Your favorite Irish Food?

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Please list your favorite Irish foods so that those of us visiting Ireland will at least know where to begin when dining out in Ireland.

Many Thanks!

[Maggie]

The first thing you will notice on an Irish vacation, is the Irish breakfast.
Hopefully you will be staying in one of the many Bed & Breakfasts.
If you have children with you, they will enjoy staying on a working farm.
There are houses of all types and sizes, small cottages, farms, large country estates, even small castles:

www.ireland-bnb.com
www.family-homes.ie/index.php
www.irishbnb.com

IMPORTANT: look at the owner's name.....choose a B&B that is Irish owned.
If in doubt, run it by me. With Ireland's successful economy and International appeal,  you never know! Yes I know I'm politically incorrect and not apologetic about it.

Don't forget the prices are in Euros. At this moment one Euro = $1.35
Check on here: www.xe.com

Anyhow back to food......
There is a difference in language....
The evening meal is DINNER, not supper.
If you ask for supper, this is usually a very late-night snack before bedtime, not very healthy!

Breakfast is filling and will usually carry you through until dinner.
It consists of juice and/or cereal, bacon, eggs, sausage, sometimes mushrooms and tomatoes. There will be toast and /or soda bread. Don't ask for pancakes, they are not a breakfast food.
Your hostess is usually a farmer's wife with a family, she will not stand there and give you a hundred choices as in the USA.
Your eggs will usually be fried, if you want scrambled, ask for them.
If you have dietary restrictions, tell your hostess ahead of time.
Soda bread is traditionally made every day and is delicious. Don't eat too much of it, it's very rich & nutritious with high fibre content.
Sometimes you will be offered black or white pudding.....this is not a dessert, but a savory sausage made of blood, herbs, spices and who knows what else!

If you want lunch, try a pub. They will have shepherd's pie, bangers & mash, and other meat & potato dishes, as well as salads.
 
Ploughman's platter consists of fresh crusty bread, cheese and pickles. Goes great with a glass of Smithwick's or Guinness.

MY FAVORITE IRISH FOODS.......fresh salmon and trout. Heavenly!
My cousin used to lie on the banks of the River Suir and literally tickle the trout, grabbing them in his hands and bringing them to Aunt Elsie for dinner.
(Dickie, I know you are now among the Lord's fishermen. RIP).

Anything the Irish do with ham and potatoes is good.

Home made soups - delicious!

My second-favorite Irish food is soda bread, it does not need fruit, caraway seeds or anything else in it.
Just plain brown bread with Irish butter.........mmmmmmm!

My FAVORITE Irish food is........draught Guinness, of course!

Nutritious, made from the best barley, malt, hops and spring water from the Wicklow mountains.
1 pint = 196 calories, no fat, no cholesterol.
 

[Coleen]

I think Maggie mentioned all of my favorite Irish foods....the Irish breakfast, shepherd's pie, Irish soda bread.  You'll love Irish tea as well.  The tea in Ireland is so much better than our tea here in the US. 

[Texas Chava]

I definitely have to agree with my favorite Irish "food" has to be the same one as Maggie's last choice.  I even have a tee shirt that says so.

[mainopsman]

Maggie

I have read that beer has more nutritional benefits then milk.   I am currently trying to convince my wife that Guinness comes from special Irish cows.  But for some unknown reason she doesn't believe me.   

JIM

[Cash]

IMPORTANT: look at the owner's name.....choose a B&B that is Irish owned.
If in doubt, run it by me. With Ireland's successful economy and International appeal,  you never know! Yes I know I'm politically incorrect and not apologetic about it.

Its funny you mention this, as I found out the new Italian place down the street is owned and operated by Asians. They own several places, and a new one they are opening combines Italian and Chinese food. Both at one place. That is either the most brilliant thing new in the food business, or just plain nuts. Its a fine line there. But if they make money and people enjoy the food, I say its a winner!

[Maggie]

Maggie
I have read that beer has more nutritional benefits then milk.   I am currently trying to convince my wife that Guinness comes from special Irish cows.  But for some unknown reason she doesn't believe me.    JIM

There is beer, Jim, then there's Guinness draught stout.

