Most folks pretty much know what today is (a neighborhood pub here has been counting the days down since … November last year, I think). But as I started putting this post together, I realized that there must be more to discover about Irish cuisine and culinary history than the ubiquitous corned beef and cabbage sales going on. So I thought I’d do some meaningful research and report my findings back to you.
And if I had to sample some authentic Irish whiskey while doing so, just to create the right kind of Irish atmosphere, then so be it. It’s for the good of our beloved Tasty Kitchen community, and I’m willing to suffer through it just for you.
I may have suffered twice. Or thrice.
But I have lots of information to share! For one, I found out that corned beef was originally not part of traditional Irish cuisine. Instead, it was introduced to the Irish immigrants in the United States by their European neighbors, and they quickly took to the hearty and budget-friendly fare.
As for Irish soda bread, like the Irish Soda Bread with Caraway Seeds and Golden Raisins from ABusyNest and Irish Soda Bread from thestained apron that you see above, that was traditionally very basic, with only flour, baking soda, buttermilk, and salt. The raisins were for reserved for special occasions, and the original version did not contain any butter. (I don’t think the butter hurts, though. But that’s just me. Then again, what do I know, I’ve been drinking whiskey here.)
In the main course department, there are certain dishes we easily associate with Irish cuisine. There’s shepherd’s pie (like the jazzed up, not-so-traditional but oh-so-yummy My Mom’s Shepherd’s Pie from storyofbing), Lamb Stout Stew like the one from julo seen below, or the dramatic Gaelic Steak Flambe from bunkycooks, with flames courtesy of some good old Irish whiskey.
Another thing that the Irish are known for are their grains. Ireland has just the right climate and humidity to produce some of the best milling oats in the world, and it’s no wonder that Irish steel cut oats are known for their wonderful flavor. But our members sure know how to take great flavor and run with it. Take, for example, twopeasandtheirpod’s Bruleed Steel Cut Oats or goodlifeeats’ Cherry and Tangerine Steel Cut Oats seen below.
Ireland is also known for its verdant, lush green landscape, and the abundance of vegetables available there. In fact, even today, it’s not uncommon to find them growing in the wild. Some of the vegetables widely used in Irish cuisine include kale, and we’ve got many different dishes that feature this wonderful and healthy green.
Clockwise from top left: Perfect Poached Eggs and Sauteed Kale On Toast from foodwoolf, Irish Colcannon with Kale from daxphillips, Hearty Sausage, Kale and Pepper Quiche from acher, and Kale and Gorgonzola Swirls from rainydaygal.
Another Irish favorite is leeks, and we have a delicious Potato Leek Soup for Surviving Winter from Food for My Family, as well as some lovely Creamed Leeks from ThirftyMammy that she cleverly plates below with home-cured bacon and a poached egg. Or you can try elanaspantry’s Green Soup with Ginger, which not only has leeks but also has the bonus of being, well, green.
And although folks commonly think of hearty meat dishes when they think of Irish entrees, the truth is, seafood plays a prominent role in their diet, thanks to their shoreline that provides them with a steady supply of oysters, mussels, and fish.
On the left, Salmon with Vegetables from hailskitchen, and on the right, Mussels in White Wine Garlic-Butter Sauce from dishinanddishes.
And that’s our theme for today! We hope you enjoyed it, and … what’s that? You’re wondering why we didn’t mention beer? My bad. Allow me to rectify that immediately.
Of course, in true Tasty Kitchen fashion, I’ll be delivering that wrapped in chocolate.
Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Bittersweet Ganache from rainydaygal.
That’s because we love you so much.
I chose the recipes above to highlight the rich variety of ingredients found in Irish cooking. (Keep in mind that I’m no expert. After all, I had to do research on this. And the whiskey was absolutely no help with that. So feel free to set me straight or share more interesting facts about this wonderful cuisine!) We’ve also got the more popular Bangers and Mash (from Siggy Spice), Reuben Panini (from bringingupboys), some cute Lucky Four Leaf Clover Rolls (from angpritch), and an awesome Irish Carrot Soup (from Amanda) if those are more up your alley.
Now is when I turn it over to you and ask you if you have any special plans for today. (We had our corned beef and cabbage yesterday. Traditional or not, I love a good corned beef sandwich with homemade bread, horseradish cream, red onions, thin slices of tomatoes, and some slaw.) How about you? Are you cooking up a storm, hosting people at home? Will you be out with friends? Do you have a special tradition that you always do on this day? And, because the pubs are typically busy around this time, do you have any funny stories you’re dying to share? (You can withhold names to protect the innocent if you want. Or if you just can’t remember them in the first place.)
