Welcome to Onward Cuisine
Ireland is not usually talked about as a leader of the culinary world, but there is many food and drink that is known globally as Irish, and this is what we will share with you below.
Soda Bread
Soda bread has a long history in Ireland, since the 19th century to be exact. Traditionally, soda bread is made with bread soda, flour, salt and buttermilk. Today, soda bread is a staple in any Irish household, and its common to see extra ingredients such as raisins added to the recipe, but the original recipe is still used. Soda bread was also a staple food during the famine, due to its simplicity.
Fun Fact: Soda bread was a staple during the Great Famine due to its simplicity and availability of ingredients.
Irish Stew
With original links to Irish rural workers, this dish truly is deeply embedded in Irish culture. The original recipe called for very hearty ingredients like beef, potatoes, and various vegetables, while today it is common to see lamb and herbs added to the mix. The main reason for this meals popularity centuries ago was the fact it could be cooked on an open fire, allowing anyone to have a hearty and filling dinner, even without the luxury of a stove.
Full Irish Breakfast
Despite being traditionally made by farm workers centuries ago, this breakfast is now a must of any Irish hotel menu. This breakfast is full of foods from all necessary food groups and includes eggs, sausages, bacon, baked beans, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes and soda bread. The Full Irish breakfast is so popular, in fact, that most families will eat it together once every week, typically on Sundays, to keep tradition alive and, well, because its really good.
"Laughter is brightest where food is best."
Irish Proverb
Bacon and Cabbage
Historically, bacon and cabbage was common in Irish homes as many families would grow their own vegetables and rare pigs, and with cabbage being introduced to Ireland in 1649, and wild boars being tamed since around 1100, both have been eaten by the Irish people for a long time. This dish reflects the resourcefulness of the Irish people, and is truly for the history books and remains one of, if not the, most iconic Irish dishes.
Alcohol
The Irish are known globally as heavy drinkers, and part of this comes from the fact two very common and popular drinks were first made here; Guinness and whiskey. Guinness was first brewed in the heart of Dublin in the mid 1700's by Arthur Guinness, while whiskey was first mentioned in writing in 1354, which shows it being produced for consumption. Today, you can still find the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, where you can visit the birthplace of Irelands most popular drink. (Check out Onward Tourism for more on the Guinness Storehouse!)
Fun Fact: The word for whiskey in Irish, "Uisce Beatha", can directly be translated to "Water of Life" in English, and whiskey still keeps this nickname today.
Potatoes
Although potatoes can not be technically defined as cuisine, they are most definitely considered Irish, and that is why they are here. Potatoes were first introduced to Ireland in 1598, and quickly became popular as they can be grown in large amounts without much trouble, even in bad soil. This lead many families to rely solely on potatoes as their only food source. This worked out great for a couple of years, before the potato blight came to Ireland, which left the country in chaos in what we now know as the Great Famine (see Onward History for more!). Today, potatoes are the staple carbohydrate of most meals and households in Ireland, and live up to the title of Irelands Most Popular Vegetable, with roughly 350,000 tonnes produced every year.