To prepare colcannon, you need cabbage and mashed potatoes (bacon or ham can be used as an addition). Because of the simple, accessible and inexpensive ingredients, this food in Ireland can be tasted at any time of the year, but it is better in the autumn, during the harvest season, and, of course, on All Saints' Day.

Barmbrack

Barmbrack is another unique Irish national dish that has become an indispensable attribute of the Halloween festive table. It is made from yeast dough, be sure to add raisins or grapes. There are also variations of the traditional recipe, for example, using or other spicy ingredients.

In former times, rings, chips, coins, peas and other objects that personified the future were “hidden” in this food. Today, in memory of the tradition, you can buy a barmbrack with symbolic rings inside.

Basically, barmbrack is an Irish sweet bread. It is cut into slices and served with tea as a dessert. There are a lot of barmbrack recipes in Ireland and you can try it not only for the holidays.

Irish stew

This traditional Irish dish is made from tender lamb with potatoes and onions. Local chefs do not like to change the traditional recipe much, adding only carrots, thyme or rosemary to the stew in order to achieve a more subtle and rich aroma and taste.

In Ireland, the love for this food has been rooted for centuries, and today Irish stew can be tasted everywhere. Ragout is served hot, in deep bowls with broth. This is an excellent dish during the cold season - then its popularity rises sharply.

Irish Fish Chowder

Of course, the Irish love for potatoes is known all over the world. But no less strong in the national cuisine is the passion for seafood, of which the generous coastal waters give the country a lot. An example of this is Irish fish chowder, for the preparation of which salmon, cod, halibut, mussels and shrimp are caught in Ireland.

The secret of the fantastic taste of the stew lies in two key features at once: a light, delicate creamy broth and a mixture of fresh and smoked seafood and fish. It is curious that in the vast majority of cases, the recipe also involves the use of bacon fried to a golden crisp.

This unusual national food can be found on the menu of almost anyone. Here you will certainly be offered to try it with traditional soda bread and wash it down with a glass of “good old” Guinness, Kilkenny or Smithwick’s ale.

"Soda bread" (Soda bread)

In every house in Ireland, in the kitchen of every housewife, there is a recipe for the so-called “soda bread”, passed down from generation to generation. Someone prefers to bake it with honey and dried fruits, someone - with bran or oatmeal, but the main thing remains the same: the bread is based on soda, buttermilk and flour.

Also a frequent ingredient that is added to this dish of Irish cuisine is the famous Guinness beer. It gives the bread a unique, characteristic taste.

At the heart of Irish culinary traditions, as well as in Russia, is a love of bread, meat and vegetables. Especially the Irish distinguish potatoes and cabbage, which are the basis of many national dishes. The relationship between Russian and Irish cuisine has been traced since ancient times. The Irish even had their own honey drink like our mead, which was called Mead and was notable for its considerable strength.

Food Traditions of Irish Cuisine

In Ireland, as in Russia, potatoes did not appear immediately. Before her, the basis of the diet was dishes from barley, oats and traditional root crops such as turnips, carrots, pumpkins. They also ate forest gifts, which included hazelnuts, berries and all kinds of herbs.

Ireland loves bread. Local residents are distinguished by a reverent attitude towards this product. However, they usually do not put yeast. To loosen the muffin, Irish housewives prefer to add soda. This may be due to the varieties of wheat grown in this country. Among them, soft varieties predominate, which are distinguished by a low gluten content.

Yeast in Ireland is taken only for sweet pastries, for example, in the manufacture of national sweet buns or bread with raisins. An Irish bread dessert is also known, when bread slices are boiled in sweet milk with spices.

If he talks about Irish desserts, then pies with berry fillings, pastries with raisins, butter cream are popular among them. A special national dessert is prepared on the basis of red moss and boiled in milk, where they put sugar and fragrant spices. Also the famous Porter Cake, the secret of which is the addition of dark beer.

