Edible & Portable Souvenirs from Ireland

[ludja]

Unfortunately I'm not the one travelling this time, but a good friend is. So I have a direct and vested interest in gathering some good suggestions for treats to bring back.

Food-related items, but not necessarily edibles, would also be nice to hear about. I guess linens would be a top choice. Are there any interesting cookbooks that strike a nice balance between traditional and newer trends in Irish cooking? (I may start another thread on this too).

Hope to hear from our Irish egulleteers and also from the many people I know travel there each year.

Thank you!

(As an aside, Saveur Magazine (US) has a great March 2006 issue almost completely devoted to Irish cuisine as well as some suggestions for culinary-related tourisn.)

[SBonner]

You have to sneak some of the great unpasturised farmhouse cheeses and a bottle of Middleton Whiskey

Cheer,

Stephen

Vancouver

[Corinna Dunne]

Food/Drink

This site should be helpful if you are interested in Irish cheese. I particularly like Ardrahan, Gubeen, Durrus (unpasteurised), Lavistown, Cooleeney (unpasteurised) and Cashel Blue. Sheridan’s is an excellent cheesemongers, but many cheeses are also available at the Duty Free. You’ll also find smoked salmon at the Duty Free, but be sure to go for “wild” and not “organic”, as the latter is farmed.

Regarding whiskey, you generally get what you pay for. At the top end of the scale is the wonderful recommendation above of Middleton, (at about €100); and Bushmills 16 year old, costing slightly less, but still very much a premium brand. At a more affordable level is Redbreast 12 year old, (and yes, according to my husband, it is worth paying the extra and not settling for the 8 year old); and Black Bush is very good too. I’m not sure how many of these are available in the Duty Free.

Tableware/Stemware/Linens

One of Ireland’s most famous potters (and one of my favourites) is Nicholas Mosse, who makes wonderful hand thrown, sponge ware pieces. If your friend is heading to Kilkenny, it would be well worth dropping into their shop in Bennett’s Bridge, where she will find an extensive collection of his tableware, along with some beautiful linens and household items. But be warned… it is very expensive. However, upstairs, at the very back of the shop, there is a section where they sell “seconds” at a lower price and the imperfections are barely discernible. The café in the shop is quite nice for a casual bite, and the pastries, made by a French pastry chef living locally are delicious. Close by in Jerpoint, you will find Jerpoint Glass for stemware.

I have to mention, if your friend is heading down this direction, there are two restaurants I would recommend. One is Hudson’s in Thomastown, and the other is Bassett’s in Woodstock, Inistoige (a beautiful village where “Circle of Friends” was filmed), which I haven’t tried yet, but two different sets of friends living in the area are raving about it.

In Dublin, the Kilkenny Design Centre is well worth a visit, and much of the Nicholas Mosse collection is for sale here, along with Stephen Pearce’s pottery from Shanagarry (Cork) and a raft of other potters. Nearby is House of Ireland, where you will find among other things, crystal stemware by a number of Irish designers: John Rocha for Waterford Crystal, Louise Kennedy for Tipperary Crystal and Paul Costelloe for Newbridge, as well as a selection of table linen. Avoca on Suffolk St (or in Wicklow) is also worth a visit for Irish foodstuffs.

Cookbooks

The Café Paradiso Cookbook by Dennis Cotter, is a compendium of great food that just happens to be vegetarian.. I don’t have it, but it’s on my list.

My brother is happily working his way through The Tannery Cookbook at the moment, so that could be of interest.

Paul and Jeanne Rankin have been busy putting a twist on Irish food for quite some time and I would expect that their book New Irish Cookery is good, but can’t personally recommend it. I frequently dip into my copy of Darina Allen’s Ballymaloe Cooking Course which is very comprehensive, and although I don’t have it, The Avoca Cookbook1was a best seller when it was released.

I hope that this is helpful for you. Perhaps you should suggest to your friend that she packs very lightly or brings an extra suitcase!

