Irish cuisine
Encyclopedia
Irish cuisine is a style of cooking originating from Ireland
or developed by Irish people
. It evolved from centuries of social and political change. The cuisine
takes its influence from the crops grown and animals farmed in its temperate
climate. The introduction of the potato
in the second half of the 16th century heavily influenced Ireland's cuisine thereafter. Representative Irish dishes are Irish stew
, bacon and cabbage
, boxty
, coddle
, and colcannon
.
There are many references to food and drink in early Irish literature. Honey seems to have been widely eaten and used in the making of mead
. The old stories also contain many references to banquets, although these may well be greatly exaggerated and provide little insight into everyday diets. There are also many references to fulacht fiadh
, which may have been sites for cooking deer, consisting of holes in the ground which were filled with water. The meat
was placed in the water and cooked by the introduction of hot stones. Many fulacht fiadh sites have been identified across the island of Ireland, and some of them appear to have been in use up to the 17th century.
Excavations at the Viking settlement in the Wood Quay area of Dublin have produced a significant amount of information on the diet of the inhabitants of the town. The main meats eaten were beef, mutton and pork
. Domestic poultry and geese as well as fish and shellfish were also common, as was a wide range of native berries and nuts, especially hazel. The seeds of knotgrass and goosefoot were widely present and may have been used to make a porridge.
From the Middle Ages, until the arrival of the potato
in the 16th century, the dominant feature of the rural economy was the herding of cattle. The meat produced was mostly the preserve of the gentry and nobility. The poor generally made do with milk, butter, cheese, and offal, supplemented with oats
and barley
. The practice of bleeding cattle and mixing the blood with milk and butter (similar to the practice of the Maasai) was not uncommon. Black pudding is made from blood, grain, (usually barley) and seasoning, and remains a breakfast staple food
in Ireland.
Potatoes form the basis for many traditional Irish dishes. The potato was introduced into Ireland in the second half of the 16th century, initially as a garden crop. It eventually came to be the main food crop of the poor. As a food source, the potato is extremely valuable in terms of the amount of energy produced per unit area of crop. The potato is also a good source of many vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin C
when fresh.
Potatoes were widely cultivated, but in particular by those at a subsistence level; the diet of this group of this period consisted mainly of potatoes supplemented with buttermilk. Potatoes were also fed to pigs, to fatten them prior to their slaughter at the approach of the cold winter months. Much of the slaughtered pork would have been cured
to provide ham and bacon that could be stored over the winter.
Fresh meat was generally considered a luxury except for the most affluent until the late 19th century and chickens were not raised on a large scale until the emergence of town grocers in the 1880s allowed people to exchange surplus goods, like eggs, and for the first time purchase a variety food items to diversify their diet.
The adoption of the potato as the core of Irish cuisine should not be seen as a voluntary choice. As a result of the Penal Laws (Ireland)
, the large Irish Catholic majority were denied the right to buy land or to pass it on as they wished to their descendants. Consequently farms became smaller and smaller as the population of Ireland ballooned in the early 19th century (8 million in 1840 compared to 20 million for England, Scotland and Wales combined at the time). Many "farms" were less than a quarter of an acre, which had to provide food for a family of as many as 8 people for a year. The only way to avoid starvation was to intensively cultivate a single crop, the potato, as this crop provided much of the basic nutrition requirements, and so became the only "choice" available to the rural Catholic poor, who formed the vast bulk of the population.
The reliance on potatoes as a staple crop meant that the people of Ireland were vulnerable to poor potato harvests. Consequently several famines occurred throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. The first Great Famine of 1739 was the result of extreme cold weather but the famine of 1845 to 1849 (see Great Irish Famine) was caused by potato blight which spread throughout the Irish crop which consisted largely of a single variety, the Lumper. During the famine approximately 1 million people died and a million more emigrated from Ireland.
has been adopted in Ireland. Common meals include pizza
, curry
, Chinese food
, and lately, some West African
dishes and East European (especially Polish
) dishes have been making an appearance, as ingredients for these and other cuisines have become more widely available.