Irish attitude towards meat

Meat takes pride of place in the diet of the Irish. Previously, in Ireland, only very wealthy people could often afford to eat meat. And the common people were content with the giblets and blood of animals, poultry and game. This is where the Irish love for offal snacks comes from. They cook delicious dishes even from such parts as tails, ears, kidneys, meat trimmings. For example, the famous Irish delicacy for beer, for the preparation of which pork legs (crubeens) or blood black pudding are taken.

Blood pudding in this country is consumed everywhere. It is prepared on the basis of animal blood with barley or oats. The Irish come up with new recipes for this dish with the addition of turmeric, goat cheese or herbs. Such dishes are served as delicacies for the holidays. In Ireland, it is customary to drink blood and just like that, for example, with milk.
Residents of Ireland cannot imagine their life without a mandatory high-calorie breakfast, which should include several hearty ones, such as fried bacon, sausages, blood pudding, scrambled eggs, potato bread. Today, this Irish addiction to fatty foods has grown into a national obesity problem.

Seafood in Irish cuisine

Seafood holds no less honorable place in Irish culinary traditions than meat. Meat was expensive, and fish, like other seafood, has always been a source of valuable protein in Ireland. The inhabitants of this country appreciate all kinds of seafood so much that they even arrange the so-called oyster festivals, where they eat unlimited quantities of oysters, crabs, shrimp, lobsters, washing down all this variety with the same Irish beer. Of the varieties of fish, the Irish prefer cod, salmon and herring.

Among the popular seafood dishes of the local cuisine is the recipe called Dublin Lawyer, which is made from lobster stewed in a creamy sauce with the addition of whiskey.

Seaweed is widely used in Irish cuisine. They are valued for their high content of valuable vitamins and minerals. The dulse variety of algae is especially widespread. This dark red algae is used in dried form throughout the world as a condiment. The Irish also eat seaweed fried, stewed with meat and put in salads.

Irish and potatoes

The cultivation of potatoes on the Irish island began in the 16th century, and this process radically changed the entire diet of the Irish, who appreciated the nutritional value of this product and made it the basis of their cuisine. Irish cuisine contains a wide variety of potato dishes. It is eaten in any form: fried, baked, boiled. In this country, boxty potato bread is very popular, in the dough for which grated potatoes, mashed potatoes and wheat flour are mixed. It turns out pancakes similar to Russian potato pancakes, but only with a more delicate taste.

Speaking of mashed potatoes, it should be noted that in Ireland it is the most popular side dish and it is cooked with great sophistication and in different ways. It can be a gentle mashed potatoes with cream and green onions, or mashed potatoes with cabbage. The well-known dish from the category of fast food Fish and Chips (fish and fried potatoes) came from Dublin, where one restaurant amazingly fried fish and chips and served them together.

Among the traditional potato dishes of Irish cuisine, potatoes stewed with vegetables and bacon (coddle) can be noted, as well as the famous Irish stew with a variety of ingredients, which is prepared according to its own recipe in different families. Various meats, bacon, fish, beans, cabbage, pumpkin and other vegetables can be added there. This dish gained worldwide fame thanks to the legendary work of Jerome K. Jerome, where the heroes cooked a stew from everything they had.

Irish drinks

Speaking of Irish cuisine, one cannot ignore the legendary drinks that this country is famous for. We are talking, of course, about the unique Irish whiskey, beer, famous liqueurs and coffee recipes.

The culture of making strong spirits here has a long history. The very process of distillation of alcohol was discovered by the inhabitants of Ireland in the 5th century, and then they created original recipes for whiskey, which is famous all over the world today. The uniqueness of Irish whiskey lies in the fact that it is single malt and is made on the basis of one type of grain. A special sort of pure whiskey Pure Pot Still is made on the basis of malt and green barley. This type of whiskey is sold only in the country.
Ireland's oldest alcoholic drink is Poitin, which can reach up to 95% alcohol. It is made by fermenting sugar and potatoes. This killer drink cannot even be sold in some regions of the country.

