Ireland has an enriched culture of food, which are unique as well as tasty. Being in Ireland has of course a lot to do with your taste buds or it would be an all-time loss. Let’s know the five traditional food items in the island which will make you want to embrace in to this centuries old culture.
Shellfish
The native oysters (Ostrea edulis) in Ireland are well-known for its unique taste which is available as seasonal. You can avail it in summer time which starts in September. The Galway Oyster Festival that is going on every summer is also famous for selling oysters, especially shellfishes. Howth festival in Dublin also attracts a lot of seafood lovers and Dublin Bay prawns are the main attraction there.
Colcannon and champ
Potatoes are all time favourite of Irish people and popular among common people as it is cheap even from centuries ago. Irish natives add potatoes in many dishes during meals and for many traditional items, they are inevitable.
Colcannon is a classic, comforting mash of potatoes, cabbage (or kale) and butter (or cream), flavoured with spring onions. Champ is a similar, mashed potato, flavoured with spring onions, milk and butter.
Soda bread
Soda bread is a unique and traditional food in Ireland which has been fond of natives since many centuries. A wide variety of recipes of soda bread are available which tastes from sweet to salty. Some make it with sprinkled-in seeds, bran and oats and considered to be a health booster. Anyway, bicarbonate of soda and buttermilk form the raising agent, which is mixed in with flour are the basic ingredients.
Smoked salmon
Sea and seafood are the weaknesses of Irish people. Then how can we forget salmon? The oak-smoked salmon and turf-smoked salmon are some of the must try food items if you travel around the country.
After the salmon is rinsed, it is dried on wire racks. At this point, the salmon is already largely preserved from the curing. After a quick drying process, the salmon fillets are loaded into the smoker, with up to 90 degree heat.
Boiled bacon and cabbage
Boiled veggies without much spices are better for health. Though it cannot make you dream of a colourful dish, boiled bacon, cabbage and potatoes can help you maintain a disease-free body. Traditionally, salted pork (a cut from the shoulder or back of the pig) would have been soaked overnight (depending on how much desalting was needed) before being boiled, with the cabbage added to the cooking pot in the last 10 minutes will make this native dish. Sauce of your choice can also add more taste.
Article originally published in BBC.