In tandem with these developments, the last quarter of the 20th century saw the emergence of a new Irish cuisine based on traditional ingredients handled in new ways. This cuisine is based on fresh vegetables, fish (especially salmon
and trout
), oyster
s, mussel
s and other shellfish, traditional soda bread, the wide range of cheese
s that are now being made across the country, and, of course, the potato. Traditional dishes, such as Irish stew
, coddle
, the Irish breakfast
, and potato bread have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. Schools like the Ballymaloe Cookery School
have emerged to cater for the associated increased interest in cooking.
Fish and chips
take-away is popular. The first fish and chips were sold in Dublin in the 1880s by an Italian immigrant from San Donato Val di Comino
, Giuseppe Cervi. His wife Palma would ask customers "Uno di questa, uno di quella?" This phrase (meaning "one of this, one of the other") entered the vernacular
in Dublin as "one and one", which is still a common way of referring to fish and chips in the city.
The proliferation of fast food
has led to increasing public health problems including obesity
, and one of the highest rates of heart disease
in the world. Government efforts to combat this have included television advertising campaigns and education programmes in schools.
Breads:
Pork dishes:
Potato dishes:
Seafood:
While seafood
has always been eaten by Irish people, shellfish
dishes have increased in popularity in recent times; common examples include Dublin Bay Prawns, oysters (many oyster festivals are held yearly around the coast where oysters are often served with Guinness
, the most notable being held in Galway
every September) as well as other crustaceans. An example of an Irish shellfish dish is Dublin Lawyer (lobster
cooked in whiskey and cream). Salmon
and cod
are perhaps the two most common types of fish used. Carrageen moss and Dulse (both types of red algae
) are commonly used in Irish seafood dishes.
Others:
Alcohol
Others
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
or developed by Irish people
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
. It evolved from centuries of social and political change. The cuisine
Cuisine
Cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions, often associated with a specific culture. Cuisines are often named after the geographic areas or regions that they originate from...
takes its influence from the crops grown and animals farmed in its temperate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
climate. The introduction of the potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
in the second half of the 16th century heavily influenced Ireland's cuisine thereafter. Representative Irish dishes are Irish stew
Irish stew
Irish stew is a traditional stew made from lamb, or mutton, as well as potatoes, carrots, onions, and parsley....
, bacon and cabbage
Bacon and Cabbage
Bacon and cabbage is a dish traditionally associated with Ireland. The dish consists of unsliced back bacon boiled with cabbage and potatoes. Sometimes other vegetables such as turnips, onions and carrots are also added...
, boxty
Boxty
Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake. The dish is mostly associated with the north midlands, north Connacht and southern Ulster, in particular the counties of Mayo, Sligo, Donegal , Fermanagh, Longford, Leitrim and Cavan...
, coddle
Coddle
Coddle is an Irish dish consisting of layers of roughly sliced pork sausages and rashers with sliced potatoes, and onions. Traditionally, it can also include barley....
, and colcannon
Colcannon
Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish mainly consisting of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage. It is also the name of a song about the dish.-Dish:...
.
History
There are many references to food and drink in early Irish literature. Honey seems to have been widely eaten and used in the making of mead
Mead
Mead , also called honey wine, is an alcoholic beverage that is produced by fermenting a solution of honey and water. It may also be produced by fermenting a solution of water and honey with grain mash, which is strained immediately after fermentation...
. The old stories also contain many references to banquets, although these may well be greatly exaggerated and provide little insight into everyday diets. There are also many references to fulacht fiadh
Fulacht fiadh
A fulacht fiadh is a type of archaeological site found in Ireland. In England, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man they are known as burnt mounds. They commonly survive as a low horseshoe-shaped mound of charcoal-enriched soil and heat shattered stone with a slight depression at its centre showing...
, which may have been sites for cooking deer, consisting of holes in the ground which were filled with water. The meat
Meat
Meat is animal flesh that is used as food. Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat and other tissues, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs and offal...
was placed in the water and cooked by the introduction of hot stones. Many fulacht fiadh sites have been identified across the island of Ireland, and some of them appear to have been in use up to the 17th century.