An integral element of Irish cuisine is beer, which they treat very reverently and without which not a single meal can do. Brewing in this country has an ancient tradition. Even the ancient Celts began to brew this drink, which they called "kurmi", as ancient chronicles tell us. It was drunk by kings, monks, and peasants. Beer was valued not only as a source of light hops, but also as a supplier of vitamins, which, for example, could not be obtained from anywhere else in winter. Thus, a moderate amount of this drink not only rejoiced the soul of the Irish, but also strengthened the body.

Today, every Irish town has its own brewery. Guinness is one of the most famous beer brands in this country. This beer retains the traditional production technology and is considered a symbol of the Irish island. Based on it, original cocktails are produced, adding it to champagne, vodka, cider, wine and even milk. Beer in Irish cuisine is not only a national drink, but also a popular component of many dishes. It is added to desserts, pies, used for stewing meat, cooking roasts, and more.

Irish coffee

The inhabitants of the Irish island are also big coffee lovers. But they prefer to cook it here according to a special recipe. Irish coffee is a constant tandem of whiskey and coffee, prepared in a ratio of one to two. Whiskey gives coffee an incomparable taste and aroma. The rest of the cocktail ingredients are cream, as well as brown sugar. Thus, Irish coffee lovers will appreciate, as they say, stronger. You can try this branded national recipe in any decent institution.

The combination of these two products is already considered traditional. It is used to make many popular drinks, such as the original Irish cream (Irish cream) and Irish Mist (Irish fog) liqueurs, as well as famous drinks such as Baileys, Carolans and Saint Brendan "s. Irish cream has a pleasant taste and can be consumed both on its own and as part of various cocktails based on wine, whiskey and other liqueurs.As for Irish Mist, it uses whiskey with the addition of local herbs and traditional heather honey.

Today, the national cuisine of the Irish Peninsula is experiencing a rebirth. Residents strive to revive old recipes, emphasize the value of their culinary traditions, while adopting the useful experience of other nationalities. Irish people are proud of the quality of their products, natural cream, butter, vegetables, meat and fish products. Although this country does not stand out with a rich history of cheese production, local original varieties of cheeses are now appearing there.

Arriving in Dublin, the first thing I did was go to Facebook and found the Russian-speaking Ireland group. I asked the locals what typical Irish pub they would advise us to go to, and certainly with national Irish cuisine. The first comment was in the spirit: “Irish cuisine? No, I haven’t heard…” Then people began to advise various establishments and at the same time argue whether Irish cuisine exists and who knows what Irish dishes. It almost came to insults 🙂 Below I will list the pubs and restaurants that we were advised, and now I will tell you what food we managed to try in Ireland, and you tell me, please, can this be considered national Irish cuisine. And, thank you very much to everyone who took part in the discussion - the poll collected almost 150 comments!

So breakfast. The first time we tried Irish breakfast at the Arlington Hotel in Temple Bar, a district of Dublin famous for its pubs.

At first glance, an Irish breakfast is identical to an English one. But, when we came to friends in Dolkey, in the morning Tanya surprised us with an Irish breakfast in her performance and explained how it differs from English. Thank you for sheltering us and feeding us, Tanya 🙂

An Irish breakfast always has a potato pancake - potato pancake (hash brown) and circles of meat sausages - white & black pudding. Blood sausage for breakfast can also be found in England, and white sausage is, sort of, a purely Irish addition. English and Irish breakfast also includes bacon, sausage, fried mushrooms, grilled tomato, egg. Also, for breakfast, you can serve beans in tomato sauce. The hotel didn’t bring us the beans right away, but I showed with my finger in the menu what we were supposed to, and the waitress brought it anyway.

