• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Snapchat
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

MsMarmiteLover

  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegan
  • Travel
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • UK
  • Wine
  • Gardens
  • Supperclubs/Events
  • About
    • Press
    • Books
  • Shop
    • Cart

Belfast: smell the sea and feel the sky

February 9, 2012 6 Comments Filed Under: Gardens, Uncategorized

breakfast in belfast

At Saturday night’s dinner at the Red Currant Supper Club in Belfast, we got to discussing the Reverend Ian Paisley.

“You won’t hear a word against him from his constituents”, said the woman opposite. “If there’s a death in the family, he’ll be there”.“Either side? Catholic or protestant?” I queried.
“Yes”, she nodded “Catholics too. He’s the most extraordinary constituency politician in the world“. She said ‘in the world’ loudly to make sure I knew she meant precisely that.
The journalist next to me recounted how she, along with 3000 others, attended his last sermon on January 27th this year. “He was so frail. They heaved him to his feet. He started weakly but then got his… blood up… the voice got stronger. He’s fire and brimstone, the kind of preacher they don’t make anymore. All the ladies wore hats, like at a wedding, or Ascot, but in black.”

I wanted to go to church on the Sunday. To see the last few ladies in mantillas in the Catholic churches, to see the Iris Robinson Presbyterians writhing on the floor and speaking in tongues.
It’s strange to be in a country where God and his team colours, be they orange or green, matter so very much. You have to watch yourself. The tourist must resist the rude urge of wanting to ask each soul: “Catholic or proddie?”. People from there just know, from the accent (the pronounced ‘h’ or not), the name, the part of town they came from, probably other clues.
I was pulled up for calling everything by the wrong name. Ireland or Eire is ‘The Republic’. ‘Northern Ireland’ is acceptable terminology, although ‘Ulster’ probably isn’t. Saying ‘The Union’ is counter-intuitive because it doesn’t mean union between Northern and Southern Ireland, it means the union of six British counties. Do not say ‘mainland’ either when talking about the larger island looming next door.
Around the table that night I also cupped my ear to the variety of accents from Belfast to Donegal and Cork (which sounded almost German, although some linguists say it is the nearest relic of Elizabeth English). This small island has so many voices.

the crown pub, belfast

the crown pub, belfast
teacups, belfast supper club
walls, belfast

belfast money

belfast supper club

Interface belfast
Interface

The last time I went to Belfast was during a period known by the winsome euphemism ‘The Troubles’. It was during the marching season; my knees shook as I took photos of satin-sashed men, the bright orange fringes punching through the darkened sky which span with black saucers, bowler hats thrown aloft in protest. The swirling atmosphere was terrifying. A young punk, I was loudly denounced as a police spy by a wild-eyed old lady. Sinn Fein ‘We Ourselves’ arranged white clothed tables bang in the middle of the road; hosting surreal street tea parties, giant teapots, shoulders like pottery urns, stood proud, manned and poured by guitarists strumming songs. The Catholics possess innate PR skills and deft left-handed wit and romance.
Today, at the George Best (Northern Irish, Protestant, did ye know?) Belfast City airport sells green shamrocked ‘Irish’ souvenirs rather than British flags and postcards of ‘No surrender’ murals.
Belfast isn’t, with the best will in the world, pretty. But it is interesting. Conflict and disaster are part of the Belfast brand, you can do taxi tourism of former hot spots and the Titanic was built here. Fifteen years ago, you had to pass army check points to go shopping downtown. People didn’t go out and the habit of staying local hasn’t quite dissipated.
I stayed with my hosts, Clare and Siobahn, in their beautiful home in North Belfast, an ‘interface’ area. While West Belfast is predominantly Catholic and East Belfast is loyalist, North Belfast is mixed: catholic and protestant live cheek by jowl, a patchwork delicately negotiated by knowledgeable inhabitants. I tried to walk up to the Antrim Road, bent against the freezing rain, following Google maps on my iphone. Google maps, however, does not take into account ‘peace walls’; walls of hoardings, a large proportion of which have been put up since the Good Friday peace agreement, designed to cut off one community from the other, one even splitting up a local park. Getting closer and realising the pedestrian gate was locked, I sighed and turned back to the main road.

“How do I get to the Antrim Road?”, I asked a young man. “There’s a peace wall up ahead so I can’t go down that way”.“Aye, it’s to keep the scum out”, he winked. “Best take a taxi”.‘What type of scum would that be?’ I thought, but didn’t dare ask.
On the Antrim road, I dried off in a corner pub. “Are you ok?”, texted Clare. “You aren’t in the UDA pub down the road are you?”