Excavations at the Viking settlement in the Wood Quay area of Dublin have produced a significant amount of information on the diet of the inhabitants of the town. The main meats eaten were beef, mutton and pork
Pork in Ireland
Pork has been an important food animal since the beginning of human settlement on the Island of Ireland. Ireland’s native population of flora and fauna inhabited the island via the land bridge that connected it to Britain until rising sea levels broke the link around 10,000 BC...
. Domestic poultry and geese as well as fish and shellfish were also common, as was a wide range of native berries and nuts, especially hazel. The seeds of knotgrass and goosefoot were widely present and may have been used to make a porridge.
From the Middle Ages, until the arrival of the potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
in the 16th century, the dominant feature of the rural economy was the herding of cattle. The meat produced was mostly the preserve of the gentry and nobility. The poor generally made do with milk, butter, cheese, and offal, supplemented with oats
OATS
OATS - Open Source Assistive Technology Software - is a source code repository or "forge" for assistive technology software. It was launched in 2006 with the goal to provide a one-stop “shop” for end users, clinicians and open-source developers to promote and develop open source assistive...
and barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
. The practice of bleeding cattle and mixing the blood with milk and butter (similar to the practice of the Maasai) was not uncommon. Black pudding is made from blood, grain, (usually barley) and seasoning, and remains a breakfast staple food
Staple food
A staple food is one that is eaten regularly and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a diet, and that supplies a high proportion of energy and nutrient needs. Most people live on a diet based on one or more staples...
in Ireland.
Potatoes form the basis for many traditional Irish dishes. The potato was introduced into Ireland in the second half of the 16th century, initially as a garden crop. It eventually came to be the main food crop of the poor. As a food source, the potato is extremely valuable in terms of the amount of energy produced per unit area of crop. The potato is also a good source of many vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin C
Vitamin C
Vitamin C or L-ascorbic acid or L-ascorbate is an essential nutrient for humans and certain other animal species. In living organisms ascorbate acts as an antioxidant by protecting the body against oxidative stress...
when fresh.
Potatoes were widely cultivated, but in particular by those at a subsistence level; the diet of this group of this period consisted mainly of potatoes supplemented with buttermilk. Potatoes were also fed to pigs, to fatten them prior to their slaughter at the approach of the cold winter months. Much of the slaughtered pork would have been cured
Curing (food preservation)
Curing refers to various food preservation and flavoring processes, especially of meat or fish, by the addition of a combination of salt, nitrates, nitrite or sugar. Many curing processes also involve smoking, the process of flavoring, or cooking...
to provide ham and bacon that could be stored over the winter.
Fresh meat was generally considered a luxury except for the most affluent until the late 19th century and chickens were not raised on a large scale until the emergence of town grocers in the 1880s allowed people to exchange surplus goods, like eggs, and for the first time purchase a variety food items to diversify their diet.
The adoption of the potato as the core of Irish cuisine should not be seen as a voluntary choice. As a result of the Penal Laws (Ireland)
Penal Laws (Ireland)
The term Penal Laws in Ireland were a series of laws imposed under English and later British rule that sought to discriminate against Roman Catholics and Protestant dissenters in favour of members of the established Church of Ireland....
, the large Irish Catholic majority were denied the right to buy land or to pass it on as they wished to their descendants. Consequently farms became smaller and smaller as the population of Ireland ballooned in the early 19th century (8 million in 1840 compared to 20 million for England, Scotland and Wales combined at the time). Many "farms" were less than a quarter of an acre, which had to provide food for a family of as many as 8 people for a year. The only way to avoid starvation was to intensively cultivate a single crop, the potato, as this crop provided much of the basic nutrition requirements, and so became the only "choice" available to the rural Catholic poor, who formed the vast bulk of the population.
The reliance on potatoes as a staple crop meant that the people of Ireland were vulnerable to poor potato harvests. Consequently several famines occurred throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. The first Great Famine of 1739 was the result of extreme cold weather but the famine of 1845 to 1849 (see Great Irish Famine) was caused by potato blight which spread throughout the Irish crop which consisted largely of a single variety, the Lumper. During the famine approximately 1 million people died and a million more emigrated from Ireland.
