The Blarney Stone is a block of Carboniferous limestone built into the battlements of Blarney Castle, Blarney, 5 miles from Cork, Ireland. According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of the gab (great eloquence or skill at flattery). The stone was set into a tower of the castle in 1446. The castle is a popular tourist site in Ireland, attracting visitors from all over the world to kiss the stone and tour the castle and its gardens.
The word blarney has come to mean "clever, flattering, or coaxing talk". Irish politician John O'Connor Power defined it this way: "Blarney is something more than mere flattery. It is flattery sweetened by humor and flavored by wit. Those who mix with Irish folk have many examples of it in their everyday experience."
The ritual of kissing the Blarney Stone, according to the castle's proprietors, has been performed by "millions of people", including "world statesmen, literary giants and legends of the silver screen". The kiss, however, is not casually achieved. To touch the stone with one's lips, the participant must ascend to the castle's peak, then lean over backwards on the parapet's edge. This is traditionally achieved with the help of an assistant. Although the parapet is now fitted with wrought-iron guide rails and protective crossbars, the ritual can still trigger attacks of acrophobia.
Do you love bacon? How about cheese? If you nodded enthusiastically to either of those, then you're about to experience something wonderful...a Bacon and Cheese Lover's Pie. It's a quiche-style dish that's absolutely loaded with cheese, bacon, and some chopped spinach. You'll be smiling from your first forkful to your last.
- 1 refrigerated pie crust (from a 17-ounce package)
- 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
- 1/2 cup real bacon bits
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Preheat oven to 350 º. Place pie crust in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate and flute edges.
- In a medium bowl, combine cheddar and Swiss cheeses; sprinkle half the mixture into bottom of pie crust. Sprinkle bacon bits over cheese, top with spinach, then remaining cheese.
- In the same bowl, combine eggs, half-and-half, onion powder, and pepper; beat until thoroughly mixed. Pour into pie crust; sprinkle with nutmeg.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
1935 – Lee Remick, American actress (d. 1991)
