Mary Jo Manzanares

While our thoughts to turn Ireland in March because of St. Patrick’s Day, the Emerald Isle is a terrific vacation spot throughout the year. Whether you define Ireland as the Republic (an independent country) or as Northern Ireland (part of the U. K.), we have some tips and recommendations for planning your perfect trip to Ireland. So pour a cuppa (Irish Breakfast Tea, of course), grab some of those delicious shortbread cookies and start planning your perfect Ireland vacation. The four major airports in Ireland are Dublin, Galway (Shannon), Cork, and Knock, with smaller regional airports around the country.

The Buena Vista lays claim to America’s first take on Irish coffee. The best Irish coffee recipes demand high-quality fresh coffee and the best of Irish whiskey. Some recipes use Baileys Irish Cream mixed into the cream, but the original Irish Coffee recipe is simply heavy or double cream. So how does Buena Vista make the perfect Irish Coffee with a balance of coffee, sugar, whiskey, and cream?

You may see it on a menu listed as a charcuterie board, meat and cheese platter, meat and cheese board, or antipasto plate. Some other soft cheeses that work well on a charcuterie platter are fresh mozzarella, Neufchatel, gorgonzola, chevre, camembert, Roquefort, blue, havarti, young Gouda, and simple cream cheese. Some good cracker choices for a charcuterie board include simple butter crackers (we like the old standby, Ritz) and multi-grain crackers (again, we go basic and like Triscuit). While selecting staples for your meat and cheese platter, make sure to include bright colored ingredients that pop against the board’s color.

Allow plenty of time to not only get to the parking lot but also to get from the parking lot to the airport. * Tip: If your off-site lot of choice accepts reservations, consider making one and avoiding any chance that the lot could be full on your day of travel (especially important during the busy holiday travel times). For example, a taxi or car service from my home to the airport costs about $50, while a shared van service will take about half an hour longer but cost around $38. If there are two or more of you traveling together, however, it’s probably more cost efficient to use a taxi or car service than to use a shared service.