Modern era
In the 21st century the usual modern selection of foods common to Western cultureWestern culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
has been adopted in Ireland. Common meals include pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
, curry
Curry
Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
, Chinese food
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa...
, and lately, some West African
West African cuisine
West African cuisine is a general term referring to many distinct regional and ethnic cuisines in West African nations, with climates ranging from desert to tropical...
dishes and East European (especially Polish
Polish cuisine
Polish cuisine is a style of cooking and food preparation originating from Poland. It has evolved over the centuries due to historical circumstances. Polish national cuisine shares some similarities with other Central European and Eastern European traditions as well as French and Italian...
) dishes have been making an appearance, as ingredients for these and other cuisines have become more widely available.
In tandem with these developments, the last quarter of the 20th century saw the emergence of a new Irish cuisine based on traditional ingredients handled in new ways. This cuisine is based on fresh vegetables, fish (especially salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
and trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
), oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
s, mussel
Mussel
The common name mussel is used for members of several families of clams or bivalvia mollusca, from saltwater and freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other edible clams, which are often more or less rounded or oval.The...
s and other shellfish, traditional soda bread, the wide range of cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
s that are now being made across the country, and, of course, the potato. Traditional dishes, such as Irish stew
Irish stew
Irish stew is a traditional stew made from lamb, or mutton, as well as potatoes, carrots, onions, and parsley....
, coddle
Coddle
Coddle is an Irish dish consisting of layers of roughly sliced pork sausages and rashers with sliced potatoes, and onions. Traditionally, it can also include barley....
, the Irish breakfast
Full breakfast
A full breakfast is a meal that consists of several courses, traditionally a starter , a main course, tea with milk, toast and marmalade or other preserves. Many variations are possible....
, and potato bread have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. Schools like the Ballymaloe Cookery School
Ballymaloe Cookery School
The Ballymaloe Cookery School is a privately run cookery school in Shanagarry, County Cork, Ireland that was opened in 1983. It is run by Darina Allen the well known celebrity chef, cookery book author and pioneer in Ireland of the slow food movement and is located in the grounds of an organic farm....
have emerged to cater for the associated increased interest in cooking.
Fish and chips
Fish and chips
Fish and chips is a popular take-away food in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada...
take-away is popular. The first fish and chips were sold in Dublin in the 1880s by an Italian immigrant from San Donato Val di Comino
San Donato Val di Comino
San Donato Val di Comino is a comune in the Province of Frosinone in the Italian region Lazio, located in the Comino Valley about 110 km east of Rome and about 40 km east of Frosinone...
, Giuseppe Cervi. His wife Palma would ask customers "Uno di questa, uno di quella?" This phrase (meaning "one of this, one of the other") entered the vernacular
Vernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
in Dublin as "one and one", which is still a common way of referring to fish and chips in the city.
The proliferation of fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
has led to increasing public health problems including obesity
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
, and one of the highest rates of heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
in the world. Government efforts to combat this have included television advertising campaigns and education programmes in schools.
Common foods
- DairyDairyA dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
: butter, buttermilk, cheese (ArdrahanArdrahan cheeseArdrahan Cheese company create two varieties of cheese. They originate from Ardrahan Farmhouse, Kanturk, Co. Cork in Ireland. The two varieties are Ardrahan and Duhallow. Eugene and Mary Burns first made Ardrahan cheese on their farm in County Cork in 1983 using traditional techniques...
, CorleggyCorleggyCorleggy Cheeses is an Irish farmhouse making a selection of cheese in County Cavan. Started by Silke Cropp in 1985 using her milk from her own herd of goats, today Corleggy make a variety of different cheese from goat's milk, sheep's milk and cows milk sourced from local...
, DurrusDurrus CheeseDurrus is a washed rind cow's milk cheese from Ireland. It was developed by Jeffa Gill in 1979, and is made by traditional methods. Durrus is produced in the valley of Coomkeen, near the village of Durrus on the Sheep's Head Peninsula in County Cork Ireland, where local herds provide the raw...
, Cashel Blue, CooleeneyCooleeneyCooleeney Farm produces a number of cheeses from both cow's milk and goat's milk from their premises near Thurles in County Tipperary, Ireland....
