Writing With My Mouth Full

Biking to Maghera Beach and to Sligo (2004 Archives)

At first I doubted that my body could do a second bike tour–cold and wet while fighting strong winds and pedaling downhill. When I saw the itineraryâ€”fifteen miles from Glencolumbkille to Maghera Beach, passing through Glengesh Passâ€”I was prepared to accept the helpful van rides along the bike route. But it was probably our guide Johnny Daly’s infectious laugh that brought the sun out the morning of our first meeting in Glencolumbkille. For the first time during my week-long trip to Ireland, I thought that the sun would stay out, and it actually did!

From Millstone B&B, I biked on concrete and dirt tracks, passed by flocks of sheep, and had an amazing view of open bog, dotted only by a handful of small houses and miles and miles of dry stone walls. At times, I stopped to take photographs or to stay out of the way of some of the most aggressive sheep I’ve ever encountered. (I still laugh every time I think about how they tried to scare me off track!) Only once did I have to walk my bike, and that was uphill near Maghera Beach.

We walked the rest of the way to the dunes and the caves of Maghera. The slabs of quartzite rocks were spectacularâ€”a testament to the power of erosionâ€”and the water was calm enough to let us walk on rippled sand.

Irish Cycling Safaris is unlike any other bike tour because you’re not forced to bike with a group. Much like Irish Cycle Tours, I was handed a map with directions to follow, and I was free to bike at my own pace. It was during this bike tour that I was able to experience quiet time, allowing myself to appreciate and take in Ireland the way I never expected after the first few days of mist and rain.

The Glencolumbkille Pilgrimage and the Slieve League (2004 Archives)

I’ve always been turned off by tour guides because from what I’ve experienced, they talk like broken records and they really just do it because it’s their job. Enter Sean Mullan of Walking and Talking in Ireland. He has been walking the walk and talking the talk for about five years, and it showed. Tours turn into experiences when you’re accompanied by someone who actually has a passion for the place you’re visiting. There are new lessons learned when your guide can answer every question you have without consulting any prepared speeches. Sean Mullan opened my eyes to this country I knew nothing about. An enlightening two-day tour, Walking and Talking in Ireland made me wish all tour companies operated Sean Mullan’s way.

We hiked Slieve League on the West Coast of Donegal, the highest sea cliffs in Europe known not only for its elevation but also its color: a range of brown to rust to orange and beautiful shades of green. Right from the beginning of our hike, we had an inspiring view of the cliffs, displaying miles of quartzites and slates that make up the mountain. We walked by unusual stacks of rocks known as the Giant’s Desk and Chair while the waves violently crashed against the cliffs thousands of feet below us.

From where we stood, we saw other groups continuing the hike along One Man’s Path to the summit. The Atlantic Ocean stretched miles beyond what our eyes could see. At times, I had to be careful when taking photographs because of the strong winds, but the hike was as exhilirating as anyone can imagine. Sean Mullan let us take in the viewâ€”a view I thought only the top of Waimea Canyon in Hawaii could provide. Thankfully, I was proven wrong.

We also traced the pilgrimage of one of Ireland’s three patron saints, Colm Cille, or St. Columba, believed to have driven away the demons of Donegal from the valley to the sea around 500 A.D. Gleann Cholm Cille, or Glencolumbkille, translates to the “valley of Colm Cille”, and every 9th of June, devotees stop at fifteen stations along the north side of the valley to touch the ancient inscribed stones and marked iron plaques for penance. We stopped by an old church and paid our respects at the small cemetery outside.

Among our other stops were the Folk Village Museum and the Napoleonic Tower. The Folk Village Museum exhibits rural Donegal lifestyle and was started by a local priest named Father James MacDyer in the 1950s. He provided jobs to the locals by encouraging them to set up craft cooperatives. It sells local wares and souvenirs and also houses the Tea House, where we took a break after walking along the beach. The Napoleonic Tower was built by the British to protect their country from an invasion by France through Ireland. The hike up to the tower took only under two hours, but we stayed a few extra minutes to rest and watch the sun go down. In true Irish fashion, we witnessed a dark cloud pour rain over the valley below us while we were simultaneously enjoying the soft glow of the afternoon sun on top.

Eggplant with Minced Pork Sauté

I was craving Chinese take-out for some reason–the bad, oily and saucy kind–and so my mouth watered when I read this recipe in the Sunday Times. I bought a large eggplant on my way home because our neighborhood supermarket doesn’t carry the small and thinner Asian kind. The large ones have darker and tougher purple skin, so I took more time simmering them here. As usual, I followed Harold McGee and salted the eggplant pieces after I sliced them. This draws out the moisture and collapses their spongy texture, so they don’t absorb all the oil when sauteing.

I realized I ran out of soy sauce when I was ready to make the sauce. I ended up using the kecap sambal in our pantry instead. It’s made of soy beans but also includes relish. I also used the last dollop of kochujang sauce I had in the fridge. Looks like I need to make a trip to Chinatown soon and restock my Asian pantry.

