Ireland Food Culture
Colcannon is a classic comforting mash of potatoes cabbage or kale and butter or cream flavoured with spring onions.
Ireland food culture. Traditional foods of ireland. Or was developed by the irish people. And almost every visitor to ireland is surprised to find that neither features all that commonly on restaurant menus. Imbolc february beltaine may lughnasa august and samhain november.
Mythology for the dreamers. The food and cooking of ireland are steeped in history and heritage and irish food draws on the wealth of ingredients available from the sea the land the moors and pastureland in ireland. In the early part of 2001 irish cattle and sheep farmers like other farmers in europe were fighting against an outbreak of hoof and mouth disease a deadly viral disease that is fatal to hoofed animals. This is irelands food history.
Champ is a similar. For most of its recorded history irish culture has been primarily gaelic see gaelic ireland. Modern ireland has few problems related to availability of food. Food in irish culture it is not surprising that food and feasts play a central role in many of these tales as ireland developed primarily as an agricultural society.
So what was the ancient irish diet. That isnt to say that such dishes are no. This is mostly due to its role during the great famine in ireland 1845 to 1849 when the potato crop failed leading to widespread plight and mass immigration. Mythology plays a key role in irish culture.
Outside of ireland irish food is often mistakenly thought to consist of nothing more than potatoes and mutton. But mashed potato is. In addition to this it has been considered the unofficial mascot of the irish food scene throughout history. It has evolved from centuries of social and political change and the mixing of the different cultures in ireland predominantly the english and irish and in ulster the scottish.
Indeed ireland is known as a mystic country. Yup its pretty much just mashed potato with chopped scallions. And its literally and traditionally just mashed potato with milk and butter along with chopped scallions and cheese. Potatoes are still a staple at most mealtimes with traditional dishes remaining popular.
The first settlers arrived at irelands coasts in 8000 bc but the potato only arrived in europe some 400 years ago. Irelands population boomed with this cheap and plentiful food source but was later decimated when potato harvests were hit by blight in the 19 th century. Anyway champ would be one of the tastier potato alternatives in northern ireland food and it is 100 local although there are similarities to colcannon from down in southern ireland. The four main pagan celtic festivals were celebrated with feasts and dancing at the change of seasons.
Almost everyone when asked about irish food mentions two things irish stew and corned beef with cabbage. By summer the outbreak had been brought under control.