I don’t drink alcohol. I’m not opposed to drinking alcohol. I just cannot stand the taste of it.
And I can’t tell you how many times people have said to me here try this, you can’t taste the alcohol! And every single time, I assure you, I can taste the alcohol. I think I have an aversion to fermentation.
So then along comes Ireland. I’ve tried the obligatory sip of alcohol there and even with the magic of Ireland, I can’t stand the taste of alcohol.
One lovely wet day in Ireland we found a nice bakery cafe and went upstairs hoping to watch over the foot traffic below us in Galway. We couldn’t get a window seat so we sat at a table below a portrait of a man who may have been the original proprietor of the establishment. There were a few portraits of the man and his wife. I enjoyed the setting and imagined the history. We took our time with hot tea and good food eventually feeling full and content, we moved back down to the street to walk off our meal.
After only a few steps we came across a very nice man handing out ice cream samples. We stopped to talk with him. I was full and could not have eaten another bite of anything. My husband enjoyed the ice cream sample, and we both enjoyed his pleasant demeanor and humor. We promised to come back after walking around some.
We walked. It rained. We went back.
A beautiful young woman was working in the ice cream shop, Murphy’s Ice Cream. (Located in both Galway and Dingle.) Her name is Lapree. If for no other reason go to these places and meet some lovely people.
Or go for the ice cream.
My husband told Lapree he had talked to the man handing out ice cream, she called for Richard. And we met Richard proper.
My husband got the ice cream Richard was giving samples for. I kept looking in the display. “Whiskey” caught my eye. I asked if that was real whiskey in ice cream. Richard said yes. I kept looking and he said “do you want to try a taste?”
I said “can you taste the whiskey?” Richard, with Irish and a smile in his voice, assured me I could. I told him yes, I would like to taste it. I liked that he didn’t try to convince me I wouldn’t be able to taste it.
I tasted it.
And yes, you can taste the whiskey.
The initial taste gave me that all too familiar “I don’t like alcohol” feeling. But it quickly disappeared into a this ice cream is incredible! feeling.
I ordered a scoop of it.
We spent some time in the shop talking and getting to know Richard and Lapree both. My husband and I were both impressed with their kindness and charm and their willingness to entertain a couple of tourists on a rainy day.
We had both wanted to give them a book. I had one book left to give away and it was in our car. We retrieved the book and again returned to the shop. They were so gracious and so kind about the book that I have to say that felt even better than the amazing ice cream tasted.
I may not be a connoisseur of fine whiskeys but I can hold my own with ice cream. And this place is a must. But not because of the fine ice cream.
The fine people are worth the visit.
And if you ever go to Murphy’ Ice Cream in Galway, tell Richard and Lapree I said “hi!”
And try the whiskey ice cream.
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