Irish Food Trivia

This St. Patrick’s Day, explore some of the traditional and popular Irish dishes and ingredients. From the iconic soda bread to lesser known sweet item such as Yellowman there is much to discover about Ireland’s food story. Please see below for answers to the Irish Food Trivia card.

Potatoes

How well do you know Irish potato dishes?

(Options: colcannon, champ and boxty)

• Potatoes with kale and cabbage? ANSWER: COLCANNON

• A Northern Ireland dish of rich, creamy mashed potatoes, spring onions and butter? ANSWER: CHAMP

• A pancake made of grated and mashed potatoes. ANSWER: BOXTY

Riddles

Hoddy doddy with a round black body and a big flat hat. What’s that? ANSWER: A POT

As I walked out my grandfathers gap I met a chap with a red cap a stick in his hand a stone on his belly riddle me that and I give you a penny. ANSWER: A CHERRY

Dish

A dish that has been eaten in Ireland since the fifth century A.D. ANSWER: STIRABOUT (which is a porridge of Irish origin that is made of oatmeal or cornmeal that is boiled in water or milk and stirred).

The Full Irish vs The Ulster Fry

What is the key difference between the two breakfast dishes? ANSWER: THE BREAD. THE ULSTER FRY FEATURES FRIED POTATO BREAD AND SODA BREAD OFTEN PREPARED IN THE SAME PAN AS THE OTHER FOOD ITEMS IN THE FRY. THE FULL IRISH TYPICALLY INCLUDES GRILLED OR TOASTED BREAD.

Sweet Tooth

• A fridge cake that uses digestive cookies, marshmallows and glacé cherries. ANSWER: FIFTEENS, A NORTHERN IRISH SWEET.

• A Northern Irish crunchy confection made with honeycomb. ANSWER: YELLOW MAN

• A bread made with yeast, sultanas and raisins and often made close to Halloween. ANSWER: BARMBRACK