According to
Although often called
There
are three traditional
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March 1, 2007 Archive
“St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time -- a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic.” -- Adrienne Cook
Tea was first
introduced to the upper classes in
In return, the Irish government founded its own private company, Tea Importers (Eire) Ltd., and stipulated, after the war ended, that all tea imported into Ireland be bought directly from the country of origin. Irish law required all Irish tea companies to be operated through Tea Importers Ltd. until 1973, when Ireland joined the European Economic Community. In earlier days, individual shops often concocted their own local blends, and international tea brands were not widely known outside major cities. Traditional Irish tea blends, known as Irish Breakfast blends in this country, include the Indian Assam Tea as a prominent ingredient, sometimes combined with Ceylon but often alone. In recent years, teas from East Africa have joined Ceylon or Sri Lankan tea in the most popular tea blends. The Irish prefer their tea strong with lots of milk, some preferring as much as 1 part milk to 2 parts tea. Assam's robust flavor takes well to a good amount of milk in the cup and often the tea is served in a heated pot with the milk and sugar already added. High tea, the hearty supper for the working classes accompanied with many pots of strong tea, is a true Irish tradition. Food traditionally eaten with high tea includes a variety of savory and sweet dishes. Many include potatoes as an ingredient, but before potatoes became the staple of the Irish working class diet, oats and wheat held that place, and many traditional recipes feature oats. A Few Irish
Recipes for the Lasses
Irish Shortbread Cream the butter and sugar. Add the flour and cornstarch. Roll out and cut into squares or rounds and bake in a slow (300 degree) oven until done. --recipe from Brenda Hyde, www.seedsofknowledge.com
Oatcakes 1 cup
oatmeal Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the oatmeal into a large bowl. Sift the remaining dry ingredients into the bowl with the oatmeal. Bring the water and butter (or margarine) to boil in a small saucepan. Add the hot liquid to the dry ingredients and mix them in. Dust your working surface with a small amount of oatmeal. Turn the dough onto the dusted surface and roll into a circle about 9 inches across and about 1/8 inch thick. Dust with oatmeal and press the grains into the surface slightly. Cut into 8 triangles. (Alternatively, the dough can be cut into smaller circles using a jar lid or cookie cutter.) Dust a baking sheet with flour. Place the triangles or circles on the baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes. Yield: 1 8-inch cake. --from Pat Friend at www.AllAboutIrish.com
Source List for Irish Tea Traditions and the Recipes:
Barry’s Tea,
www.barrys-tea.com BACK to the current issue of Sweet Willa's Review |
Ireland
around 1835, but by the mid-19th century it had become
more affordable and its use spread to all social classes. Only
loose leaf tea was available in rural areas and could be bartered
for or purchased from small groceries. Ireland imported its tea
from the British, but once Ireland declared itself politically
neutral regarding Britain’s war efforts during WW II, British tea
shipments to Ireland ceased almost immediately.