Edited March 5, 2006 by Corinna Dunne (log)

[highchef]

March 06 issue of Saveur is a special issue on Ireland. It's informative about food, especially in Cork. buy it and you'll see.

I'm going myself in May, and am delighted to see Corinna give you the goods. I am also going to the West, where I haven't been before, and haven't yet done anything but buy the plane tickets. I have no idea what we are doing after the 3rd day there out of 11. We are staying 3 nights in Clifton.

I've coveted the stoneware from afar, and plan on bringing some home. I'd love to get some cheese as well, but will have to have it shipped. I'm planning on buying oatmeal, cheese, linens, woolens and china. I'll bring the whiskey on my carryon! I anticipate a fine trip, all in all.

Patty

[ludja]

Thank you for the great replies everyone. Hopefully travelers and residents will keep adding to it and it will be a nice source of information. (I can't wait to go myself, hopefully before too long.)

Thank you, Corinne, especially for the detailed information and links on the whiskeys, table and linenware and cookbooks. I should tell him to consider shipping some stuff back...

Edited March 7, 2006 by ludja (log)

[bethesdabakers]

.... and not a mention of Clonakilty black pudding.

Mick

[rajsuman]

I LOVE Irish pottery, particularly the Jack O'Patsy Collection. More Irish Pottery here.

[ludja]

Here's thread with discussion on Irish Whiskeys. click

[Corinna Dunne]

.... and not a mention of Clonakilty black pudding.

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Of course Clonakilty Pudding! There are some wonderful artisan producers… but I think there’s a bit of an issue with bringing meat products into the US. There are some companies (eg Dairygold) who comply with the regulations (they do a mail order full Irish breakfast), but it is more mainstream in quality and doesn’t have the hand crafted uniqueness or depth of flavour associated with the artisan products.

And a few more cookbooks for the list:

Not Just a Cookbook by Derry and Sallyanne Clarke of L’Ecrivian restaurant in Dublin

Myrtle Allen’s Cooking at Ballymaloe House, a book by the first doyenne of Irish cooking and mother in law of Darina Allen

West of Ireland Summers a cookbook by foodwriter and TV presenter Tamasin Day-Lewis (and yes, she is Daniel’s sister)

Neven Cooks by Nevin Maguire, another of Ireland’s young chefs

And adding to the stemware recommendations, Waterford Crystal will be launching its Waterford Gold Connoisseur range in May, which is designed to compete head-on with Reidel and the relatively new line of crystal designed by restaurateur Patrick Guilbaud for Tipperary Crystal, which I saw for sale in Berry Bros (Fade St , Dublin) a few weeks ago, A few more details here.

Edited March 8, 2006 by Corinna Dunne (log)

[Corinna Dunne]

A bit more information on Irish raw milk cheeses... Bill Hogan’s Gabriel and Desmond cheeses can be found on the Slow Food website. But as you probably know, there are issues with bringing cheese, (particularly unpasteurised cheese), into the US.

And a bit on Irish smoked salmon. A few years ago, some leading members of Slow Food Ireland held an Irish smoked wild salmon tasting, featuring the four major producers, and below is a brief summary of their findings.

Ummera Smokehouse (Anthony Creswell)

The salmon here is brined rather than dry-salted; raw cane sugar is added to the kiln, and the fish is smoked with oak in a variant of the Torry kiln. Peachy in colour; the texture is soft, the smoke aroma is faint, and the taste is “sweet, mild and buttery” with a long after taste.

Woodcock Smokery (Sally Barnes)

This salmon is dry-salted, and again, uses oak wood for smoking in a variant of the Torry kiln. The fish has a pale, coral-orange colour, the aroma is faintly oak-smoked with floral top notes, and the texture is more “meaty and tight-knit, yet soft in the mouth”. It has “a suggestion of whiskey cask” with a smooth melted butter taste, and a long elegant finish.