Irish breakfast costs up to 10 euros in Dublin hotels, this includes juice, tea or coffee, pastries, yogurt, fruit. By the way, having walked around the whole Temple bar in the morning (about 10 o'clock), we still did not find pubs where you can have breakfast. It looks like you need to have breakfast in Dublin in hotels. Be aware that the Irish breakfast is incredibly filling.

From soups worth a try chowder (clam chowder). Remember, we already tried this in, as well as in San Francisco? I then incredibly liked this seafood soup in a bread roll. We decided to try in Dublin. The first time we ordered in our Dublin.

The soup was watery, but I was also hungry, so I ate it with pleasure. I especially liked the dark bread with butter for this soup.

For the third time I tried Irish clam chowder in Dalkey at Ouzos restaurant. This time there was too much cream in the soup, which Tanya warned me about, but I did not listen to her.

Among snacks in Ireland, Irish salmon stands out on slices of homemade brown bread. Moreover, if you buy as a souvenir to bring home, look for wild salmon, not farm (wild ocean instead of farm).

And we ordered a set of sea snacks in Dolkie: shrimp, salmon, crab claws, mussels, squid ... Incredibly tasty. And everything is just the freshest, only caught from the sea or ocean. If this is the national Irish cuisine, I already love it.

As for all the other Irish dishes, the secret was revealed to us on Facebook that national Irish cuisine- this is any dish (vegetables, meat) made with the addition of Guinness Irish beer or Jameson Irish whiskey. You can add it to the sauce, or you can add it to the glass. But seriously, we managed to taste the famous Irish stew - a stew with vegetables and lamb in a Guinness beer sauce. I don’t really like lamb, but here is the thing - I had to try. We ordered it in The Parnell pub in Dublin on Parnell street on the recommendation of one guy from the same Facebook. They introduced it to us as a gastro pub, which immediately attracted us, but in fact, it’s not worth going there purposefully. Unless you live somewhere nearby. The pub is big, with free wi-fi, live music (which we didn't expect), but the kitchen is completely ordinary. Yes, and the taxi driver who gave us a lift, looked in bewilderment, what brought us there, and advised to watch our things and bags. In fact, this pub is quite close to the center and from the Temple bar, just go through the bridge to the other side, but we were also unlucky with the weather - there was a terrible downpour. This is what Irish stew looks like.

It looks the same and tastes the same...

But in Dolki we took the soul. We also ordered a real Irish steak…

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Neither French nor any other European culinary traditions had any influence on Irish cuisine. The Irish eat primitive, but tasty and healthy. Fresh, freshly caught river salmon, high-quality dairy products, delicious bacon and juicy lamb are the main ingredients of not too refined, but very tasty Irish dishes.

The Irish, as a rule, have a very hearty breakfast - in the morning they boil cereals, fry bacon, eggs, fish, fry bread as a dessert, spread marmalade on it and eat it with coffee or tea. The main reinforcement of the body is lunch - at noon the Irish eat soups, main dishes, and desserts. In the evening, the Irish have a very light and quickly digested dinner.

An important milestone in the history of traditional Irish cuisine is the appearance of potatoes, which came to Ireland at the end of the 16th century. brought by English colonists. At that time, the Irish often had to starve, because the crops on their barren land did not come up well. Potatoes have become a real salvation - this unpretentious root crop has taken root well on Irish lands unfavorable for agriculture and has become a staple food not only for people, but also for livestock. The importance of potatoes in Irish cuisine was so great that when the potato crop was attacked by aphids in 1845, the whole country went hungry for a year.

And today, the Irish cook many traditional dishes from potatoes. One of the specialties is potato patties fried in a frying pan made from grated potatoes with butter and garlic. Also, potatoes are the main component of Irish soups and hot dishes. In particular, without potatoes, the traditional Irish roast is unimaginable, which is made from potatoes, lamb neck and onions.