I was in a Catholic pub, it turns out, eating Cheese and Onion Tayto crisps and sipping a snail drawn pint of Guinness to a background of ‘Dirty ole Town’. I was the only woman in there.
Red Currant supper club is run by three good friends; Clare, Siobahn and Justin. Clare bakes her own bread (every two days, “my mummy taught me”), butter comes from a local dairy, vegetables are often from their own plots. Siobahn Craig runs community gardening project Grow, which is how she met Justin Nicholl, a local father who is bringing up three boys while his wife works as a teacher. Despite the prejudices of fundamentalist Christians prevalent in Northern Ireland, who insist that being gay can and should be ‘cured’, there are at present only two supper clubs in Belfast and they are both run by lesbians who love gardening. This is pure coincidence, they don’t even know each other.
Sarah who used to host Plot15 (named after their allotment) with her female partner but they separated and she now runs Studio 37 supper club . Her new partner, Dawn is the sister of James of @cakesbyjames who trained with Bea Vo of Beas of Bloomsbury; they both run the excellent walk up bakery/tea room in the centre of Belfast.

The Northern Irish musician, Van Morrison, is from an Ulster Scots family in Belfast. Coincidentally, he was playing at The Odyssey the weekend I was there. I would have loved to have gone, I was brought up on Van. My dad took me to see him at Knebworth musical festival during my childhood. Justin gave me the Van Morrison tour, through Cypress Avenue, to where Van would walk home the richer girls from school, to his tiny working man’s terraced house, past all the gleaming glass of Van’s early job ‘Cleaning Windows’.

Here is a slideshow of my visit with some songs from Van Morrison. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed my visit to Belfast.

Visit: 
Red Currant supper club: (monthly)
Studio 37 supper club (3/4 times a month)
Cakes by James (tea room)
CoCouture gourmet chocolate

Yellow man dipped in chocolate
Yellow man dipped in chocolate
Chocolate Madeleines

Chocolate Madeleines

Recent posts

Emily O'Hare serving pasta at an al fresco dinner in La Torre Alle Tolfe, just outside Siena in Tuscany pic; Kerstin Rodgers

Visiting Tuscany, Chianti, sommelier Emily O’Hare and the world’s most famous butcher

August 4, 2022

The Palio in Siena, Italy: curses and horses

July 28, 2022

Local vegetarian recipes from Naples and Campania

July 23, 2022

Previous Post: « Review: Making A Garden, by Matthew Wilson
Next Post: My bloody Valentines »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anonymous

    February 9, 2012 at 9:34 pm

    SO pleased you enjoyed Blefast!

    Reply
  2. Fiona Beckett

    February 9, 2012 at 9:39 pm

    Brilliant, evocative post. I haven't been there for 10 years or so but still remember the sense of shock driving round. The thought that this was part of the UK. It felt like a war zone in places but for all that I had a great time.

    Reply
  3. Sigit Herbal

    February 11, 2012 at 4:11 am

    nice photo..

    Reply
  4. Catherine

    February 13, 2012 at 11:07 am

    Very interesting slide show. Thanks! Have been to Eire a few times but never north. Was the honeycomb in the hot chocolate the cinder type you can get here? I now need to go and get some Taytos at the Irish shop down the road from me. You won't have a problem in Kilburn.

    Reply
  5. canalcook

    February 16, 2012 at 1:32 pm

    Beautiful post. Despite growing up in Dublin, and my Granny being Northern Irish, have never properly been to Belfast.

    Reply
  6. Gerry Snape

    February 27, 2012 at 3:03 pm

    Oh my how you have taken me back to Belfast…my home city!! My nephew is the chef at Bert's Jazz Bar and we are such a foody family and that really comes from all the "Wee suppers" that our mum's gave as we grew up. I remember once making toast when mum was out and my father couldn't believe that I hadn't brought in ….wheaten bread, scones, fruit cake and victoria sponge!!
    happy days! thankyou for that.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Anonymous Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

