Traditional Christmas Treats

**Mad Moose** · 22/12/2010, 10:58 AM

I'm just wondering if there is anything by way of christmas treats and traditions that are unique to Ireland?. I'm just organising some food for the last day at work tomorrow and wanted to take some foodstuffs that might be considered traditional and unique to Ireland.

Thanks

**strangeirish** · 22/12/2010, 12:37 PM

We used to have Christmas cake, but it's probably a bit late for that now. Fruitcake is another one. If you can't find any of that, just bring sligoman...

**Wolfie** · 22/12/2010, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by Harpsbear

I'm just wondering if there is anything by way of christmas treats and traditions that are unique to Ireland?. I'm just organising some food for the last day at work tomorrow and wanted to take some foodstuffs that might be considered traditional and unique to Ireland.

Thanks

Potatoe and Cabbage in a Guinness sauce?

**Mr A** · 22/12/2010, 1:40 PM

Not Irish, but it's not Christmas without Tunnocks teacakes.

**passinginterest** · 22/12/2010, 2:43 PM

Only discovered those teacakes in the last year or two, they are easily the best tea cakes out there. For me it's not Christmas without a box of Caffrey's snowballs, usually eaten in one sitting.

**SkStu** · 22/12/2010, 2:55 PM

someone asked me this last saturday night in the bar (at the pub). I couldnt think of ANYTHING. I panicked and said "mince pies". It worked and an oft hilarious discussion of the differences between minced beef/pork pies and fruity mincemeat ensued. Though im pretty sure that they eat mincepies in Derbyshire.

By the way, do most people eat sausage meat & mashed potatoe based stuffing or sage and onion or another? The stuffing over here is bread based and is GACK.

**osarusan** · 22/12/2010, 2:57 PM

Jacobs biscuits (the dark red box with 2 layers) and Danish butter cookies (light blue round box). We seemed to end every Christmas with about 4 boxes of each after having visitors during the holiday.

**Schumi** · 22/12/2010, 3:05 PM

Originally Posted by SkStu

By the way, do most people eat sausage meat & mashed potatoe based stuffing or sage and onion or another? The stuffing over here is bread based and is GACK.

Sausage meat stuffing for me. I think the sage and onion type is more common though.

**SkStu** · 22/12/2010, 3:08 PM

Originally Posted by Schumi

Sausage meat stuffing for me. I think the sage and onion type is more common though.

yeah, same with my family. Its the superior stuffing by far.

**the 12 th man** · 22/12/2010, 7:19 PM

Chocolate covered Kimberley.

**Mad Moose** · 22/12/2010, 8:34 PM

Cheers folks. There's nothing native Irish to anything at all I've picked up. Bar the 4 cans of Guinness of course. They may take pride of place. There's very few of us about tomorrow so there should be some fun. Those snowballs are great actually. That said I was thinking Kimberly and Mikado are both Irish biscuits pretty much unknown to the rest of the world but I could be wrong. 2 very fine biscuit choices. Jacob's is a great shout actually but also available here I think.

I make a decent pork sausage stuffing using breadcrumbs and Lincolnshire sausages actually. I'm not making anything for this though that was the original idea. Thrown in a few Samosa's and Bhaji's and the customary mince pies.

Thanks for the ideas.

**Poor Student** · 22/12/2010, 8:45 PM

Originally Posted by SkStu

yeah, same with my family. Its the superior stuffing by far.

By a country mile. Is sausage stuffing exclusively Irish or were you just curious?

**Dodge** · 22/12/2010, 9:00 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

Not Irish, but it's not Christmas without Tunnocks teacakes.

Fully endorsed.

**Magicme** · 23/12/2010, 7:26 AM

Sage and onion stuffing especially with 4 veggies at dinner.

Anyone else have bread sauce? It's my favourite bit of the whole meal.

Tins of roses always play a lead role at Christmas in our house as does a good cheese board. Yumm. Prefer he cheese to chocolate myself.

**dahamsta** · 23/12/2010, 8:59 AM

I've never seen chocolate-covered Kimberley except at xmas. But of course, sadly, Jacobs isn't an Irish company any more.

**the 12 th man** · 23/12/2010, 9:07 AM

Originally Posted by dahamsta

But of course, sadly, Jacobs isn't an Irish company any more.

Forgot about that but when munched after being chilled (chocolate nice and crunchy) you'll still enjoy those chocolate covered Kimberley

**Dodge** · 23/12/2010, 9:31 AM

Originally Posted by dahamsta

I've never seen chocolate-covered Kimberley except at xmas. But of course, sadly, Jacobs isn't an Irish company any more.

Either is Guinness. Chocolate covered kimberly is a great shout

**dahamsta** · 23/12/2010, 9:39 AM

Can you buy a pint of Irish-owned stout any more? Beamish went to Heineken a few years ago, I'll never drink a pint of Red again. Who owns Murphys?

Can't stand choccy kimberley meself, sister loves 'em. Couldn't resist a box of Afternoon Tea this year though, jelly stars are still lovely despite the smaller biscuit.

**Dodge** · 23/12/2010, 9:49 AM

Could only have the one myself but there's no doubt that they're an 'Irish Christmas Treat'. There a few oddities in world cuisine that are 100% Irish. Apart from those mentioned we have red lemonade, Chicken Balls and battered burgers. Yeah, thats right, Chicken Balls is capitalised

Murphy's is owned by heineken too.