But, of course, Ireland does not live by potatoes alone. The Irish are very fond of brown bread, the dough for which is usually mixed with buttermilk and slaked soda. In Irish fishing villages and seaside towns, fish and seafood dishes are very widely represented - in particular, smoked mackerel, salted or fried salmon. The hallmark of the city of Cork is the baked pork leg, and Dublin's signature dish is the Dublin roast with pork sausages and potatoes.

If Irish dishes do not have worldwide fame and international recognition, then Irish drinks are the opposite. Ireland is famous for its strong black porter, which was first introduced in 1759 by the notorious Arthur Guinness. Irish porter is the main drink in local pubs. However, it is also used in cooking - in the preparation of soups, roasts and even desserts. Another Irish drink that is enjoyed by millions of people around the world is Irish whiskey, which is traditionally made from barley malt, wheat or oats.

In general, one can once again note the simplicity and accessibility of Irish cuisine - the dishes of this people are devoid of French pomposity or Italian polish, they are prepared from the most ordinary ingredients, but they turn out to be hearty, healthy and tasty, and therefore simple recipes of Irish cuisine deserve great attention.

Little is known about Irish cuisine in Russia. The main stereotypes about her are potatoes, Irish coffee and Irish stew made famous by Jerome K. Jerome. And of course, the sea of ​​various beers, which is customary to drink in pubs. In Ireland, they even joke that the only business that will be successful here is a pub.

Despite the remoteness of our countries, Russian and Irish cuisines are very similar. Perhaps this is due to a not very friendly climate, or perhaps a similar national character and the many difficulties that have befallen our peoples. The basis of both cuisines is bread, meat, vegetables, among which the main role belongs to the ubiquitous potatoes and cabbage. In difficult years, both the Russians and the Irish were saved by mar (quinoa). The ancient kinship of our cultures is especially clearly seen in the example of a traditional honey drink. In Ireland, it was called mid (Mead), prepared by fermenting a honey solution and had a strength of 8% to 18%. The mid could be dry, sweet, semi-sweet, even bubbly. Exactly the same mead was brewed in Rus' before the spread of vodka.

There is another interesting moment in the history of Irish alcoholic drinks: Fulacht fiadh. Buildings with this unreadable name were built by the Celts long before our era. More than 4,000 have been found in Ireland. Fulacht fiadh is a shallow well dug near a river, near which there is fuel and many stones. Scientists are still not sure about the purpose of these structures, but they are inclined to believe that these were the first breweries, although it is believed that game was cooked in the water pits. Judge for yourself: if you put stones heated on a fire in a pit with water, what can be cooked - boiled meat or beer?

Since those distant times, the skill of the Irish in the manufacture of strong drinks has increased many times over. Having mastered the art of distillation as early as the 5th century, the Irish developed their own unique whiskey recipes. In addition to single malt and single grain whiskey, Ireland produces a unique Pure Pot Still whiskey. This is a special variety, which includes green barley and malt. This whiskey can only be tasted in Ireland.

The most famous drink of the Emerald Isle is, of course, Guinness beer, a symbol of fun and St. Patrick's Day. According to legend, the correct "Guinness" should be so dark that only a ray of the sun or light reflected by a real diamond can penetrate it. Of course, the production technology of this beer has changed a lot since the 18th century, but you can get an idea of ​​​​the original Arthur Guinness drink by tasting Guinness Original / Extra Stout - the variety closest to that very porter. Based on their favorite beer, the Irish created many killer cocktails: Black Velvet (Guinness and Champagne), Black Velvet for the Poor (Guinness and Cider), Black Russian (Guinness and Vodka), Velvet Pussy (Guinness and Port). ). There is even a mixture of Guinness and milk called Dog hair. Guinness is widely used in cooking: it is added to pastries, meat is stewed in it.

Even coffee in Ireland is prepared not just like that, but stronger. Irish coffee is actually a cocktail where 1 part Irish whiskey is 2 parts black coffee. Brown sugar and cream are added for taste. This recipe is registered by the International Association of Bartenders and is used in all respectable establishments in the world.

