| abstract
| - Throughout the early half of the 20th century, Irish food was considered somewhat conservative. This can be attributed to the Great Famine, when the starving resorted to "foods of the wild." Known as 'famine food,' there became a great reluctance to eat them as they often stirred memories of suffering and starvation. Other traditional type foods such as pancakes and oatcakes and other grain prepared foods used during times of food shortages similarly were avoided post-famine. As a result, a good plain meal consisting of a trio of meat, vegetables and potatoes became the symbol of comfort in Ireland. This symbol lasted until the 1960s as Ireland began to prosper economically. Many experienced an exciting diversity in foods as overseas travel became popular. Today, a visit to any Irish supermarket and you will see the multicultural influence in Irish food. Today, the cuisine of Ireland blends two types of cooking styles: a traditional one, which is used for the preparation of simple foods and a more recent style that is used mainly in restaurants. Many of the Irish foods are based on potatoes. Two relevant examples in this case are colcannon and champ. The first one also contains garlic, kale and cabbage, while champ is made from mashed potatoes, eggs and scallions. The potato is used in Ireland ever since the 17th century. At first, it was cropped in gardens, but later began to be grown on larger areas. It is appreciated for its high amounts of minerals and vitamins, out of which vitamin C is one of the most important. Potatoes have been used as food for animals, especially for the pigs that were butchered during the winter. As it represented the main ingredient for a long period of time, in several occasions, when the weather was harsh, the reduced production led to famine. However, before the potatoes began to be cropped in Ireland, the main ingredients were represented by Beef, Pork and sheep meat. People also made use of poultry and game meat, in order to prepare their foods. Fish was a specific for the cuisine. The diversity only appeared in the 19th century, when people started to trade various ingredients. That moment is also marked by the increase of Chicken production. Although Ireland is an island, the seafood does not have a very important role in the national cuisine. The number of the dishes based on seafood only increased recently and some foods that contain shellfish, such as Dublin Bay Prawns and Galway Oysters, have become famous across the country. The most frequently used fish varieties are salmon and cod. Two of the most important ingredients that are used in the Irish cuisine are the bread and honey. The bread that is made in Ireland knows many variations, and the most common are: wheaten bread, blaa, soda bread and Waterford. Honey was used ever since the early Irish cuisine as the main ingredient of a traditional beverage, named mead. Nowadays, the Irish cuisine gathers influences from the Western civilizations. As evidence, the fast-food industry, which has roots located in the United States of America, is developing quickly. Some of the European countries also affected the Irish cooking style, as pizza and curry are popular in Ireland. Other dishes may have Chinese, Mexican or Indian provenience. The fast-food that is consumed in Ireland has bad effects on people’s health. Ireland is now among the first countries, in the heart disease top, and obesity also becomes a common health problem. Another factor that leads to bad health is represented by the high use of butter and meat in the preparation of the traditional dishes. In order to remediate these problems, people have developed new preparation methods, based on the same ingredients. They offer a more important role to the shellfish, vegetables, bread, potatoes and cheeses. Many of the Irish dishes, out of which Dublin coddles and the Irish stew should be mentioned, are now regaining their popularity. Regarding the beverages, Ireland has its own identity. Many of the drinks that are made in Ireland, or in an Irish manner, have gained popularity all over the world. The Irish whiskey cream, the Irish coffee and the great number of beers that are produced here, helped Ireland to become famous.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)