THE THEME OF THE IRISH CULINARY YEAR

5 must tastes of Irish cuisine

Starting this fall, the island of Ireland is preparing to introduce its culinary culture to a new theme: Taste the Island.
From regional specialties to local traditions to new gastronomy, Ireland has a rich culinary tradition, both ancestral and contemporary.
'Taste the Island' and the incomparable sense of Irish hospitality invite you to savor local produce and immerse yourself in the realm of Irish flavors.
'Taste the Island' offers more than 500 events throughout the island, including culinary festivals, cooking workshops, guided tours and dinners in a variety of unique venues.
Visitors will discover traditional and regional specialties as well as contemporary dishes with elaborate flavors. Ireland has many specialties: beef and lamb meat, game, seafood, fish, chutneys, yoghurts, cheese, ice cream ... not to mention the island's famous ciders, beers, gins and whiskey .

Five specialties of Irish cuisine to absolutely taste:

1. Duet of oysters and stout

The wild coast around Galway is particularly known for its fabulous seafood.
Galway oysters, famous worldwide, are only available in season, from September to April.
Their relative rarity, their fleshy texture and their flavors of algae and herbs make it a delicacy.
Oysters are often accompanied by a stout.
Besides Guinness, the most famous stout, others are brewed in Ireland, like the Porterhouse Oyster Stout, a dark and very aromatic stout adored in Dublin, the Export Stout of Boundary Brewing which has its origins near Belfast or Murphy's which is developed in Cork.

2. The classic: Whiskey and Irish beef

Uisce Beatha - the water of life: Irish whiskey is different (that's why it has an 'e' in addition).
Dublin has long been the capital of the island's most famous whiskey.
Jameson is probably the best known, but since the end of the 19th century many wiskey distilleries have sprung up in the Liberties district of Dublin.
Many of them had to close their doors following the civil war and prohibition.
Today, this sector is gaining momentum with Press Release November 2019

the appearance of many new whiskey brands such as Teelings and Pearce Lyons & Slane Irish Whiskey.
Irish beef could obviously not be missing from the list of must-haves.
It is at the heart of most traditional Irish dishes.
The Sheperd Pie is a good example.
This popular winter dish consists of slow-cooked pieces of meat and vegetables, covered with a layer of mashed potatoes and cheese.
Another classic: the Irish Beef Stew. The main ingredients are simple: potatoes, vegetables and lamb meat or beef - but its composition can vary greatly depending on the city or village, and even from one family to another.
Rich and hearty, it is the perfect 'comfort food' of the winter months.
A great classic of Irish cuisine.

3. Sweet flavors: Fifteens or Yellowman

In addition to salty preparations, Ireland is also known for its sweet recipes.
Each region has its specialty.
'Fifteens' is a popular recipe from Northern Ireland. Popular in Ulster, it is rarely found in other parts of the island.
According to local legend, its name comes from the fact that it takes 15 ingredients, including biscuits, marshmallows, cherries sprinkled with icing sugar and dried coconut.
This North Irish delicacy is savored with a delicious cup of tea.
Another example is Yellowman or 'yellaman', a yellow honeycombed pastry with a caramel texture prepared in Northern Ireland.
It consists of brown sugar, caramel, butter, vinegar and yeast (although some recipes vary).
The big pieces of yellowman are broken with a hammer to savor the greedy chips.

4. Irish stew: Colcannon

The Colcannon is a warm traditional Irish dish.
This creamy mix of mashed potatoes and kale or traditional cabbage is a winter vegetable in Ireland. The Colcannon is generally consumed in the Hallowe'en period, inspired by Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival.
It marks the beginning of the darkest half of the year, a time when the border between our world and that of the spirits can be more easily crossed ...

5. Traditional bread: 'black butter' bread

Ireland is a country of bread.
Throughout the island, you can savor delicious fresh baked bread made from baking soda, potatoes, wheat or the barmbrack, a yeast-flavored raisin bread that is eaten at Hallowe ' in.
A small ring is slipped when cooking a báirín breac or a 'barmbrack'.
It can predict the future of the person who finds it in his piece.
If you find it, it means that you are getting married in the year!
In Ireland, this bread is often eaten with black butter, which is actually an applesauce rich in spices (cloves, cinnamon, star anise and chilli seeds).

About 'Taste the Island'

'Taste the Island' is the new Irish culinary theme.
More than 500 events will be organized to introduce visitors to the treasures of traditional and contemporary Irish and Northern Irish cuisine, as well as the countless gourmet products that make all gourmets salivate.

Some highlights:

• Full moon dinner at Hook Lighthouse: diners enjoy the sunset and the full moon over the Hook Peninsula in Wexford County.
• Cider tasting in County Armagh orchards.
• Donegal County Chiefs prepare a banquet at the foot of Mount Errigal.
• Festival 'A Taste of West Cork'.
• Galway International Seafood and Oyster Festival.
• 'Taste Causeway', a series of culinary tours and events along the coast of County Antrim.
• Slow Food Festival in Derry-Londonderry.
• Experiences 'Wild Food Fo
• Circuits ‘Oyster Shucking’ et ‘Whiskey Distillery’. raging'.

Plus d’informations : https://www.discoverireland.ie/taste-the-island/
https://discovernorthernireland.com/tastetheisland/
www.ireland.com

Tourism Ireland Public relations Tourism Ireland
Danielle Neyts Laurence Hannon
02/643.21.21 0479/63.00.02
dneyts@tourismireland.com laurence.hannon1@gmail.com