The union of whiskey and coffee is also used in another Irish invention - Irish cream liqueur. In Russia, only one of the delicate cream liqueurs, Baileys, is widely known, although connoisseurs prefer Carolans and Saint Brendan's. Irish cream is tasty enough to drink it just like that, with ice, and is quite versatile for making cocktails: with Scotch whiskey, bourbon, coffee and caramel liqueurs.

Speaking of Irish liqueurs, one cannot fail to mention Irish Mist - Irish fog. It is prepared on the basis of whiskey with the addition of local herbs, clover and heather honey. According to the manufacturer, this is the same legendary heather honey, the recipe of which was forgotten in the 17th century and accidentally found in the 1940s.

The most unusual and ancient Irish drink is the so-called Irish moonshine - potin (Poitín) with a strength of 60-95%. Until 1997, the sale of this infernal potion was banned in Ireland, and in Northern Ireland the ban is still in place. Potin is considered one of the strongest drinks in the world and is made from potatoes, sugar and yeast.

But enough about drinks, there is something to be surprised about in Irish cuisine too. The most interesting Irish dishes appeared in the "pre-potato" period. Then the basis of the diet of the Irish was barley, oats and root crops: beets, turnips, celery, carrots. Widely used nuts, wild berries: raspberries, mountain ash, gooseberries, currants, strawberries; and herbs: nettle, quinoa, dandelion, sorrel, rosemary.

Ireland has always had a special relationship with bread. Here, for some reason, yeast and sourdough are not honored. Instead, baking soda is used. Perhaps because soft wheat prevails here, with a small amount of gluten. Adding potatoes, barley and oatmeal to bread also does not contribute to its splendor. Only soft white rolls with the funny name Blaa and sweet bread with raisins - Barmbrack are prepared with yeast. The famous Irish dessert, Goody, is made from bread. Pieces of bread are boiled in milk with sugar and spices - nothing should be wasted on the farm.

Meat in Ireland until recently was the privilege of the rich. Offal, blood, sometimes poultry and game remained poor: seals, badgers, hares. Small game and poultry were usually cooked over an open fire in clay, while larger prey and fish were fried on an apple skewer or sent to soup. Meat dishes were rare, desirable, and taken very seriously. Such, for example, is black pudding (blood sausage), which was prepared from barley, oats and fresh blood of cows, pigs, sheep and other domestic animals. (When it was necessary to refresh quickly, the Irish, like the warriors of the Masai tribe, bled a cow and drank it with milk.) Black pudding was fried, boiled and even eaten raw. This controversial dish is still considered part of the traditional Irish breakfast. In modern Ireland, they love it so much that they cook "advanced" versions: yellow pudding with turmeric and goat cheese and green pudding with herbs. These delicacies are usually served on the 10th and 11th birthdays of children.

When there was not enough money for meat, the Irish did not lose heart, but prepared delicious dishes from cheap parts of the carcass: tails, ears, kidneys, offal and all sorts of scraps. It required skills, time and a complete lack of disgust. The most striking example is the crubiens, a beer snack made from pork legs, a dish that is extremely long to prepare and difficult to eat, but surprisingly juicy and satisfying.

The opposite is true in Ireland now: the consumption of fatty red meat and eggs has reached such levels that obesity has become a national concern. A typical Irish breakfast consists of several meaty and high-calorie foods: bacon, sausage or sausages, black or white pudding, scrambled eggs, toast or potato bread, fried mushrooms or tomatoes, sometimes liver or beans are added for satiety.

For centuries, the main source of animal proteins for the Irish was fish and other seafood: lobsters, oysters, crabs, shrimp, seaweed. In Irish restaurants, you can try an interesting dish - Dublin Lawyer. It's a lobster stewed in cream and whiskey. Oyster festivals are regularly held in Ireland, where mountains of delicious seafood are eaten and barrels of beer are drunk. As for fish, despite the proximity of the sea, the Irish are unpretentious - they prefer salmon, cod, herring.

