• Treat your taste buds to traditional fare.Irish Flag image by Rebs O from Fotolia.com
  
  Corned beef and cabbage and soda bread are often thought of as foods of Ireland, but many people are surprised when they find that these foods are not typical Irish fare. The country's cuisine is generally made up of simple dishes made of lamb, beef or fish and containing some form of potato. They are lightly seasoned and simple, yet flavorful and filling.
  
  

Irish Stew

• Enjoy one of the most classic meals of Ireland---Irish stew. Though the recipe for this dish likely ranges from household to household, you can be sure that all contain lamb, potatoes and carrots. Most variations also include carrots, peas, parsnip and celery. Beef stock is necessary for this dish. Other ingredients that you may wish to use include butter, bay leaves, salt and pepper, parsley and thyme.
  
  

Pasties

• Pasties are reminiscent of an American burger, but this version is not made of ground beef. Sausage, potatoes and onions are mashed together and formed into a burger patty. An excessive amount of pepper is also typically added. They come plain, battered or coated with breadcrumbs.
  
  

Black and White Pudding

• This traditional Irish dish is probably not what you would typically think of when you hear the word pudding. The main ingredient in this pudding is pig's blood. Also used are cubed bread, oatmeal, fresh beef suet, black pepper, salt, mint, barley and milk. The ingredients are combined and baked, then cut into circles. If you are visiting Ireland, black and white pudding is typically served with a traditional Irish breakfast.
  
  

Dublin Coddle

• This is another recipe that varies, but the main ingredients are essentially the same---pork sausage and bacon. Carrots, onions, potatoes, chicken stock, salt and pepper are also typically used. Potatoes, onions and carrots are peeled. The vegetables and meats are combined with water and allowed to simmer until the meat is tender, at which point the remaining ingredients are added and allowed to simmer again until the flavors of the stock, salt and pepper have been absorbed.