We’re into Lent (a Teutonic word meaning simply “Springtime”), but it certainly doesn’t seem to have made any difference to our customers in the Dingle shop, where we had a huge day today, serving out lots of chocolate, coffee, ice cream, etc.
Of course, I don’t have any problem with that, since fasting traditionally meant giving up meat, and we have none on offer. I wrote about sweets and Lent last year (here), and I don’t think I’ll add more except to say that there cannot be any doubt in my mind about hot chocolate being perfectly ok during any fast, since the Vatican made a pronouncement in 1662, allowing it (more here).
What I will do is add my second annual list of things to give up for Lent:
- Crab Cappuccinos (or any such appetisers or in between courses)
- Any “Super-sized” food item
- Drinking at home in a rural area (Irish country pubs need the business, and we might as well keep our taxi drivers happy too)
- Being in such a hurry
- Fake chai (chai is not a syrup!)
- Eating in the car (excluding snacks)
- Non-ripe supermarket fruit, especially those white, tasteless strawberries
- Any cake that goes by the name of “Gateau,” unless you happen to be in France
- Tipping for terrible service
- Diet minerals or anything labeled “low fat” that has high calories and dubious sugar substitutes
I do love this business! Easter is still a ways away – we are not even into 
These were 
Happy Valentine’s Day! Here’s a raspberry sorbet and strawberry ice cream 
By the way, a handy little trick if you’re making a romantic dessert this evening is as follows:
Here at Ice Cream Ireland, we’re fans of Valentine’s Day, which is coming up fast. Love is always a good thing to celebrate, and loved ones can always use the extra attention. Besides, any tradition that involves eating chocolates is a tradition I can happily get behind. 
1. Spice Things Up: Make the 
Today,