Page 140 - WDT MAGAZINE IRELAND ISSUE WINTER 2018

stocked up on the artisan breads, pastries, cakes and
seasonal treats made by this family business for the
past century. You could easily fill up on the yeasty aro-
mas swirling in the small shop, but we were soon nib-
bling carrot cake as Gosia shared the tale of the shop's
famous Conger Bread, the six-foot long, 18-pound
sourdough loaf stretched atop a display case.
Fourth-generation baker Jimmy Griffin created the
monster bread, as it’s known locally, in 2013 after
suffering a severe conger eel bite while scuba diving
and surviving the painful life-threatening ascent to the
surface. The nasty beast got away, but after enduring
many surgeries on the long road to recovery, it gives
Jimmy pleasure – and symbolic revenge - to slice the
long bread to pieces. Plus, as the tall bespectacled
baker explains during a quick break from the shop’s
ovens: “Conger Sourdough is one of our bestsellers.
It’s seen now as a beacon of hope and strength in the
face of adversity.”
Our next stop was just steps away, where we
hopped on stools to sample local cheese and char-
cuterie at McCambridge’s, a food-lovers paradise
of local gourmet items, fine wines and other spirits
since 1925. On the shelf behind us, three bottles were
opened for tasting too - never mind that it was barely
11 a.m. One was the clear Micil Poitin, handcrafted
by five generations of a Galway family in their micro
distillery and packing 88-proof punch. One sip and the
day’s chill vanished. (Or maybe I just couldn’t feel my
toes anymore!)

Food tour guide Gosia Letowska
leads us to Griffins Bakery where
Galway shoppers gather for coffee
and fresh baked goods. On the coun-
tertop is the famous 18 pound loaf
of sourdough known as Conger or
monster bread.

140 WDT MAGAZINE WINTER 2018