42 Comments
Comments are closed for this recipe.
Laurie on 3.21.2010
Thanks so much for posting these recipes. I made the Irish Soda Bread with Caraway Seeds and Raisens and it turned out beautifully… sure to be a family favorite.
Courtni T. on 3.19.2010
Well, heading up to the big city to get a new iphone, eat with my sister, and then I hear we in Oklahoma are getting another snow storm so I will be curled up with my honey and enjoying the last few days of spring break.
MS Hospitality on 3.19.2010
All this talk and the photos… I’m starving! St. Patty’s Day may have to go on for a week or so to get all these recipes it! Ha! Love it!
Karen D. on 3.19.2010
My mother-in-law is from Dublin, so we had corned beef and cabbage, carrots with leeks, boiled red creamery potatoes, brown bread, white soda bread, and guiness. She makes the best corned beef – not boiled, but steamed.
The Chocolate Lady on 3.18.2010
Im 1/2 Irish…but cant stand the smell of cabbage….so we went out so my hubby could get the whole corned beef and smelly stuff….
Like the poster above me, Id prefer Mexican – I live in S. CA
Actually….since Im a chocolatier, chocolate trumps all ethnic food rituals!
For those that would rather eat chocolate, Im doing a giveaway today – and it’s not cabbage!
Christina Kratochvil on 3.18.2010
Vacationing in So. Cal so we had MEXICAN!
sallyk on 3.18.2010
It’s my understanding that corned beef is an Irish-American thing — not Irish. Apparently the Irish immigrants couldn’t get a cut of pork they were used to using in their cooking (the joint of bacon Nicola mentions above, perhaps?). Their Jewish neighbors suggested using corned beef instead.
I baked a corned beef yesterday and it was tough. Afterwards I realized that I should have cooked it exactly the same way I cook brisket. I didn’t cook it long enough and I omitted the liquid. Next time!
And when I bought my corned beef, I forgot to get rye bread, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut. How could I forget that I’d want to make Reubens with the leftovers (talk about melding cultures!)?
I’m looking forward to colcannon today and bangers and mash very soon!
nicola on 3.18.2010
It is so wonderful to see people all over the world interested in Irish culture and food! Believe it or not, it did not rain here in Ireland for the Paddy’s day parades yesterday – believe me this is a big thing!
I am afraid that I have never tried corned beef, infact it is very hard toget it in Ireland, but will definitely make an effort after everyones suggestions.
For the authentic irish dish we just boil up a joint of bacon with the cabbage ( a little baking soda in the water keeps the cabbage firm and the right texture), serve with parsley sauce, mashed potatoes and plenty of butter. It is an easy dish and what all of our grannies would have served. Just a suggestion
Happy Paddy’s Day from Ireland
Jo on 3.17.2010
This is such a great piece and I thank you for & appreciate your going beyond the stereo-typical fare here. Your photo’s have my already full tummy growling! I made our annual corned beef & cabbage with potato’s and carrots today along with soda bread (thankfully because the one from the store actually tastes like hot cross buns!) and my Hubby and I had my Mom over for dinner. We like a quiet St. Pat’s at home! I hope you’ve had a lovely & Happy Day!
Ree | The Pioneer Woman on 3.17.2010
Karenpie, that sounds delicious!
Erika—I love this collection of recipes. Very clever!
Traci on 3.17.2010
Such good food! And all I could come up with was this: http://wp.me/pOvJG-1S. Oh well. Congrats to my friends at Good Life Eats and Two Peas and Their Pod. Perhaps one day one of my recipes will be famous too. Have a great day. The steel cut oats are to die for!!
Liz on 3.17.2010
I made a corned beef in the crock pot today- Rinsed and dried it, coated it w/ brown sugar- added 1/2 the little packet of spices and poured a Guinness over the top- cooked in the crockpot for about 8 hours on low. YUM!
I served it w/ crash potatoes and roasted brussel sprouts.
terri on 3.17.2010
Don’t forget to have a Blarney Stone for dessert!
https://tastykitchen.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/blarney-stone/
Karenpie on 3.17.2010
We’re going over to our friends’ house for a St. Patty’s party on Saturday. I’m in charge of dessert and I’m making PW’s chocolate pie but I’m changing it up a bit. I’m adding Baileys Irish Cream and putting it in cute little ramekins for . . . ready for it? . . . . Baileys Chocolate Mousse.