,GubbeenGubbeen cheeseGubbeen Cheese is a surface ripened, semi-soft, cows milk cheese with a pink and white rind. The flavours are creamy with mushroom and nutty aftertastes but vary depending on maturity of cheese. Gubbeen Farmhouse Products also produce a Smoked Gubbeen....
), milk - GrainGRAINGRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
s: barley, oats, wheat - MeatMeatMeat is animal flesh that is used as food. Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat and other tissues, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs and offal...
: beef, chicken, geese, lamb, mutton, offalOffalOffal , also called, especially in the United States, variety meats or organ meats, refers to the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but includes most internal organs other than... - SeafoodSeafoodSeafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
: fish, lobster, prawnPrawnPrawns are decapod crustaceans of the sub-order Dendrobranchiata. There are 540 extant species, in seven families, and a fossil record extending back to the Devonian...
s, shellfish, smoked salmon - VegetableVegetableThe noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s: cabbage, curly kale, potatoes, tomatoes
Traditional foods
- BarmbrackBarmbrackBarmbrack is a yeasted bread with added sultanas and raisins.Usually sold in flattened rounds, it is often served toasted with butter along with a cup of tea in the afternoon. The dough is sweeter than sandwich bread, but not as rich as cake, and the sultanas and raisins add flavour and texture to...
- a kind of currant cake eaten around HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day... - BlaaBlaaA blaa is a doughy, white bread bun speciality which, according to a writer in The Irish Times is currently particular to Waterford City and County, Ireland., but historically, the blaa is also known to have been made in Kilkenny and Wexford....
- GoodyGoody (dessert)Goody is an Irish dessert-like dish made by boiling bread in milk with sugar and spices. This dish is eaten on St. John's Eve....
- a dessertDessertIn cultures around the world, dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a meal, usually consisting of sweet food. The word comes from the French language as dessert and this from Old French desservir, "to clear the table" and "to serve." Common Western desserts include cakes, biscuits,...
dish - Soda breadSoda breadSoda bread is a variety of quick bread traditionally made in a variety of cuisines in which sodium bicarbonate is used as a raising agent rather than the more common yeast. The ingredients of traditional soda bread are flour, bread soda, salt, and buttermilk...
- Wheaten bread
Pork dishes:
- Bacon and cabbageBacon and CabbageBacon and cabbage is a dish traditionally associated with Ireland. The dish consists of unsliced back bacon boiled with cabbage and potatoes. Sometimes other vegetables such as turnips, onions and carrots are also added...
- CoddleCoddleCoddle is an Irish dish consisting of layers of roughly sliced pork sausages and rashers with sliced potatoes, and onions. Traditionally, it can also include barley....
- main ingredients: porkPorkPork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
sausageSausageA sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
s, back baconBack baconBack bacon is bacon prepared from centre-cut boneless pork loin. The name refers to the cut of meat, which is from the back, and distinguishes it from other bacon made from pork belly or other cuts. Unlike other bacon, back bacon is not brined, cured, boiled, or smoked...
and potato - CrubeensCrubeensCrubeens are an Irish food made of boiled pigs' feet. They are traditionally eaten by hand.-External links:*...
- pig's trottersPig's trottersPig's trotters are the feet of pigs. The cuts are used in various dishes around the world, they have been used by chefs such as Marco Pierre White and Pierre Koffmann, and have increased in popularity since the late-2000s financial crisis.-Description:... - Skirts and kidneysSkirts and kidneysSkirts and Kidneys is an Irish stew made from pork and pork kidneys.- History :Cork, on the southern coast of Ireland, has a long-standing association with animal produce and, from the 17th C to the end of the 19th C, was a major supplier of butter and salted beef and pork to the British Empire...
- a kind of pork stew
Potato dishes:
- BoxtyBoxtyBoxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake. The dish is mostly associated with the north midlands, north Connacht and southern Ulster, in particular the counties of Mayo, Sligo, Donegal , Fermanagh, Longford, Leitrim and Cavan...
- a kind of potato pancake - ChampChamp (food)Champ is an Irish dish, made by combining mashed potatoes and chopped spring onions with butter and milk, and optionally, salt and pepper. It is simple and inexpensive to produce...
