t’s not for nothing that gourmets around the world have nicknamed Ireland “the island of breakfast.” The morning meal, many centuries ago, was elevated here to almost the rank of a cult.
Unlike many other countries, the traditional Irish breakfast includes a large number of different components – it can be called huge and “heavy”. Nutritionists even insist that it is not suitable for daily consumption due to its high calorie and cholesterol content. And the Irish themselves don’t have breakfast like this every morning. For them, this is more likely an option for a family weekend meal or a way to recover from a riotous evening feast the day before.
But in Ireland, the menu of every self-respecting hotel traditionally includes a “Full Irish breakfast” (often included in the price of stay) . Interestingly, you can taste it not only in the morning, but also throughout the day, for example, for lunch or dinner. And many restaurants in Dublin and other cities serve a full breakfast at any time of the day, as guests are kindly informed about by signs and announcements.
How the habit of eating a big breakfast started in Ireland
Few people know that scrambled eggs and bacon were invented in Ireland and, as legend has it, completely by accident. A peasant woman who was frying bacon accidentally dropped an egg into her frying pan. The husband liked the finished dish, and he told about it in the monastery. The monks spread rumors about the new food from one monastery to another, throughout the entire area, and then beyond its borders.
Over time, the traditional full breakfast in Ireland was supplemented with sausages, slices of pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes and beans. It is believed that this option first appeared among villagers engaged in agricultural work. From early morning, the peasants worked in the fields, and gathered for breakfast closer to noon. To restore strength, they simply needed hearty and plentiful food, which influenced traditional Irish cuisine .
What does a Full Irish breakfast consist of?
If during your trip you decide to eat only what they have for breakfast in Ireland in the morning, you will almost certainly have to forget about a healthy lifestyle, vegetarianism and losing weight. Surprised? The thing is that a traditional full Irish breakfast consists of almost 100% high-calorie fried foods:
- pork sausages;
- pieces of black pudding (as blood sausage is called here);
- pieces of white pudding (this is liverwurst);
- thick slices of bacon;
- eggs;
- whole portobello mushroom caps;
- tomatoes.
Only the side dish (beans in tomato) and “soda bread” are not fried. Such a full breakfast, incredibly rich and meaty, is more reminiscent of a set lunch for two people than a morning way to refresh yourself.
It’s interesting that a classic English breakfast looks almost the same . The difference is that in the neighboring country, in addition to the entire list of products listed, they also serve potato pancakes, the egg can be prepared both as a scrambled egg and as an omelet (they also like to simply boil it), and instead of sausages, Cumberland sausages with spicy pepper are often used taste.
In Ireland, the traditional full breakfast egg is either fried or scrambled. It’s also rare to find an alternative to soda bread here. As a last resort, they have breakfast with rye or potato or boxti (potato pancakes).
Another nuance concerns the thickness of the bacon. In England it comes in thin strips, but in Ireland they cut it into thick pieces without skimping.
Subtleties of cooking
The entire process of preparing a full Irish breakfast takes no more than 15 minutes. The main secret is that all products are fried with a minimum amount of oil one by one in one frying pan . The sausages go first. When they are ready, they are transferred to a dish and placed in a warm oven.
Then the ingredients are fried in the following order: bacon, eggs, slices of black and white pudding, mushrooms and, at the very end, tomatoes. When ready, all ingredients are placed in the oven to keep them hot until serving.The important rule for frying bacon for a traditional Irish breakfast is to cook it carefully and over low heat! Food should not be fried until crispy, as is the case, say, with Americans.
This meat-rich meal is accompanied by a special Irish sauce called Bernaise, which is prepared using butter, finely chopped onions, mashed egg yolks and spices.
What do people drink during breakfast in Ireland?
In any country, breakfast includes drinks, and Ireland is no exception. In this regard, the main role is given to tea , special, blended. It has a strong aroma and contains more caffeine than green tea, but less than coffee.
To prepare Irish tea, strong black Indian varieties are mixed, which are grown and harvested in the Assam region. Later, the Irish also began to use raw materials from Kenya and Ceylon.
Irish tea can have different flavors (almond, malt, fruit, wild flowers and herbs). The color of the drink is dark red, brown. Due to its strength, it is served with milk, but many drink it like ordinary tea, with the addition of lemon and sugar. You can drink it not only for breakfast, but throughout the day.The main highlight of Irish tea is the addition of honey and whiskey. This is the option that is considered correct for a traditional breakfast in Ireland. Tea with whiskey will warm, invigorate and lift your spirits for the whole day.
There are no special rituals in brewing Irish tea. This is done as usual, in a teapot, putting a special “blouse” on top and leaving for 5-7 minutes. Then they pour it into cups, and then everyone adds milk, lemon zest, sugar, bergamot, a couple of teaspoons of Irish whiskey , honey, and a pinch of nutmeg. Tea is usually served with lemon cakes or marmalade.