You can still buy red algae Dulse in Irish health food stores. This product is remarkable in that it contains almost all trace elements, vitamins and even proteins necessary for a person. Dulce is dried in the sun, ground and added to soups as a flavor enhancer. Some seaweed is fried like chips, baked with cheese, added to dough or meat dishes, or eaten just like that, even without drying.

The appearance of the potato in Ireland in the 16th century dramatically changed the way of life of the Irish people. This unpretentious tuber became the basis for the nutrition of peasants and their livestock. Gradually, the Irish became so dependent on potatoes that occasional crop failures caused mass starvation. The invasion of phytophthora on potato fields in 1845-1849 led to the Great Famine, which reduced the country's population by a quarter.

Over the 4 centuries of acquaintance with potatoes, the Irish have come up with many interesting ways to cook it. For example, Boxty, which translates as "poor man's bread." Boxty is a half-bread, half-fritter made from grated potatoes and mashed potatoes, flour, butter and soda. This dish can be fried, baked or boiled. In any of the options, it has a soft, delicate texture.

Simple mashed potatoes are too boring for a real Irish hostess, so she will be happy to cook champ (champ) - soft, airy mashed potatoes whipped with milk, butter and green onions, or colcannon (colcannon) - mashed potatoes with cabbage. Potatoes cooked according to various recipes are the most common side dish in modern Ireland. Often the lunch of office workers consists of boiled, fried, baked potatoes and mashed potatoes - all in one plate. When you need a quick bite, buy fish and chips - fried fish and french fries. By the way, this dish, which has gained fame as a typical British fast food, was born in Dublin, in a small restaurant of Italian immigrants, who fried fish and potatoes so tasty and packed them so conveniently that it was impossible to buy fish or potatoes separately - just all together, Fish and Chips.

On the table of rich Irishmen, Coddle was often present - stewed potatoes with vegetables, bacon and sausage. In memory of the old pre-potato times, barley was added to this dish. Simple, hearty and cheap, coddle is still a favorite winter meal in many Irish families.

The traditional Irish dish of bacon and cabbage has changed dramatically with the advent of potatoes. If earlier it was quite a healthy food, since it included only low-fat “black” bacon, cabbage, turnips, carrots and onions, then the addition of potatoes turned it into an overly heavy dish.

Without potatoes, it will not be possible to cook the most famous dish of Ireland - Irish stew (Irish stew). There is no strict recipe for this legendary dish; each family cooks it in its own way, which was the reason for the immortal joke of Jerome K. Jerome. His Irish stew was made from leftover beef, pudding, salmon, bacon, unpeeled potatoes, cabbage, peas, eggs. There might have been a water rat brought by the caring Montmorency, if not for the "lack of precedent."

Irish cuisine and its desserts are different from the traditional idea of ​​sweets. Many recipes use local sour berries: gooseberries, blueberries, currants. The role of filling for pies is often played by sour apples and rhubarb. Various butter creams, raisin buns made from chopped dough with a high content of butter are very popular. Jelly is prepared from red Irish moss (Chondrus crispus): the moss is boiled in milk with the addition of sugar and spices. It turns out almost panna cotta or blancmange. And of course, the Irish wouldn't be Irish if they didn't come up with a dark beer cupcake - Porter Cake.

Now the Emerald Isle is famous for its environmentally friendly products: cream, meat, vegetables. Where there has never been a tradition of cheese making, interesting varieties of cheese appear, which immediately receive the approval of gourmets. Irish cuisine is experiencing a real renaissance: ancient dishes are being revived, the experience of other cuisines is being adopted: Chinese, West African, Eastern European. And thanks to Guinness and St. Patrick, Irish dishes are quickly spreading around the world.