Typical Foods (and a Drink) You'll Come Across When Visiting Ireland

Soda Bread

In any household that you enter in Ireland, the chances are great that you will find some soda bread. Every family seems to have their own unique recipe, with the end result usually being an unbelievably tasty loaf of bread.

These recipes have been passed down from generation to generation on browning pieces of paper with handwritten instructions. Some people prefer to have oats, bran, and seeds added to it for additional nutritional support, whereas others enjoy the sweeter approach by throwing in some raisins and honey.

The fundamental makeup of the recipes, however, is always the same, with bread soda (which is bicarbonate of soda), flour, and buttermilk (the raising agent) all mixed together. You can eat it in any number of ways, such as: Spreading butter or jam over it Dunking it into your soup or hot tea

Shellfish

If you make the visit to Ireland outside of the winter months, you may be exposed to less sun and more rain, but you will have the pleasure of enjoying some of the world’s finest shellfish, which start to come into season during the month of September.

Shellfish has always been an integral part of the cuisine of Ireland, whether it is:

• Cockles, which abound the legacy of one Molly Malone Connemara clams Amazing Dublin Bay prawns and mussels

Boiled Bacon and Cabbage

While a meal of boiled potatoes, boiled cabbage, and boiled bacon might not sound like something that you want to eat, when combined together in a certain way, it becomes a staple of the Irish diet.

It is salted pork that is used and added to the cabbage in the pot during the last ten minutes or so of the cooking process, infusing the cabbage with a great bacon flavor. A lot of the time, a whitish sauce is used alongside the dish to give it an added kick.

White and Black Pudding

Black pudding has long been a favorite fixture in Irish breakfasts. It is made up of pork fat, meat, and blood that have been mixed alongside a few different additional ingredients to create a sausage that has extreme flavor.

White pudding is the same without the blood, and both are a staple of any Irish breakfast.

Smoked Salmon and Irish Salmon

In old times, wild salmon was a popular dish in Ireland, but just like with most parts of the world, it is becoming rarer to get true wild salmon due to the onset of farmed fishing.

Whenever you see wild salmon on the menu, you need to try it. It is usually poached and accompanied by a white sauce, potatoes, and some greens. The best months to have it are usually between April and June.

You should also have a go at smoked salmon, which is salmon that has been smoked over a fire and has a lovely unique taste when served. It usually comes cold and is accompanied by some brown bread.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are so many different wonderfully unique foods that you can try when you come to the shores of Ireland. These are dishes that are hard to find elsewhere in the world unless you are visiting an Irish family in their home.