I’m a genius.
Melissa R on 3.17.2010
Extended family will arrive in about an hour for a good ole New England Boiled Dinner. Wee are a bit o’ Irish.
kate on 3.17.2010
Well, we just finished a lovely dinner of venison, mushroom and pepper sauce pie with creamy mash, cabbage and beetroot.
As I live in Belfast with my husband (a local lad) I’ve had the chance to sample the great foods that both the North and the South of this beautiful island has to offer.
If I had to name a few things that come to mind that represent “Irish” food to me it would be potato bread, mussels and colcannon (you can’t be surprised that 2 of the 3 are made from potatoes!). And of course I cannot say no to a wee drop of Bushmills (Black Bush is best).
ps. If you’re ever in Belfast and looking for a great meal out, I would highly recommend Made in Belfast (locally sourced and mostly organic ingredients) or the Mourne Seafood Bar (local seafood at it’s best) – you can’t go wrong! Happy St. Pat’s to all!
shellsonvancouverisland on 3.17.2010
I spent a week in Dublin in late 2007 …. what a beautiful city it is. We tried a lot of traditional foods and drinks but the one meal that will forever be ingrained in my mind is the traditional irish breakfast we thought we should try ….. runny eggs, rashers, toast, black sausage and beans ….. memorable for so many many reasons!!
We went out into the country to County Meath and had a wonderful day at a tourist farm …. many farmers are having a hard time so they open their farms up to tourists ….. we baked traditional irish bread, made soup and then ate it by the peat fire (lots of smoke, little warmth), tried our hand at rounding up cows and sheep that didn’t want to be rounded, played a bit of Hurling (the national game of Ireland, not to be confused with hurling, the game of over-indulgence in spirits), took a wagon ride out to a bog and learned all about the history behind peat and its uses, learned an Irish jig, banged around on the bodhrans and generally enjoyed the Irish countryside.
Best of all we took part in the Guiness Storehouse tour and finished off with pouring a pint to enjoy.
Jennifer L on 3.17.2010
I made an adapted version of Paula Deen’s corned beef and cabbage last year as well as some soda bread. It was really good and super easy! I don’t have time to go home and make dinner tonight, but perhaps we’ll take a raincheck and have it in a few days.
thankfulme.etsy.com
Bev M on 3.17.2010
Corned beef with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots – one of my all-time favorite meals, no matter what day it is!
chocolatelady on 3.17.2010
Hey Ree,
Could we get a “chocolate” section? I have a ton of fun things Ive made….decorative medallions, chocolate cups, and other fun things…but am never sure what category to put them in….
I submitted one recipe; chocolate marshmallow ice cream cones…but it in the special occasions section…
thanks!
http://www.thechocolateladyblog.blogspot.com
J Hughes on 3.17.2010
Thanks for featuring the Irish Soda Bread. We love Tasty Kitchen!
Beth-Ann on 3.17.2010
There’s a soup supper at church. I made fresh bright green pea soup. It tasted kind of boring so I added honey and Hot Asian Chili Sauce so now it is sweet and sassy and oh so very Irish and green.
Shelley on 3.17.2010
Hey now! Don’t forget about the AWESOME Irish Car Bomb Brownie bites https://tastykitchen.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/irish-car-bomb-brownie-bites/
They are a huge hit in my office today!
vicki stevens on 3.17.2010
I will be having corned beef, cabbage, and red potatoes even if it is not true to Ireland. Its true to me :). I will have some beer
But I thought about my after dinner coffee.
Irish Coffee
1 1/2 oz Irish whiskey
coffee
1 oz brown sugar syrup
1 oz whipped cream
Combine the whiskey, coffee and syrup in an Irish coffee cup. Gently ladle the cream on top, and serve.
I have sprinkled green sugar on top of the cream or if I have it drizzled Creme de Menthe over the cream.
Jen on 3.17.2010
Wow, these all look SO fabulous! Can’t wait to try these. An O’Hara by birth, Irish food is always good eats in our home. Thank you for posting, what a great collection.
Michelle Thompson on 3.17.2010
Well this morning more for me than my boys I put green food coloring in their eggs, but they just didn’t find it as amusing or as fun as I did, oh well. Tonight we are having corned beef and cabbage (of course) and just because I can and I want to (I don’t really care if the rest of the family likes it or not) I am going to make green mashed potatoes and probably peas and then for me I will top it off with a green beer, isn’t St. Patricks Day fun? I think so.
