The tipples, trifles and truffles that make an Irish Christmas

An Irish family favorite sherry trifle

Irish people are known the world over for their legendary hospitality but never more so than at Christmas, when the drinks are overflowing and cupboards and fridges are stocked with enough to see out the winter, never mind a couple of weeks. But then you never know who might call so you want to have a little something extra in, just in case.

Here are some top ideas for an Irish Christmas culinary indulgence:

Top of the list would have to be a couple of bottles of Irish whiskey Jameson’s is standard issue in most households for drinking neat. Purists would never ruin it by adding water! Or hot as in hot whiskeys and Irish coffees.

And where would be without Baileys? Short of brushing our teeth with the stuff, it’s liberally splashed into every cup of coffee at Christmas as a kind of instant Irish coffee to go with your mince pies.
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Of course the mince pieces would have to come from the Foods of Athenry, voted the best in Ireland for six years running now. Buttery rich, crumbly short crust pastry with a generous fruit filling with a little alcoholic hint of something, it’s a wonder they only come in sixes. And of course you have to have the Brandy Butter to go with them, and it’s the nuns in Kylemore Abbey, of Irish picture postcard fame, who make the very best after the Mammy!

You used to be able to rely on the Mammy for the Christmas cake and pudding. Hello, not anymore. Too busy on Facebook or going to Pilates at 84 if you don’t mind. But there are some great and very special alternatives, ie the Carton House Pudding from their own kitchen which comes beautifully packaged and presented in traditional greaseproof paper with the nostalgia inducing, string contraption for hoisting it in and out of the steaming pan. I don’t think so you can microwave it just as easily but the thought was in it

Or a Christmas cake, from Ballymaloe made from only the finest exotic and organic ingredients you would otherwise have to go on an expedition to find. Their cake is baked with that wondrous blend of female culinary talent that has spanned umpteen generations of the Allen family from Myrtle to Darina and current celebrity chef-ess Rachel. Of course Rachel makes the whole process look like a whizz, which it clearly isn’t, believe me. Those cakes are presently maturing nicely ready to be freshly marzipan-ed (almond pasted – the best bit and iced) before being devoured by the devoted.

And on that religious note, the monks of Glenstal Abbey have created a true match made in heaven (chocolate and alcohol) in the form of chocolates filled with liqueurs such as Benedictine and Chartreuse from the great abbeys of Europe.

A bit further down off the wild Atlantic coast of Kerry is another holy and sacred place the Skelligs Islands which are overlooked by another very special artisan chocolate company Skelligs Chocolate which make the most delicious chocolate truffles probably on the planet. Their collection includes over 60 different varieties including plum pudding, egg nog and hot toddy this time of year. They were also the first to produce a gin and tonic chocolate bar which tastes as good as it sounds.

And finally every family in Ireland has their own version of sherry trifle. which is a layered mixture of jelly and sponge with a good drop of the above, topped with tinned fruit (this is about tradition not the healthy option) thick custard and whipped cream with a sprinkling of 100’s and 1000’s of course. And if you don’t know what they are then the whole of the last paragraph was probably lost on you...poor thing.

Good health one and all and Nollaig Shona dhuit

For more information visit www.irelands-hidden-gems.com.

The Burren Smokehouse - the best smoked salmon in Ireland

The Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna, is the original and best producer of smoked salmon in Ireland and well worth visiting either in person or online. Tasty morsels are left out to be sampled, above the counters stocked with many new and exciting variations of the original oak smoked recipe including an awarding winning organic smoked salmon, farmed off Clare Island which has an extremely low fat content and is understandably a best seller.

All of their products are locally sourced and certified organic and kosher. The fresh farmed salmon from the Atlantic, rainbow trout from Irish lakes and wild mackerel which cannot be farmed, are first filleted and then salted before being smoked over oak shavings. The owners Brigitta from Sweden, and Peter from Lisdoonvarna, have introduced new recipes and ingredients such as honey,lemon, fennel and pepper to enhance the flavors and increase the number of varieties available since they first started smoking in the Burren 21 years ago.

A tempting array, of locally produced cheeses, some of which are smoked by the Burren Smokehouse, such as Kilshanney Gouda are the perfect accompaniments to an al-fresco picnic. Nor will you be able to resist the St Tolas or Bluebell Falls goat cheeses in their delightful almost too-handy packaging which are delicious (try the honey or black pepper) and that’s before you even begin to peruse the shelves piled high to the ceiling with goodies from the best slow food producers in Ireland.

There are chocolates from Skeilligs (my favorite) and take my word for it I am an expert. Jams for the Clare Jam Company, with tempting names like Port & Blackcurrant, Champagne & Raspberry, I can assure you the taste lives up to the names, nothing like a Jameson laced marmalade to put a good start to your day. There are loads of healthy options too, like every type of organic tea and seaweeds, yes seaweed secret of eternal youth is Carrageen or Irish Moss.

Open 7 days a week, the girls will even make you up a smoked salmon sandwich on freshly made brown bread to take away during the summer. Or visit their online shop hampers start from €22.95 and are delivered worldwide, a great idea for presents or stocking up on gourmet Irish food goodies from home.


For more information visit http://www.burrensmokehouse.ie


Susan Byron author of http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com