American-style beer has chemicals added to enhance the flavor and the bubbles.
The FDA does not require the Breweries to list what chemicals they use.

No such problems with Guinness, doesn't need any c**p.

It might help if you tell your wife this true story, even though it was almost 50 years ago.
My brother and his wife Norah found out after years of disappointment, they were expecting a baby.
Norah was feeling nauseous and tired, so she told her doctor.
She suffered from anaemia.
Her doctor prescribed a Guinness a day.
She said she found it too bitter, so he told her to drink it diluted with milk.
For the rest of her pregnancy, she drank Guinness and milk every day. She regained her health and had no problems.
She gave birth to a healthy 9lb boy, Michael Patrick Ryan, who grew into a 6'2" rugby player.
Not surprisingly, he enjoys a pint of Guinness!
He has just become a granddad to an equally healthy 9lb 13oz boy.
That baby's mom is cousin to my grandson.
I will be seeing them all in 3 weeks.

[zankoku]

I noticed that no one mentioned Coffee (American style) When i was in Italy we had to request American style coffee not the stuff that you can stick a spoon in  and have it stand up straight.

Is Ireland and Britain the same way?

Jim

[Maggie]

I noticed that no one mentioned Coffee (American style) When i was in Italy we had to request American style coffee not the stuff that you can stick a spoon in  and have it stand up straight.

Is Ireland and Britain the same way? Jim

No, they're quite civilized and if you order a coffee it will be "American style".
Bear in mind they serve more tea than coffee, and you will not get an automatic refill.
If you order Irish coffee in Ireland it will have Irish whiskey in it and fresh cream on top.

Tell you what though, that Turkish coffee or espresso over there is quite an eye-opener!

[Celtic_Kit]

Maggie,

What are some good teas to look out for. I enjoy a nice cup of tea even though I am an avid coffee drinker. I would also like to bring home a bit of tea. Do you know what the customs rules are? By the way, thanks so much for your posts on this. I find them very helpful.

-Kit

[zankoku]

order Irish coffee in Ireland it will have Irish whiskey in it and fresh cream on top.

Fresh cream instead of whipped cream? Sound alright by me.

As long as the caffine is in it. As for Tea, Japanese green tea or sun tea only. Say, didn't we dump a bunch of tea a few years ago?

 

Jim

[kathleen]

Gosh Maggie
I love to hear all about what you know. I think I will have a guinness this weekend. And I am gonna toast you.

kathleen

I've got to get to Ireland one of these days!

[Maggie]

Hi this is Dave again - Mags will be gone for a few days - she was reading some posts on here before she left and asked me to reply to some.
She was busy booking her trip home, she leaves June 5 for UK, comes back June 22, she will be in Ireland for 5 days racing around to see family and friends. I know she wants to see Uncle Thady as hes 92 and busy on his farm.
Her family are a blast, amaze the heck out of me.
I'm staying home to mind O'Malley and kinda busy at work.
Want to see that grandson but will have to wait till next trip. They may be coming over later this year.
BTW Mags makes a killer Irish coffee.
The cream she uses is heavy whipping cream from the dairy section and whips it up until she can pour it over the back of a spoon, it stays in a layer on top of the coffee.
Will not use that squirt stuff.
The whiskey has to be Jameson's.
Anyhow Mags uses Barry's Tea from County Cork. She buys it from the US Navy Exchange who import it specially!
I think if you do a search online for it you can find it over here.
She reckons the closest to decent tea here in the US is Red Rose from CT which you can buy at Publix.

[OldFatGuy]

Anyhow Mags uses Barry's Tea from County Cork. She buys it from the US Navy Exchange who import it specially!

Thanks for keeping us up to date, Dave.  Tell Maggie we miss her and send our love and prayers to Cathy.

Incidentally, Barry's is available through their web site: http://www.barrystea.ie/site/.

[Celtic_Kit]

Here is a link where we can buy many Irish foods online in the U.S. I found it off of the Barry's site.

http://www.foodireland.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT

-Kit