Subscribe to my mailing list

msmarmitelover

Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
Grilled Manouri cheese (like halloumi but not rubb Grilled Manouri cheese (like halloumi but not rubbery and less salty) with watermelon, spruce oil and tarragon. #salad #summervibes
I went to @hide_restaurant in Piccadilly, they are I went to @hide_restaurant in Piccadilly, they are now doing breakfast & brunch. The restaurant design is stunning in itself, from the gaudi-esque central staircase, to the table decorations, to the uniforms of the waiting staff. Chef @olliedabous has developed an incredible menu: from standards like avocado on toast (beautifully presented with edible flowers & 2 lightly poached eggs), pain au chocolat (buckwheat), french toast with blueberry compote ( cloud-like, soft, light), British @exmoorcaviar with sourdough, mango with kefir lime zest, an extraordinary tea & coffee menu ( Brazilian single estate coffee) Yuzu indigo tea. You can spend a lot. Or a little. Worth it for the design, the baking, the feeling of experiencing a rare treat. #london #breakfast #brunch #review #invitation
My niece @rachaelrodgers wedding to Luca Venezia @ My niece @rachaelrodgers wedding to Luca Venezia @cursesforever. It’s been featured in US vogue. Style, good food, great music, stunning backgrounds of mount vesuvius & Naples were the order of the day. Or should I say 3 days which is how long it lasted. The bride wore white but it was a vintage @viviennewestwood corset (one of only 5 existing, the other 3 are in fashion museums), and a flowery bikini to cut the delicious rose 🌹 and cherry 🍒 cake. Hawaiian barbie & La Cicciolina were inspirations. The guests were equally stunning. #naples #wedding #bridestyle
Air fryer recipe: aubergine sticks with yoghurt an Air fryer recipe: aubergine sticks with yoghurt and tahini sauce. Aubergines 🍆 soak up a lot of oil so an air fryer is a great way to minimise the calorific content. They tasted just as delicious! Recipe here: https://msmarmitelover.com/2022/06/air-fryer-recipe-aubergine-sticks-with-yoghurt-tahini-sauce.html I only used a couple of tablespoons of olive oil rather than a gallon. Going to play about with some other recipes. #airfryer #recipe I got my air fryer here: https://www.very.co.uk/electricals/cooking-appliances/fryers/e/b/4571.end it’s an extra large with 2 drawers.
This is a new dish I’ve invented called, ahem, p This is a new dish I’ve invented called, ahem, patatas nachas. Underneath is a layer of potatoes fried in olive oil. On top nachos with cheese, salsa, guacamole, creme fraiche, rajas. It’s a mash up of patatas bravas and nachos. There is a brilliant book out with 75 nachos variations by @tfimb called nachos for dinner. Nachos are quick tasty & if you add other elements- filling. #nachos #dinner
Ciambotta which is an Italian version of ratatouil Ciambotta which is an Italian version of ratatouille but with fried potato. Recipes here: https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/things-to-do/food-reviews/three-neapolitan-vegetarian-recipes-9147040 #naples #recipe #vegetarian
Aqua Sale, a fisherman’s meal in campania. ‘Yo Aqua Sale, a fisherman’s meal in campania. ‘You take dry bread, put it in a colander, put it in the sea, drain it, add tomatoes, oil, oregano and this is a meal. Every family had a dried bread drawer.’ I was told. I used basil and made my own ‘sea water’ by adding salt to fresh water. Recipe in the @ham&high and on the blog soon. #aquasale #breadsalad #cucinapovera #tomatoes #heatwavefood
Zeppoline, deep-fried pizza doughnuts with seaweed Zeppoline, deep-fried pizza doughnuts with seaweed - a Neapolitan dish I had in a local trattoria in a sweltering narrow street. Served hot in a basket, I tore them up and dipped them in oil & lemon juice. Recipe in the ham and high and on the blog soon. #recipe #naples #fried
Being silly at last night’s picnic for my sister Being silly at last night’s picnic for my sister in laws birthday in waterlow park. A rolypoly race. 
I’ve not been feeling great the past few days, sniffles, headache, sore throat. I took a test after the picnic just to be on the safe side & sure enough I finally caught the dreaded covid. 
When I feel better I’ll return to Italy.
This vegetarian met the worlds most famous butcher This vegetarian met the worlds most famous butcher @dariocecchinimacellaio whose shop is located in Panzano, Tuscany. He trained my favourite food writer @bill.buford in butchery. I told him I didn’t eat meat & he twinkled ‘to beef or not to beef’. He has a Clark Gable elegance: moustache, slicked back hair, charm, & a designer shirt depicting cows from @cotondoux paris. I instinctively wore a red & white striped dress which matched the colours of his shop, the red & white of the surgeon. They serve you glasses of Dario’s own Chianti Classico complete with straw bottomed ‘fiasco’. Now where else do you get that? When I return I will try the vegetarian menu at his restaurant opposite. #butcher #panzano #tuscany #chiantishire #chianticlassico #foodsiena #foodreportage
