1.2. Bain taitneamh as do bhéile!

Focus on

Buen provechoImagen de Abi Skipp
en Flickr.  Licencia CC

In English when we want to wish someone to enjoy the meal they are about to eat, we say: Enjoy your meal!

In Irish we say: Bain taitneamh as do bhéile!

Do it yourself

Read the text below which will help you learn more about the food and cooking of Ireland. Fill in the gaps using the sentences in the grid below. Write the number (1-7) in the space provided. There are 2 extra sentences that you do not need:

 

1 Of those who survived over two million emigrated (many to the US and UK) and several million in Ireland were left destitute.
2 without corned beef, or a Gaelic steak (pan-fried steak with a shot of Irish whisky).
3 so reviving a long lost art in Ireland.
4 Cattle played an important part in Irish food from the middle ages until the arrival of the potato in Ireland in the 16th century.
5 which is why it is so little known today
6 appearing in many recipes especially Dublin Coddle – considered one of Ireland’s national dishes – made from bacon, sausages, and of course, potatoes.
7 are easily found and enjoyed throughout Ireland.
8 They introduced different types of vegetables.
9 and was a welcome change from the cereal crops they had been dependent on.

 

 

Ireland and Irish Food - The Food and Cooking of Ireland

Outside of Ireland, Irish food is often mistakenly thought to consist of nothing more than potatoes and mutton. How wrong. The food and cooking of Ireland is 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. Home and family in Ireland play an important part in Irish food and cooking with the kitchen still the heart of every home with Irish hospitality and their love of celebrating renowned throughout the world.

The History of Irish Food in Ireland

Countless influences have made their mark on Irish food over the centuries from the arrival of the Celts in Ireland about 600 to 500 BC, the Vikings and the English colonization of Ireland in the 16th and 17th century.

The meat was predominantly food for the rich with the poor making do with the offal, the milk, cheese and butter which were supplemented with grains and barley for nourishment.

The Potato in Ireland – A Blessing and a Curse

The potato arrived in Ireland in the mid-to-late 16th century. The damp, cool Irish climate and soil conditions proved perfect for potatoes and the potato rapidly moved from a simple garden vegetable to a staple food crop for both man and animals as it was cheap to grow and even a small plot could produce a hearty crop. The high mineral and vitamin content of the potato also made it a perfect, cheap food for the poor of Ireland

The dependence on potatoes as a staple food, however, also proved a curse for the Irish with the Potato Famine in Ireland. The first in 1739 was a result of cold weather but the famine of 1845-49 in Ireland was caused by potato blight, a rapidly spreading disease which wiped out the potato crops and resulted in the death of over 1,000,000 Irish.

Potatoes remain a basic foodstuff in Ireland are served almost daily as part of a meal. Unlike Britain cooked potatoes are served in their skin, which is removed at the table. This ensures more of the nutrients remain in the potato during cooking.

Food in Ireland Today

Like the rest of the UK and Europe, Ireland has a thriving modern food culture, fast-food and ethnic restaurants found mainly in the major cities. Younger chefs have embraced the heritage of their food and often work with familiar recipes creating them in new ways but outside the cities, Irish food predominantly remains traditional and hearty fare from recipes handed down over generations.

Meat

The pig is the oldest domesticated animal in Ireland and its presence is still widespread in the food and cooking of Ireland with sausages, bacon and gammon

Irish beef is world renowned and no St Patrick’s Day meal would be complete

Fish and Seafood

Surrounded by sea, and with rivers and lakes, fish and seafood naturally play an important part in Irish food. Oysters, crab, lobster and langoustine, cockles, mussels, white fish, salmon fresh and smoked,
Irish Cheese

In the early part of the 20th century Irish cheese had a somewhat poor reputation as most cheeses came from large scale manufacturers. All of that changed in the 1970’s when enterprising dairy farmers returned to artisan cheese-making  Today, Irish cheese is renowned throughout the world for the quality, and distinctive flavor of its cheeses.
Guinness and Whiskey

Guinness and Whiskey are two of Ireland’s most famous drinks.

SOURCE: http://britishfood.about.com/od/introtobritishfood/a/ireland.htm

Enable JavaScript

 

It's time to cook! Are you a good cook?

The following verbs are necessary when talking about cooking. While watching the video below take a piece of paper and write a definition for them:


a. sauté - b.  boil - c. simmer - d. broil - e. roast - f. grill - g. chop - h. dice - i. slice - j. fry - k. stir


                                                                                                                 

Video alojado en Youtube        

Do it yourself

Look at the recipe for the traditional Irish Stew. As in any recipe you have the ingredients and the procedure, but in this recipe the steps of the procedure are not in the correct order. Write a number (1-9) next to each step to get the correct procedure to cook the 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

Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
Begin with layers of sliced potatoes, onions, and carrots.
Top with a layer of Canadian bacon and lamb.
Sprinkle liberally with the chopped parsley and serve in soup bowls.
Repeat these steps until all the ingredients are used.
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.
Simmer over a very low heat for about 2 hours.
To make Irish stew, all the ingredients are assembled in layers in a large stew pot.
Add enough water to just cover the ingredients.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

SOURCE: http://www.foodbycountry.com/Germany-to-Japan/Ireland.html

 

Enable JavaScript

Mediation

A British friend calls you because a gastronomic week is going to be held in the school where he works. He wants to know a typical Spanish recipe. Tell him about your favourite dish, explain to him/her the procedure to cook it and the necessary ingredients. This vocabulary can be useful to talk about the preparation of your recipe.

Recipes in a book
Imagen de Jamiesrabbits en Flickr.
Licencia CC