I'm actually doing it! My potato bread is vastly improved now that I know to make it thicker and my soda bread is a great success.... and so easy to make!!
Voila!! Ain't that a pretty sight!
I have to say though the tips from "my wee butcher" made all the difference! (Read on)
Despite Belfast being a reasonable sized city I experienced a real small town feel while I was there. It was a great novelty to walk up to the corner of the street and call into the butcher and baker to collect goodies to include in the breakast fry. It was not just the convenience of it but the banter that was part of the service.
My first visit went something like this...
My wee butcher (MWB) : Ach love how can I helpye?
Me: Good morning! I'd like half a dozen breakfast sausages, halfdozen slices black pudding, halfdozen white pudding and halfdozen of vege roll please.
MWB: Surely. Where's that accent from then? Australia?
Me: Nope.... New Zealand, I'm a kiwi!
MWB: Well then! What are you doing here now?
Me: I'm here to visit my fella's family and to learn to make a proper Ulster fry!! I'm an apprentice Frier!!
MWB: Well then - there's a qualification to aim for!!
..... and so the conversation moved on to explaining how we can't get the breads at home in NZ and that I would have to make them. I explained I now knew I'd been making my potato bread too thin and hadn't yet attempted making soda bread.
MWB: Oh!! Soda bread is the easiest thing in the world... it's so easy I don't bother my wifey with it and I can make my own. Just don't fuss with it, mix 'er up and pop it in the oven. Simple!!
Well... I gleaned a few more tips as well before I wandered back to the house to cook up the fry. What a nice way that was to start the day!!
The next time I visited MWB was a few days later. I was back to stock up on all the breakfast meats. I walked into the shop as it was opening to a warm welcome!!
MWB: Good morning! It's the apprentice fryer!! Well love, yer up early then aren't ye?
It was 9 o'clock in the morning and I'd been awake since dawn! These people have no concept of the early bird!!
Me: Early? Nah... I was up with the birds.
MWB: Why's that then? Have ye got a guilty conscience?
Ha!! Brilliant!! Again I got the run-down on the weather and a few more fry hints before I was off with my wee baggie o meaty goodness. If we'd stayed longer and I went to that wee butcher a third time I believe I'd have just about known his life story... although I don't beleive I ever got his name! It's certainly a refreshing change to the impersonal supermarkets and stores in Auckland and I have to say I miss it already. It is no wonder farmers markets are starting to flourish here in NZ.
In the meantime ... the butchers around here will profit for it as I try and recreate the experience here! I've already found one butcher that we enjoy the bacon from and another where we will get our black pudding in the future.... the search continues!!
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