I remember hearing when I was a kid that the Sunset, where I now reside, was a heavily Irish (and Italian) enclave throughout much of the 20th century. Although the Irish have largely been replaced by mainland Chinese & HK immigrants, one still sees traces of the Sunset's Irish past. In the vicinity of my place, there are businesses with names like Behan Builders, Flanagan's Pub & Cara Glass and Sash (the signage mostly in Celtic Font). On my first trip to the local post office, I noticed that a one Maureen O'Neill had left a pile of junk mail on a counter. I guess she'd forgotten to bin it? As I was waiting to buy stamps, there was an Irish gent at the postal counter just ahead of me mailing parcels abroad & purchasing 'thirty international stamps'. I like to think that he was mailing Xmas cards and gifts to family back home in Eire.
An in interesting twist and a nod to the changing demographics of the neighborhood, what was once a solidly Irish bakery around the corner from me, now serves a mix of both *Irish and Chinese baked goods. In the display case, soda bread sits nicely next to sesame balls filled with mung bean paste. Almond cookies a la Chinois are displayed near a massive tray of currant scones. Sausage rolls and a version of Shepherd's Pie (no lamb, only beef) are usually to be had at the bakery as well.
An Irish anchor, if you will, is the Irish Cultural Center located a few blocks from my home. In more robust times, one could take dance lessons, language lessons and have a meal at the Center's on premises restaurant. I've not been in since I was a child. Unfortunately, the pandemic has meant that the Center isn't currently open to visitors. Although for a time there was a 'beer garden' set up in the Center's back parking lot which recently had to cease operations in light of current Covid restrictions on dining establishments here in SF County.
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| Building's facade. Note the four counties of Ireland just under the banner. |
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| Happy times at the Irish Cultural Center |
*and English
Lots of Irish here, too, still revelling in their culture. Irish pubs are where you'll most commonly trip over them, if out looking. There's a pub near us commonly called The Three Weeds - The Rose, Shamrock and Thistle. I've some Irish ancestry, convicts of course, but have never gone into it in any way.
ReplyDeleteThe neighbourhood immigration waves always have some kind of overlap like that you describe in the bakery ... We'd call the beef version of shepherd's pie cottage pie.
Clever nickname for The Rose, Shamrock and Thistle. It's also easier to say!
DeleteThe misnaming of Cottage Pie reminds me of another slightly annoying trend here. Many bakeries label the Pain au Chocolat 'Chocolate Croissant'. If you try to order it by its correct name, many won't know what you're after! In mini-protest, I tend to avoid ordering them altogether even though the hubs enjoys eating them.
Shepherd's Pie with beef not lamb is called Cottage Pie.
ReplyDeleteYes, for some reason the bakery has it labeled 'Shepherd's Pie'. I don't think I will correct them if I want to keep purchasing their product!
DeletePerhaps their pie contains real shepherds. Our lasagne used to contain horse.
DeleteDid it? I have tried horse meat as it is still eaten, to a degree, in CH. I must admit that it was tasty.
DeleteIt's always interesting to watch the melding of cultures as people move in, then move out, then in, then out.
ReplyDeleteTrue. The melding of cuisines can be especially interesting.
DeleteWell, I've learned something new here today -- the difference between shepherd's pie and cottage pie! Who knew?
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteGrowing up the only restaurants (other than up market French) were Chinese. That has changed for the better. Sadly each culture seems to spend time on the outer before another one takes over the least trusted/liked spot.
ReplyDeleteI think that lamb is a particularly 'smelly' meat while cooking. If himself gets a pie it is Cottage every time.
I do love a savory pie. When I lived in Zurich, I worked at a joint where I both made and sold meat pies. I particular fave was the pork and apple. Lamb does have an interesting aroma. I can see why beef would be preferred!
DeleteFascinating how populations change. I know if I now drive around the streets where I lived in Leeds in the early 1970s, they have the same buildings but the inhabitants are very different.
ReplyDeleteYes, this is very true. What I see around these parts is less of an ethnic change--although that is certainly a part of things--rather more of an economic strata change. The homes may well look the same as they did decades ago, but in the garage-ways sit high-end, european SUVs and such. Mostly gone are the automobiles of the ever dwindling working and lower middle-classes.
DeleteIt's interesting how neighborhoods change over time.
ReplyDeleteSo true.
DeleteOh, when this pandemic ends it sounds like you'll have some interesting exploring to do there, being able to enter some of the places. Your description of the neighborhood suggests there hasn't been as much exit of the more affluent from S.F. as I had thought from news stories I've read.
ReplyDeleteYes, I don't think that the affluent have totally flown the coop. The Cliff House just announced its closure at the end of the year. Many of the old staples are shuttering. Hopefully, new businesses will eventually come in and flourish.
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