Have a great day!!!
Lagata on 3.17.2010
I’m so glad that you pointed out the corned beef thing (not that there is anything wrong with corned beef!). My Mum was from Ireland and had never even heard of corned beef until we moved to the United States – haha.
I will be baking bread this afternoon 
Both of my parents are deceased now, I’ll be stopping by their grave site today.
I inherited my mother’s bread making bowl – without it I don’t think I would get the measurements correct! I just know how high to fill things and how big of a hole to create
Cathy on 3.17.2010
Great Post! Everyone one of those looks wonderful! Thanks for pointing them out. Got the printer warmed up.
Jessica @ How Sweet on 3.17.2010
I have some plans of green martinis at home – with my red-headed, light-eyed Irish hubby.
Theresa on 3.17.2010
Despite the fact that my father was about half Irish, I have never had corned beef and cabbage. My hubs thought that sinful, so I’m home sick today preparing my first corned beef and cabbage meal, along with some irish-style potatoes and some soda bread.
Laurie in MInne*SNOW*ta on 3.17.2010
I made an early morning trip to the bread outlet across the street to buy Pumpernickel Bread for $1 a loaf, then to my favorite local meat market/deli who has Hormel Corned Beef on sale for $4.99 a pound (that always tastes better than my making it for some reason), picked up some great sauerkraut there wlong with Swiss Cheese, and I am good to go for Reubens this evening. Since my teen is leaving on a big bus for a choir trip to Colorado for 5 days this afternoon, they may be accompanied by Beer.
Rhonda on 3.17.2010
This Irish gal will be brewing up some Bangers and Mash, along with braised cabbage and my youngest has requested Dalkey Duos (found the recipe from the Raglan Road cook).
SouffleBombay on 3.17.2010
Well after straightening up the havoc the leprechauns caused last night (cereal boxes in the schoolbags, shoes in the pantry, a tree in the bathroom, all the toilet bowl water green…) on to dinner plans.
Tonight we are having Baked Potato Soup, Potato Balls and Ham and Cabbage (the smell just kills me but the hubby must have it…after all we are the Kennedy’s.
We allready enjoyed some Irish Soda Bread cooked in my great grandmom O’Donnell’s 100 year old skillet!
Thanks for the above inspiration, I need to try a few of these tasty dishes!!
Colleen
cindy on 3.17.2010
I have already prepared the corned beef (baked) so just have to reheat. Will roast the cabbage this evening when I share with some Italian friends. Did not have time to make the Irish soda bread. Will bring some Irish Cheddar (KerryGold is the best) to snack with an Irish Ale (or 2).
Slainte
monica on 3.17.2010
I have corned beef and cabbage in the crock pot for dinner tonight. It is one of my all time favority meals!! I will have to try to soda bread sometime.
Erika (TK) on 3.17.2010
Fransims, it should work now. (Note to self: lay off the whiskey while pasting links.)
Bringingupboys, the seafood was a nice surprise research discovery, too!
Oh, and if some cold corned beef ended up on my breakfast plate this morning, I deny all knowledge of how it got there.
bringingupboys on 3.17.2010
Great post and investigating Erika! Seafood on St. Patty’s Day, who knew? We’re keeping it simple round here tonight…Reuben panini for all, and a big bowl of potato leek soup. Wishing everyone a happy St. Patrick’s Day!
kdotp on 3.17.2010
I got up early to start my Irish (lamb) stew in the slow cooker this morning and mixed the dry ingredients for @confusedhomemaker’s Irish soda bread. I’ll make that when I get home from work tonight!
I’m meeting the hub out for a corned beef and cabbage lunch (and maybe one green beer).
Sewfordough on 3.17.2010
The photos are amazing. I think I’ll have to make all of these tonight!
Aparna on 3.17.2010
What a great post! All those recipes look delicious. Especially the items with leeks and kale. Yum!
fransims on 3.17.2010
When I click on the Carrot Soup link I get the Reuben Panini…HELP!!!
blue-eyes on 3.17.2010
I made Guinness roasted corned beef and fried cabbage last night. Tonight we’re going to an Irish pub, RiRa’s for dinner and Irish music. Tomorrow i’ll be making my favorite, cornbeef hash cakes!
Happy St. Paddy’s!