The
guide to eating in Ireland, its intricacies,
methods and secrets. If you feel you can
improve or add to this section please email
us.
Irish cuisine has always been based on meat
and dairy products. It was supplemented
by seafood in coastal regions and vegetables.
Potato was introduced later and became a
staple food and no Irish meal is considered
complete, even today, without potatoes.
The Irish are today noted for their ability
to turn simple local produce into flavoursome
dishes. The countryside produces good lamb,
the coast an abundance of seafood, the southern
counties like Cork and Limerick everything
from grains to strawberries and dairy products.
In the southwest you will find a blend of
French cooking and traditional dishes including
soda breads, fresh oysters, lamb and cheeses.
While traditional foods may largely be associated
with bacon and cabbage, corned beef and
cabbage, Irish stew and Irish breakfast
a lot of it is tasty and you will also find
a wide variety of other food available.
SPECIALTIES
Boxty - made from grated raw potatoes, added
flour, salt and milk. The mixture is fried
in a pan and eaten with butter. A speciality
in west Ireland.
Calley - mashed up potatoes and scallions
mixed with butter.
Irish Stew - made from potatoes, carrots,
onions, turnips and beef or lamb. It is
added together in one pot of boiling waters
and cooked for 1.5-2 hours.
Irish Coffee - heat a glass with boiling
water, add one spoon of coffee, some Irish
whiskey, 1½ spoons of brown sugar,
fill the glass ¾ full with boiling
water and top off with cream.
Bacon and Cabbage - a stew
Barm Brack - cake-like bread
Dublin Coddle - a semi-thick stew with sausages,
bacon, onions and potatoes
Guiness Cake - a fruitcaked flavoured with
Guiness
Soda bread - found everywhere but particularly
in Belfast
EATING OUT
The best place to get traditional foods
is the pub or places where lunch menus are
served. However Irish people are more likely
to go out for something different to their
own cuisine and you will find an abundance
of Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, vegetarian
and other restaurants available. Fast food
is always available.
FOOD BUDGET PER DAY
If you eat out three meals a day you can
budget on:
Breakfast - Euros 2-4 for coffee and pastr
Lunch - Euros 5 for a sandwhich and drink
Dinner - Euros 15- 20 for a main course
and wine
Dinner and wine will cost about Euro 20-30,
in more upmarket places up to Euro 40-50.
Service is usually included in to the price
of your meal but some establishments will
add another 10% on to your bill.
DRINKS
Tea is the Irish drink and coffee comes
in a poor man's second although it is now
becoming more popular. Irish coffee might
be a little stiffer than you think with
a dash of whiskey. However if someone asks
you if you want a drink they usually mean
the alcoholic variety and usually a lager
or stout. Stout means Guiness, the famed
black beer of Ireland. The other stouts
are Murphy's and Beamish. The Lager's are
nto generally considered as good so you
may prefer the imported varieties. Mostly
the drinks come in pint sizes, if you want
a half-pint specifically ask for a glass
or a half. Spirits are referred to as "shorts".
Irish whiskey is considered amongst the
best in the world so you may like to give
it a go too.
RECIPES
If you have a great recipe of Irish food
to share with readers please email
us.
RECIPE BOOKS
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for great recipe books and culinary topics.
