A PERFECT DAY

One of the things I love most about being in Daisy Cottage is its proximity to the sea and of course all the seafood easily available.

Saturday was one of those days when we took time to get out and about and enjoy these benefits of the area.

Freshly caught fish in Killybegs

In nearby Killybegs we went to the little fish van on the pier to buy some fish which had been freshly caught the night before.  We picked a fine big piece of sea trout and I can tell you that when we later ate it, cooked simply with a dash of olive oil, some salt and a grind of fresh pepper, it was just as delicious as you would expect such a fresh piece of fish to taste.  For those interested I served it with a few baby potatoes, some sprouting broccoli and French beans.  Perfect.

At the pier in Killybegs it was quite windy and the salt sea air was so moreish you just wanted to stand there and breathe deeply, savouring and enjoying it.

After enjoying the sea air for a while we decided to drive over to Donegal Town for a spot of lunch.  As usual, even at this time of year, Donegal Town had a fair few tourists around.  We decided to eat in The Olde Castle Bar which is just beside O'Donnells Castle (Donegal Castle).  It's a lovely little bar with lots of nooks and crannies to sit in, making dining there comfortable and warm.

Seafood Chowder

We both went for the seafood chowder to start with and can report that it was creamy and flavoursome with lots of chunks of fish and shell fish and even a tiny fish made of pastry floating on the top.  It was served with brown scone bread and butter.

Crab and Smoked Salmon Salad

Chicken Wrapped in Bacon and Filled with Mozarella

For our main courses we chose a couple of dishes from the 'daily specials' and I had a local crab and smoked salmon salad (once again served with brown scone bread and butter) and himself had a dish of roast chicken wrapped with bacon and stuffed with mozarella, served with champ potatoes.  Both dishes were delicious and for me to say chicken is delicious is really something as I don't usually like chicken.

The bill for the two chowder, two main courses and a bottle of fizzy water and a bottle of still water (which we call half and half because we take half a bottle of each each and mix to make a drink that is refreshing but not overly fizzy) came to €40.45.  Tipping is optional by the way, but as the service is excellent of course we left one.

A warm welcome in McIntyre's Bar

Later, back in Dunkineely, we wandered down the street from Daisy Cottage into McIntyre's Bar where a big roaring fire welcomed us in from the cold air.  Locals had gathered around the bar and the craic, as they say, was mighty.  Helped along by a perfect Guinness.

Ah, Guinness ...

The end of a perfect day in Daisy Cottage!