Irish National Food

Irish food is known for the quality and freshness of its ingredients. Most cooking is done without herbs or spices, except for salt and pepper. Foods are usually served without sauce or gravy. The staples of the Irish diet have traditionally been potatoes, grains (especially oats), and dairy products. Potatoes still appear at most Irish meals, with potato scones, similar to biscuits or muffins, a specialty in the north. The Irish have also been accomplished cheesemakers for centuries. Ireland makes about fifty types of homemade "farmhouse" cheeses, which are considered delicacies. Food in Ireland

Soups of all types, seafood, and meats also play important roles in the Irish diet. Irish soups are thick, hearty, and filling, with potatoes, seafood, and various meats being common ingredients. Since their country is surrounded by water, the Irish enjoy many types of seafood, including salmon, scallops, lobster, mussels, and oysters. However, meat is eaten more frequently at Irish meals. The most common meats are beef, lamb, and pork. A typical Irish dinner consists of potatoes (cooked whole), cabbage, and meat.

A thick hearty dish of mutton, potatoes and onions, are considered the national dish of Ireland. There is debate whether modern translations of the dish containing carrots and other vegetables are truly an Irish stew. Irish stew has been recognized as the national dish for at least two centuries. A poem from the early 1800s praised Irish stew for satisfying the hunger of anyone who ate it: Then hurrah for an Irish Stew That will stick to your belly like glue. Irish Stew

Ingredients - 4 potatoes, thinly sliced - 4 medium onions, thinly sliced - 6 carrots, sliced - 1 pound Canadian bacon, chopped -3 pounds lamb chops, 1-inch thick, trimmed, and cut into small pieces - Salt and pepper to taste - 2½ cups water - 4 potatoes, halved - Fresh parsley, finely chopped Procedure 1.To make Irish stew, all the ingredients are assembled in Layers in a large stew pot. 2. Begin with layers of sliced potatoes, onions, and carrots. 3. Top with a layer of Canadian bacon and lamb. 4. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. 5. Repeat these steps until all the ingredients are used. 6. Add enough water to just cover the ingredients. 7. Arrange the halved potatoes on top of the stew, but not in contact with the water, so they can steam as the rest is cooking. 8. Simmer over a very low heat for about 2 hours. 9. Sprinkle liberally with the chopped parsley and serve in soup bowls.

Full Irish Breakfast A full Irish breakfast is the traditional breakfast in Ireland. It is usually served at breakfast time, but it is also popular at other times, sometimes to replace lunch. A full Irish breakfast also has the main components of bacon and eggs, tea, toast and marmalade but there are also two important ingredients - White Pudding and Soda Bread - to differentiate it from the others.

St Patrick's Day March 17th is St Patrick's Day and celebrations of this event take place all around the world with fun and feasting on delicious Irish food, not just Corn Beef and Cabbage. St Patrick's Day recipes will take you from dawn to dusk with the very best of Irish food and drink.

St Patrick's Day can be a long day with all the celebrations, so make sure you start with a good Breakfast. A Full Irish Breakfast with bacon, sausages, eggs, potato Fadge, or the famous Boxty, (Irish griddle cakes) to get you started. Add a few slices of Soda Bread and of course, lashings of tea and you will be set up for the day ahead. Always a good idea on Paddy's Day. St Patrick’s Day Dishes

* Dublin Coddle Recipe * Beef and Guinness Pie * Corned Beef and Cabbage * Beef Stew and Dumplings * Shepherd's Pie * Crubeens St Patrick's is a day for traditional Irish foods, hale and hearty fare to fill stomachs and keep energy levels up. No list of St Patrick's Day recipes would be complete without these dishes. Although in the US it is traditional to eat Corn Beef and Cabbage, there are many other superb Irish dishes to choose from.

Traditional Irish dish usually associated with Dublin and known also as Dublin Coddle. It is comfort food of the highest degree; a hearty nutritious stew-like dish made from salty bacon, pork sausages and potatoes. The name comes from the long, slow simmering or ‘coddling’ of the dish. It has been suggested the popularity of coddle arose because it can be left simmering on the stove till the man comes in from the pub long after the wife had gone to bed. There are as many recipes for it as there are bars in the city, and everyone’s mother has their own version which of course, is always the best. Dublin Coddle

Beef and Guinness Pie brings together two of Ireland's most famous products, beef and Guinness in a hale and hearty pie. The long-slow cooking of the filling creates not just perfectly tender beef, it also allows the flavor of the Guinness to permeate the meat and the vegetables and produce a thick, luscious sauce. Beef and Guinness Pie

Everyone knows corned beef and cabbage is the traditional St. Patrick's Day meal, but why only enjoy this easy corned beef recipe once a year! Great for feeding a large group, and only requires one pot. The leftover corned beef, served cold on dark bread with mustard, makes one of the world's great sandwiches. Corned Beef and Cabbage

What could be better to bring a waft of sweetness to a St Patrick's Day feast than a slice (or two) of warm Barm Brack one of Ireland's most famous bakery products. The name comes from breac which means speckled, referring to the fruit in the loaf. Brack is one of Ireland's most famous bakery products. The name comes from breac which means speckled, referring to the fruit in the loaf. It’s traditionally eaten at Halloween but is too delicious to save for just once a year. Something Sweet

There can be no mention of Ireland, or Irish food and drink without a 'Pint of the Black Stuff," and Irish Beer putting in an appearance. Guinness is considered Ireland's national drink and is known around the world. A great drink for St Patrick's is of course Mead, the sweet, delicious honey wine that has been made and enjoyed by Celtic nations for centuries. says About.com's Guide to Wine, Stacy Slinkard. And of course, there's also Irish Whiskey. Drinks