Dunn’s of Dublin (Peter Dunn)

The dry salted process, with oak smoking in a variant of the Tory kiln is used here too, but this salmon has a more pronounced smoky aroma. Shiny, orangey in colour, and darkening at the edges; this fish has a firm, dry texture that yields well in the mouth. The taste is slightly nutty with “a vaguely asparagus-like green note” and a touch of lemon zest.

Belvelly Smokehouse (Frank Hederman)

The fish here is dry-salted, and smoked with beech in a hand built smokehouse. It is dark orange in colour, with pronounced smoke aromas and a “beech wood sweetness”. The texture is creamy with a firm resistance and the mineral-rich taste yields to woodland notes with “a hint of tar from the smoking method”.

There are other smaller producers too. Every Christmas, a friend of mine gives me a present of smoked wild salmon from a tiny producer in Annasgaul (on the Dingle Pennisula and also famous for Annasagaul black pudding), which is wonderful, so there are many more options. And if you’re really interested, and have a bit of time on your hands, the full text of the Irish Smoked Wild Atlantic Salmon Presidium Protocol can be found here.

[Kieranm]

Annascaul black pudding is good indeed.

Don't forget the chocolates - Skelligs Chocolates and Cocoa Bean are worth a nibble and are very popular with our customers.

Wicklow Fine Foods do some good biscuits and sauces.

[Corinna Dunne]

Welcome to the Forum Kieran... great to have someone from your end of the country. Annascaul pudding is so good isn't it?

[Kieranm]

Welcome to the Forum Kieran...

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Good to be here. I hope that I'm not the only one holding up this side of the country...

[Indy67]

"One of Ireland’s most famous potters... Kilkenny... In Dublin..."

Corinna,

Thanks for this fascinating post. This summer, I'm going to be in staying for nearly a week in each of three locations: Ennis, Kilkenny and Dublin. Since I collect teapots, craft shopping will be a priority activity.

I've become reasonably familiar with traditional Irish ceramics. Could you recommend some potters who are working in a more contemporary style? Will I be able to find their work in any of the locations I'll be visiting?

Thanks!

Indy 67

[Corinna Dunne]

Hmmm... you've got me there. I will try and find out for you as there must be many (the National College of Art and Design in Dublin runs an exceptionally good degree course in craft which includes ceramics).

There is a potter's studio in the grounds of Marlay Park, Dublin (which hosts a Farmeres' Market on Saturdays), but I'm not sure that I'd describe the work as contemporary. I'll have a look when I'm there next and ask for a few recommendations... especially on teapots!

[Corinna Dunne]

And, just adding to the thread... another portable souvenir from Ireland is beer from microbreweries as well as Guinness.

[Jenny McClure]

Corrinna's suggestions are spot on. I second every one of them. Especially check out the John Rocca collections of Waterford Crystal. They have some beautiful collections.

I don't know if this is any help but;

As an Irish person living abroad there are a few things I always bring with me when leaving.

Tayto Cheese & Onion crisps.

Heinz Salad Cream

Bovril

Teabags

Cadburys Golden Crisp

Smoked Salmon

Fruit & Fiber & porridge oats

If it wasn't such a long journey, I would definately bring cheeses, black pudding, homemade sausages made by our local butcher

Soda bread

Potato bread

Wheaton Bread

Butter

I miss home!!!

[Corinna Dunne]

Especially check out the John Rocca collections of Waterford Crystal.  They have some beautiful collections.

I don't know if this is any help but;

As an Irish person living abroad there are a few things I always bring with me when leaving.

Tayto Cheese & Onion crisps.

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Jenny, why am I not surprised to see Tayto crisps on this list?!!! Boxes of them wing their way over to the strung out Irish abroad... although, I think this is probably a generational thing which reminds a certain age group of their childhood. Today's Celtic cubs will probably have much more sophisticated tastes. And I presume the teabags are Barry's Tea!

