Christmas 2020 will be a little different for all but one thing that will stay the same is our traditions. One of the most important and enjoyable aspects of celebrating Christmas in Ireland are the festive Christmas foods and drinks we share amongst family and friends. Although a home-cooked Christmas dinner is usually a focal point in one’s yearly celebrations, almost every country seems to do festive dining a little bit differently. Here are some Irish Christmas foods, drinks and treats everyone could try this holiday season.
Wherever you are and however you will celebrate, wishing you and your loved ones a very healthy, happy and safe Christmas…..
Irish Christmas Cake
A traditional Irish Christmas cake is one of those baked goods for which nearly every Irish family has their own special recipe, handed down from generations to generation. Christmas cakes are usually prepared weeks before Christmas, and in some households, it’s traditional for children to make a wish while helping to stir the mixture. I certainly remember making many wishes as a child when helping my own mother bake ours. Such wonderful memories. A moist fruit cake laced with spices and soaked in brandy, they can be iced with marzipan and icing or left plain, but the general consensus is that their most essential ingredient is the candied fruit – especially French glacé cherries.
Roast Goose Or Turkey
Like the US, some parts of Ireland have adopted the English tradition of serving roast turkey for Christmas dinner. However, other kinds of poultry, such as roast goose – the dish that was most common on Irish Christmas tables before the arrival of the turkey, are also very common. The roasted goose is generally served with stuffing, potatoes, and vegetables. Boiled ham is also a part of the Christmas dinner menu – usually boiled the night before and served glazed with cloves and other seasonings.
Mince pies
Although also originating from England, mince pies have become an essential part of Christmas dining in Ireland. While they may sound like a savory treat, mince pies are actually a dessert made with a mixture of nuts, fruits, and spices inside a buttery pastry shell. In Ireland, they are often served for dessert on Christmas Day, offered to festive visitors and guests with a cup of tea or hot toddy!
Spiced Beef
In some parts of Ireland, especially the southern counties like Limerick and Cork, spiced beef is also served as part of a Christmas dinner. To prepare this traditional recipe, a joint of rump or silverside beef is cured and salted, then boiled, broiled, or semi-steamed in Guinness or water. For curing, spices like cinnamon, pimento, cloves, salt, and ginger are used.
Christmas Pudding
Another dish that made its way to Ireland from medieval England, Christmas pudding is made of eggs, dried fruit, and suet moistened with brandy or some other alcohol, blended with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. (Though it’s known as plum pudding in some places, it doesn’t actually contain plums.) Christmas puddings are generally prepared months before the big event and left to age.
An Irish Whiskey or a Hot Toddy as it’s called is the cure for all the sniffles that come with a cold winter in Ireland or delicious as a nice night cap (drink before bed) over the winter months. This is my favorite recipe.
Hot Whiskey -Saving the best for last!
A good Irish whiskey (Jameson or Powers is the best Irish whiskey for a hot toddy recipe!)
A heat-proof glass
7/8 cloves
2 teaspoons sugar
Slice of lemon
- Fill a kettle to boil hot water.
- To pre-heat your glass, place a metal spoon in the glass and pour some hot water in. The spoon will prevent the glass from breaking! Once the glass is warmed, discard the water.
- Cut a slice of lemon, remove the pips, and stick some cloves into the fruit.
- Put a teaspoon of sugar into the glass followed by a shot of Irish whiskey. Give the whiskey and sugar mixture a bit of a stir and try to dissolve the lumps.
- Add boiling water and then stir.
- Add the lemon and additional cloves (if desired) to the mix.
- Wrap a napkin around the glass, so you don’t scald yourself.
- Sit back and enjoy!
