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Hi! My name is Johanna, I am 18 years old and I am currently living in Donaghmede, Dublin 13 in an Irish host family.
Today, I am going to talk about the differences in food that I have noticed in Ireland. Of course, this is not completely objective, since I am only talking about my own observations. Everyone has different tastes and opinions when it comes to food.
The first thing I noticed was the price of vegetables. I think most vegetables are quite cheap here. Since I usually make my own lunch, I try to include a lot of vegetables, as my host mother does not use that many vegetables in her cooking. I have also noticed that potatoes play an important role in Irish history and that my host family definitely keeps this tradition alive every day!
Something I only noticed later was that vegetables here do not seem to have as much flavour as I am used to. Fruits, in particular, often seem less ripe. I think this might be because many of them are imported and are sometimes picked before they are fully ripe.
One dish that I personally really like is coleslaw. It is a side dish or salad made mainly from finely shredded raw cabbage mixed with a dressing, usually mayonnaise or a vinegar-based dressing. I had already tried it before, but I have noticed that it is quite common here. I would definitely recommend trying it!
Another thing I tried was black and white pudding, which are traditional parts of an Irish breakfast. Before trying them, I did not know that black pudding was made with animal blood. I am not sure I would have been so willing to try it if I had known beforehand! To be honest, I mainly noticed the cereal grains when I tasted it. Nevertheless, I think it is important to try new things when living in another country. You might discover something you really like, even if it seems unusual at first.
Overall, I think trying local food is a great way to learn more about another culture. Even small differences in everyday meals can tell you a lot about a country's traditions and lifestyle.
