We’re glad you enjoyed your time on the island of Ireland, particularly the food. Traditional Irish food is experiencing a renaissance right now, with a focus on using the very best ingredients.
You may have noticed on your travels that bread is a particular favourite around the island. Traditional brown soda bread is generally served with soups and stews, or used in open sandwiches of crab or smoked salmon. It’s particularly good covered in butter and dunked in a rich
potato and leek soup – a surefire way to warm yourself up in the winter time.
Looking to the city,
coddle is a true Dublin dish that’s very easy to make, and it’s got quite the literary heritage – having featured in the works of James Joyce. Stew-like and very hearty, it’s made with potatoes, bacon and sausages, and is thought to have been conceived as a way of using up leftovers. The recipe here is best served with a pint of Guinness on the side and a generous splash is often added to the pot too!
Boxty are traditional Irish potato cakes, made with grated potatoes and mashed potatoes – traditionally, they’re cooked over an open fire on a cast iron griddle, but they can also be boiled like dumplings, and are usually served with a thick and delicious gravy.
You’ll probably have noticed on your travels that fresh seafood from the Atlantic isreally something special, with oak-smoked salmon from the
Burren smokehouse is an exceptional treat. Or sample an island-wide favourite in the form of
beef and Guinness stew!And finally, for those with a sweet tooth, the fruit-packed
barmbrack loaf is a treat, slathered with creamy butter, and enjoyed with Ireland’s favourite, a cup of tea.