On the John Rocha recommendation, I used to be a huge fan, and as a result got quite a bit of it as wedding presents... but I've since gone off this large, heavy goblet style glass and will be very interested to see what the Waterford Riedel type glasses look like. The Guilbaud ones look great.

[Corinna Dunne]

Could you recommend some potters who are working in a more contemporary style? Will I be able to find their work in any of the locations I'll be visiting?

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Well, I popped into the ceramics studio run by Rob Monaghan and Anne Marie Sheridan in the Craft Courtyard at Marlay Park and managed to get quite a few good pointers for you.

First of all, a few names:

Geoffrey Healy, Kilmacanogue, Co Wicklow

Mark Campden and Mary O’Gorman at The Bridge Pottery in Kilkenny

Stoneware Jackson, Bennettsbridge, Kilkenny

Sara Flynn Ceramics, Kinsale, Co Cork

Cormac Boydell, Beara, Co Cork

Roger Harley, Absolute Pottery, Westport, Co Mayo

Marcus O’Mahony, Lismore, Co Waterford

The Crafts Council of Ireland has plenty more information on its website, and in Dublin, The Bridge Gallery on Ormond Quay stocks a lot of contemporary ceramic work. Another useful site is Ceramics Ireland. And just a quick correction to my earlier post on Nicholas Mosse: only the larger pieces (eg the bowls) are hand thrown, but the sponge ware is all done by hand.

By the way, Rob Monaghan (who does some lovely work himself), is a really nice guy, and he mentioned that he would be quite happy to chat with you if you need any further help when you are visiting. You can get him at robannmarie@eircom.net.

[ludja]

Thank you all for the great suggestions!

This thread was a great help; he tasted and bought a great bottle of the 12 yr old Red Breast Irish Whiskey. He also brought back some unique Guiness beers made for domestic use and for export to various countries. I think he may have bought a version of Guiness made for South Africa and/or China which is more heavily hopped. He also fell in the love with the oats over there and bought some to bring back.

Thanks to other egullet threads, he got good guidance on excellent cheeses to try. They picked some up in the English market at Cork and also at other farmer's markets along the way. They had a great food experience in Ireland. (Dublin to Cork and staying in the southwest)

[Corinna Dunne]

I'm so glad your friend had a good time. Here's the Farmers' Market thread which is a good resource for where to buy produce. Also of interest is the Irish Bakeries thread.

[CharityCase]

After a short two-month work stint in Dublin, here are things that have no equal in Canada:

Tayto crisps

Clonakilty Black Pudding

Bewley's hot chocolate (unless you make it yourself)

Carrots, which for some reason were fantastic

and one more "here here" on the delicious cheeses and the soda bread.

[tomweir]

I'd also endorse Denis Cotter's Cafe Paradiso cookbook and his Season's one too (more everyday, still inventive though)

I bring Sally Barnes fish(woodcock Smokery) with me as gifts wherever I go. She does salmon and kippers but also haddock, tuna, mackerel... They're wonderful. I get them in Sligo but I'd say she's pretty widely available.

Cheeses; Milleens, Gubeen, Ardrahan...

On the whiskeys, Middleton (very pricey) , Blackbush all good but probably cheaper in the States, sad state of affairs that it may be.

And other than that, it's really Chocolate Kimberleys that have no equivalent anywhere in the globe.

[Corinna Dunne]

And other than that, it's really Chocolate Kimberleys that have no equivalent anywhere in the globe.

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Oh yes... I love Chocolate Kimberleys!

Another book that might be of interest is Full on Irish by Kevin Dundon.

There's also Irish Country House Cooking, The Blue Book Recipe Collection, compiled by Georgina Campbell here.

[Corinna Dunne]

I recently found this website on Irish cheese which lists cheese producers geographically under the "Members" section. So if you live here, plenty of ideas for the Christmas cheeseboard, and if you're visiting, this will help you to keep your eating regional, and maybe schedule a visit or two to some of the producers. Cais is the Irish for cheese.