- main ingredients: mashed potatoMashed potatoMashed potato is made by mashing freshly boiled potatoes with a ricer, fork, potato masher, food mill, or whipping them with a hand beater. Dehydrated and frozen mashed potatoes are available in many places...
, scallions, butterButterButter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
and milkMilkMilk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many... - ColcannonColcannonColcannon is a traditional Irish dish mainly consisting of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage. It is also the name of a song about the dish.-Dish:...
- main ingredients: mashed potato, kaleKaleKale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium. Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane , a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties. Boiling decreases the level of sulforaphane; however, steaming,...
or cabbageCabbageCabbage is a popular cultivar of the species Brassica oleracea Linne of the Family Brassicaceae and is a leafy green vegetable...
, and butter
Seafood:
While seafood
Seafood
Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
has always been eaten by Irish people, shellfish
Shellfish
Shellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater...
dishes have increased in popularity in recent times; common examples include Dublin Bay Prawns, oysters (many oyster festivals are held yearly around the coast where oysters are often served with Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
, the most notable being held in Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
every September) as well as other crustaceans. An example of an Irish shellfish dish is Dublin Lawyer (lobster
Lobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
cooked in whiskey and cream). Salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
and cod
Cod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
are perhaps the two most common types of fish used. Carrageen moss and Dulse (both types of red algae
Red algae
The red algae are one of the oldest groups of eukaryotic algae, and also one of the largest, with about 5,000–6,000 species of mostly multicellular, marine algae, including many notable seaweeds...
) are commonly used in Irish seafood dishes.
Others:
- DrisheenDrisheenDrisheen is often viewed as a type of black pudding made in Ireland. Irish black pudding is made from a mixture of cow's, pig's and/or sheep's blood, milk, salt, fat and breadcrumbs, which is boiled and sieved and finally cooked using the main intestine of an animal as the sausage skin. The...
- a kind of black pudding - Irish breakfast or Ulster fry
- Irish stewIrish stewIrish stew is a traditional stew made from lamb, or mutton, as well as potatoes, carrots, onions, and parsley....
- a kind of lamb or mutton stew
Traditional beverages
Alcohol
- WhiskeyIrish whiskeyIrish whiskey is whiskey made in Ireland.Key regulations defining Irish whiskey and its production are established by the Irish Whiskey Act of 1980, and are relatively simple...
(particularly pure pot still whiskeyPure pot still whiskeyPure pot still whiskey is whiskey distilled by a pot still. The term emphasizes that the whiskey contains only spirits produced from a pot still, without being blended with column still whiskey or neutral grain spirits...
) - GuinnessGuinnessGuinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
- Irish coffeeIrish coffeeIrish coffee is a cocktail consisting of hot coffee, Irish whiskey, and sugar, stirred, and topped with thick cream. The coffee is drunk through the cream. The original recipe explicitly uses cream that has not been whipped, although whipped cream is often used. Irish coffee may be considered a...
- Irish creamIrish CreamIrish cream is a cream liqueur based on Irish whiskey, cream, and other ingredients such as coffee, which can be served on its own or used in mixed drinks or as part of a shot or a whole shot. Irish cream is very popular in the United Kingdom and the United States. Irish cream typically has between...
- Irish mist
- MeadMeadMead , also called honey wine, is an alcoholic beverage that is produced by fermenting a solution of honey and water. It may also be produced by fermenting a solution of water and honey with grain mash, which is strained immediately after fermentation...
- PoitínPoitínPoitín , anglicised as poteen, is a traditional Irish distilled, highly alcoholic beverage . Poitín was traditionally distilled in a small pot still and the term is a diminutive of the Irish word pota, meaning "pot"...
Others
- Brown lemonadeBrown lemonadeBrown lemonade is a lemonade sold in Northern Ireland alongside the more recognisable "white lemonade".There is a slight difference in taste between the two, however the main difference is that brown colouring is used to alter its appearance....
- Red lemonadeRed lemonadeRed lemonade is a popular soft drink in Ireland. Lemonade in Ireland comes in three varieties - red, brown and white. All three are lemon-flavoured, but there is a marked difference in taste between the varieties. Red lemonade is one of the most popular mixers used with spirits in Ireland,...