On a very steep street in siena, Tuscany. They’v On a very steep street in siena, Tuscany. They’ve had to be creative with the table legs. We went to the Palio horse race in the shell-shaped piazza where the passion & downright enmity of the different contrada or districts, each represented by an animal or mascot, was on display. The riders go bareback. It’s the horse that wins not the jockey. A riderless horse can win. There are many false starts, a massive explosion going boom in the square each time which led kids to cry. We waited for hours in the cheap seats- the burnt ochre brickwork of the centre. While tourists at windows paid 600 euros for the privilege. I loved the singing, like football chants but operatic- lots of finger pointing at each other. After I went to a contrada dinner on the streets of Siena, a rare opportunity. For 35 euros you attend the largest ‘supper club’ ever- 800 people, 4 courses, generous helpings of chianti. The servers are local teenagers. I wore my ‘Oca’ or goose scarf around my shoulders, looking like a girl guide. A bucket list item ticked off. I only wish my daughter @siennamarla was with me. #travel #food #italy #chiantishire #siena #palio #supperclub #oca #contrada
Looking at vegetables in Italy. Photo by @loredana Looking at vegetables in Italy. Photo by @loredanaparisi72
My piece in the @hamandhigh about the 3 day @heat My piece in the @hamandhigh about the  3 day @heathostile training course. Incredibly interesting & challenging. Link: https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/things-to-do/hostile-environment-training-9037980 to read more #hostileenvironmenttraining
Supper club dishes from Saturday: pickled beetroot Supper club dishes from Saturday: pickled beetroot eggs, cheeseboard, stracciatella & cucumber, tomato/strawberry/peashoot salad with real balsamic & spruce oil, home cured dill gravlax, smoked salmon, homemade sourdough crisp bread, potato salad with wild fennel & lots more! #supperclub #midsummer #eattherainbow (miss you @linnsoederstroem)
Last nights supper club. My first supper club in 2 Last nights supper club. My first supper club in 2 years was great fun. I’m pleased with my food, the guests were lovely, it looked magical in the garden. But the weather! I even had to bring my duvets from the bedroom out. They looked like refugees. But this brought even more laughter! Next event September
My first supperclub in two years will take place t My first supperclub in two years will take place this Saturday 18th June starting at 7.30pm. Tickets are £50 byo you can book here: https://msmarmitelover.com/product/midsommar-supper-club there are still a few places left. Pescetarian menu. Scandi and botanical influences. #gettingbackonmyfeet #postpandemic #smallbusinesses #supperclub #london
I recently completed the 3 day @heathostile train I recently completed the 3 day  @heathostile training course. On the last day I was kidnapped by ex-special forces for a few hours & learnt how to deal with compliance training & a hostile environment. It was one of the most interesting experiences of my life. 3 intense days of combat first aid, navigation & how to survive in a war zone. I handled short, long guns, mortars, grenades, bullets, and tourniquet & bandaged an amputee. I learnt where to sit in a car, where to hide from a bullet, where to protect myself if in a car. It was brilliant. Highly recommended for any journalists, photographers, cameramen, charity workers, paramedics going into any difficult environment say a disaster or war. The stories from the tutors & the other participants were so interesting. My piece on it out soon. Book a course: https://hostile-environment.co.uk/  They also do jungle & desert training. I’d love to join the Antarctic expedition. Anyway that’s me hooded in the front. #adventures #het #hostileenvironmenttraining #experiences #travel
Bundoran beach, Donegal. I spent a week knocking o Bundoran beach, Donegal. I spent a week knocking on doors, going to libraries, searching through graveyards for my Irish forebears. It’s really hard to find information prior to 1850. I found this in last years trip to Arbroath in Scotland. Headstones wear out, records are lost or burnt in a fire, everybody has the same name and are known by nicknames, successive children have the same first name, that usually means they died and the next one is called by the same thing. Women did have children out of wedlock, and people remarried more often than you’d think, plus families fall out & never see each other again. I learnt that my Irish great grandfather michael went to Glasgow & met a woman who came from a similar place: somewhere wild & beautiful by the sea. Then they and their children came to london. Chasing the work & the money always. Politics and economics matter for they push people around from rural to city. And now we rodgers are Londoners. #ireland #scotland #family #travel #roots
How some of us celebrate the Queen’s jubilee! My How some of us celebrate the Queen’s jubilee! My sister & a random Irishman come for the Rory Gallagher festival in ballyshannon. Sis has pulled already!  #getyourcoat #sexpistols #ballyshannon #rorygallagherfestival #ireland
Tullaghan, county Leitrim, Donegal, where my grea Tullaghan, county Leitrim, Donegal,  where my great great grandfather john Rodgers was a postman, then a tailor, then a pawnbroker. #irishheritage #donegal #myancestry #irish #rodgers #travel
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Archives

Copyright © 2022 msmarmitelover