Irish Cuisine covers traditional Irish food such as Soda Bread and Colcannon, to the modern Irish dishes served in many themed restaurants in the United States. Irish meals typically contain corned beef, cabbage, potatoes or bacon. Though potatoes are most often associated with the Irish outside of the United States, this crop was not introduced into Ireland until after the middle ages, and became prominent with the lower classes in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Irish restaurants in America will likely serve corned beef dishes, though traditional Irish menus are more likely to include pork over beef.In Irish culture, food and drink are mentioned on a regular basis and as with all cultures, it play an important role in celebrations, holidays and every day meals. The arrival of the potato, in the 16th century brought with it a staple that would enhance the meals of the Irish population from that day forward.

To the wealthy Irish people, the potato was considered low-end food that should only be eaten by the less fortunate. After many years and recipes later, the potato became a favorite food for all of the people in Ireland.

The history of the cuisine in Ireland can be looked at two ways - before the potato and after the potato. The diet of the Irish people consisted of meat, milk, eggs, fish, oats, barley and vegetables. The oats were used for making bread and as cereal. The food was simple and the wealthy population enjoyed a variety of foods that the poor population could not afford. When potatoes were introduced, they were eaten by the poor and potatoes were used to feed the pigs and other animals. After getting a taste of the potato for themselves, the Irish recipes began to change. The addition of potatoes into the family meals was a hit and gardeners all over Ireland began to plant t thepotatoes to be used as a part of the menu.

After the discovery of the New World that introduced the potato, the food became more interesting and the Irish recipes reflected the changes. Potatoes were initially used to decorate the growing gardens, but their value as a food was soon discovered. The nutrients in potatoes and the introduction of the exotic foods were to blame for a population explosion that hit Ireland not long after the arrival of the potato.http://www.ravensgard.org/prdunham/irishfood.html

Modern Irish cuisine can be attributed to Sir William Perry, in 1769, who noticed the differences in the people who own land and those who did not. They added more vegetables and consumed more stews. Sir Perry ordered the consumption of more potatoes and the Irish recipes incorporated potatoes in as many recipes as possible.http://www.ravensgard.org/prdunham/irishfood.html

The potato is to be blamed for the suffering of the poor resident in Ireland, in the early 1800s. The potatoes were such a hearty vegetable and it grew so effortlessly, the Irish farmers neglected to attend to other areas of farming and a famine almost wiped out a large portion of the poor population, the availability of the potato saved a majority of them.

Potatoes are still an important part of the Irish cuisine and they recipes and variations of the Irish recipes depend greatly on the vegetable that has been enjoyed for so many years.