In today’s Ireland, it seems hard to imagine the economically depressed days of the 19^th Cloze (1): abundanceTouristself-servicebreakfastquantitiesislandcenturymoney´sHomegrown JXUwMDNiJXUwMDA2JXUwMDBiJXUwMDFhJXUwMDAxJXUwMDA3JXUwMDBi when many poor people hadn’t access to good food preparation other than boiling the ubiquitous potato. Nowadays, it is quite possible to eat both well and heartily over this wonderful Cloze (2): abundanceTouristself-servicebreakfastquantitiesislandcenturymoney´sHomegrown JXUwMDMxJXUwMDFhJXUwMDFmJXUwMDBkJXUwMDBmJXUwMDBh .

Tourism has made a huge difference to the standards of cuisine in Ireland. Until recently there was hardly any tradition of eating out in many districts, except perhaps on very rare occasions at a local hotel. Patterns of diet were conservative, based firmly on “meat and two vegetables” (somewhat overcooked), potatoes of course) and large Cloze (3): abundanceTouristself-servicebreakfastquantitiesislandcenturymoney´sHomegrown JXUwMDI5JXUwMDA0JXUwMDE0JXUwMDBmJXUwMDFhJXUwMDFkJXUwMDFkJXUwMDFkJXUwMDBjJXUwMDE2 of dairy produce. Now things are very different. Cloze (4): abundanceTouristself-servicebreakfastquantitiesislandcenturymoney´sHomegrown JXUwMDBjJXUwMDNiJXUwMDFhJXUwMDA3JXUwMDFiJXUwMDFhJXUwMDA3 demands for predictable, inexpensive fast food are met, as everywhere, with hamburgers and pizzas. A better choice being fish and chips. But more sophisticated tastes have introduced whole food and vegetarian restaurants (almost never heard of before), and an enormous new Cloze (5): abundanceTouristself-servicebreakfastquantitiesislandcenturymoney´sHomegrown JXUwMDJiJXUwMDE2JXUwMDA5JXUwMDBhJXUwMDRiJXUwMDVlJXUwMDE2JXUwMDE3JXUwMDA0JXUwMDFmJXUwMDBhJXUwMDA2 restaurants, often French in style, have opened in the main tourist centers. Food “events” such as Kinsale’s Gourmet Festival or Gal way’s Oyster festival attract large numbers of visitors and reflect the new interest in food.

Whatever Irish cuisine lacks in elegance, it nearly always makes up for in Cloze (6): abundanceTouristself-servicebreakfastquantitiesislandcenturymoney´sHomegrown JXUwMDM5JXUwMDAzJXUwMDE3JXUwMDFiJXUwMDBhJXUwMDA1JXUwMDBmJXUwMDBkJXUwMDA2 , and ingredients are of high quality. Cloze (7): abundanceTouristself-servicebreakfastquantitiesislandcenturymoney´sHomegrown JXUwMDEwJXUwMDI3JXUwMDAyJXUwMDA4JXUwMDAyJXUwMDE1JXUwMDFkJXUwMDE4JXUwMDE5 produce includes rich dairy foods, beef, lamb and pork, and a great variety of seafood. One of its great specialties is soda bread. It is made with buttermilk and is served fresh and warm with every meal. Recently there has been a return to simple Irish foods such as stews and potato dishes.

One of the best-value meals in Ireland is Cloze (8): abundanceTouristself-servicebreakfastquantitiesislandcenturymoney´sHomegrown JXUwMDNhJXUwMDEwJXUwMDE3JXUwMDA0JXUwMDBhJXUwMDBkJXUwMDA3JXUwMDEyJXUwMDA3 . A “traditional Irish breakfast” is a plateful of bacon and eggs with potato and soda breads.  Accommodation rates are quoted with a full breakfast included, so you might as well eat enough to keep you going all day and get your Cloze (9): abundanceTouristself-servicebreakfastquantitiesislandcenturymoney´sHomegrown JXUwMDM1JXUwMDAyJXUwMDAxJXUwMDBiJXUwMDFjJXUwMGNkJXUwMGM3 worth when staying in Ireland!