- Cavan ColaCavan ColaCavan Cola was a brand of soft drink produced by Cavan Mineral Water Ltd. in the town of Cavan, Ireland. It was introduced in 1958, and was sold in 250ml bottles in shops in Counties Cavan, Sligo and Donegal. The product proved so popular there that it went national in the early 1990s. In 1995, the...
- Irish breakfast teaIrish Breakfast teaIrish breakfast tea is a blend of several black teas, most often Assam teas and, less often, other types of black tea. Many tea producers make Irish breakfast tea blends specifically for the US market. In Ireland, it is not referred to as "Irish breakfast tea", but simply as "tea", being the...
Notable Irish chefs
- Darina Allen
- Rachel AllenRachel AllenRachel Allen is an Irish celebrity chef, known most widely for her work on television and as a writer.-Career as chef:...
- Catherine Fulvio
- Derry ClarkeDerry ClarkeDerry Clarke is an Irish celebrity chef, reality television judge and proprietor of the restaurant L'Ecrivain. He acted as a judge alongside Bibi Baskin and Sammy Leslie on the RTÉ One reality television series Fáilte Towers and has appeared on other programmes such as The Restaurant, The Afternoon...
- Richard CorriganRichard CorriganRichard Corrigan is an Irish chef born in Dublin but raised in Ballivor, County Meath.Corrigan achieved a Michelin Star in 1998 and has been awarded many other culinary accolades, including Outstanding London Chef at the London Restaurant Awards. He is Chef/Patron of Corrigans in Mayfair...
- Denis CotterDenis CotterDenis Cotter is an Irish celebrity chef, author, television personality and proprietor of the acclaimed vegetarian Café Paradiso restaurant in Cork City. He has published three cookbooks - "Cafe Paradiso Cookbook", "Paradiso Seasons" and "wild garlic, gooseberries...and me", and his fourth book is...
- Trish DeseineTrish DeseineTrish Deseine is an Irish chef popular on French television.Deseine was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1964 and moved to Paris in 1987. She was educated at Belfast Royal Academy and the University of Edinburgh where she read modern languages. In 2000 she was approached by the French...
- Kevin DundonKevin DundonKevin Dundon is an award-winning Irish celebrity chef, television personality and author, known for featuring on television series such as Guerrilla Gourmet and Heat. He is the author of the book, Full On Irish: Contemporary Creative Cooking and his recipes have been featured in publications such...
- Dylan McGrathDylan McGrathDylan McGrath is an award-winning Irish celebrity chef. He was the owner of the now defunct Michelin star Mint Restaurant in Dublin. He recently opened 'Rustic Stone Restaurant by Dylan McGrath' on Georges Street in Dublin's City Centre and has been announced by RTÉ One as the Judge on the new...
- Dan MullaneDan MullaneDaniel "Dan" Mullane is an Irish celebrity chef, television personality and proprietor of the restaurant, The Mustard Seed in Ballingarry, County Limerick. Himself and his cookery have featured on the RTÉ One television series Guerrilla Gourmet. He has received numerous awards, including Black &...
- Éamonn Ó CatháinÉamonn Ó CatháinÉamonn Ó Catháin is an Irish chef, author, journalist and broadcaster, and authority on folk music.Originally from Belfast he lived for many years in Dublin where he ran Shay Beano, a French bistro. He participates in Irish daytime television programmes conducting cookery demonstrations on Raidió...
- Paul RankinPaul RankinPaul Rankin is a Scottish born, Northern Irish celebrity chef from Ballywalter, County Down, Northern Ireland. Born in Glasgow, Scotland his parents moved back to Ballywater, where he grew up. This was stated when he was the subject of an episode of a short programme named Proud Parents on Channel...
- Kevin ThorntonKevin Thornton (chef)Kevin Thornton is an Irish celebrity chef, radio and television personality and author, known for featuring on television series such as Guerrilla Gourmet and Heat and characterised by a supposed dislike of chips and confirmed dislike of pizza. He has written the book Food for Life and had his...