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, cut into smaller chunks
some ground pork
1 tbsp kecap sambal
1 1/2 tsps sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp kochujang sauce
2 stalks of scallions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
peanut oil
salt

1. Place the eggplant chunks in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the kecap sambal, sugar, kochujang sauce and cornstarch until the cornstarch dissolves. Set aside.
3. In a large wok, heat some of the peanut oil over high heat. SautÃ© garlic until golden brown. Add scallions and cook until soft. Add the pork and cook, stirring, until no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a plate.
4. Dab eggplant dry with paper towels. In the wok, heat some more oil over medium high until it just starts to smoke. Add the eggplant, and sautÃ© until lightly browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Add the sauce mixture. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Once the sauce thickens, add the pork back and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer until the sauce thickens and the eggplant is tender, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt.

Biking from Ballycastle to Portballintrae (2004 Archives)

We spent our first night in Ballycastle. During dinner, Ian from Irish Cycle Tours stopped by to introduce himself. The next morning, after my first Irish “brekkie” of bacon, eggs, grilled tomatoes, and black and white pudding, we biked from Ballycastle to Portballintrae and made our first stop at the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge off Ballintoy.

For my first bike tour ever, I was pretty surprised (and pleased) that all I had to do was rideâ€”I was free to follow the map that was given to me and pedal at my own pace. Everything was provided for, including a helmet and a small bag for our cameras and water bottles. The map mentioned a mile of uphill biking, but it failed to say that the next four miles had more than a dozen smaller hills! I was forced to walk my bike most of the time because I was not prepared for a full workout. My big Irish breakfast just went through me. The weather did not make it any easier; rain pelted my face, my raincoat was soaking wet against my back, and I was fighting 65-mile per hour winds. We were all pedaling downhill to make it to Carrick-a-Rede, which became the trip’s joke for the next seven days. I was disappointed with myself for not being strong enough to bike the entire way. I felt better, though, when I realized that no one in their right mind would push on with that weather, but I did!

From the parking lot, I had to walk about a mile downhill to catch a glimpse of the rope bridge, only to be stopped by one of the National Trust guards because of the strong winds. I saw how high and angry the surf was thousands of feet below, and it was probably best that they’d closed the gates. I walked back uphill to meet the rest of the group for tea instead. During tea, we all rested our butts off and read about Carrick-a-Rede. The rope bridge is eighty feet above the sea, and it provides access to the tiny island across the chasm for salmon fishermen. Carrick-a-Rede translates to “rock in the road,” the road being the sea migration route of the salmon. Across is Puffin Island, which supported a colony of puffin birds but has since been renamed Sheep Island because it was used to graze sheep after the birds moved on. We also saw from afar Rathlin Island, which is still inhabited by less than a hundred people whose ancestors have resided on Rathlin for hundreds of years.

The weather was not getting any better, so we all decided to give up our bikes and end our bike tour. We stored them in Ian’s van and instead drove by what is left of Dunseverick Castle, a castle from the 1500s said to have been visited by St. Patrick. We could have seen other small ruins on the island, but the call of a pint of Guinness was louder than any other tourist stop around us.

Baby Back Ribs Adobo

In Memories of Philippine Kitchens, Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan say that if you have to master a Filipino recipe, it has to be adobo. Adobo in Spanish-speaking countries refers to the oil, garlic and vinegar flavor. Each country has added its own touch to it, whether they be black peppercorns, marjoram or bay leaves, but if you ask a non-Filipino about a Filipino food they’ve tried and liked, adobo is most likely their answer.

It’s hard to get my father to teach me how he cooks his own version, since he cooks by tasting the dish until it’s just right. When Dexter and Jaime gave me a copy of the new book from the Cendrillon founders, I tried their baby back ribs recipe. I’ve cooked adobo before, but I have to say that they got it right in terms of measurements–all I had to do was double everything to feed four people a couple of servings apiece. I’m going to use this recipe as my own from now on.

Ingredients:
3 racks of baby back ribs, about 4 pounds
2 cups white vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
8 garlic cloves, minced
6 bay leaves
2 tsps black peppercorns
1 tsp red chili flakes
2 tsps rock salt

1. Using a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic and the peppercorns until they are coarsely grounded. Rub the ribs with salt, and then with the garlic and peppercorns mixture.
2. In a Dutch oven, mix vinegar, soy sauce, chili flakes and bay leaves using a wooden spoon. Add the ribs and marinate overnight, turning the ribs at least once so that the other side also gets some of the flavor.
3. When ready to cook, put Dutch oven over medium fire, uncovered, and let boil. Then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour to cook the ribs. Remove ribs to a baking dish when done. Reduce the sauce by increasing the heat and cooking it, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the sauce has somewhat thickened.
4. Broil the ribs for about 8 minutes, enough to give the top part a crust. Transfer to a plate and pour over the reduced sauce. Serve with steaming white rice.