Irish cuisine

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.
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.
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.
Bread is an important part of Irish culture. Fresh soda bread, a crusty brown bread made from whole-wheat flour and buttermilk, is a national dish of Ireland. Irish bakers don't stop with soda bread, however. They bake a wide variety of other hearty breads and cakes.
The most common everyday beverage in Ireland is tea. Popular alcoholic beverages include whiskey, beer, and ale. Coffee mixed with whiskey and whipped cream is known throughout the world as "Irish coffee."

Traditional 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.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.