go to celebrate! Philee’s Big Day is upcoming as fast as the New Year celebration, as well.

Recipe of the Day

In Ireland the salmon is considered the King of Fish and there is an blessing which says, "May you be as healthy as the salmon". Although poaching is the most usual Irish way of cooking salmon, Baked Salmon provides a rich dinner party dish.

Baked Salmon

A 4 to 4,5 lb whole fresh salmon, cleaned, trimed and de-scaled
1 shallot or very small onion, peeled and quartered
6 springs of fresh parsley
A walnut of butter
Salt and white pepper
1/4 pint white wine or dry cider
1/2 pint double cream
Juice of half a lemon

Set oven to 350°F or Mark 4. Place the onion and parsley in the salmon cavity and place the fish in a well buttered ovenproof dish. Dot with butter, season, then pour over the wine or cider. Cover and bake for 15 minutes to the pound, basting from time to time. About 15 to 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time pour the cream. Carefully place the cooked salmon on a serving dish and keep warm. Strain the liquid into a saucepan and reduce slightly, stirring all the time. Add the limon juice, heat through and pour a little over the salmon. Serve the remainder separately in a sauceboat. Garnish the salmon with parsley springs and lemon slices and serve accompained by boiled potatoes and green peas. Serves 4 to 6.