Tentative Beginings
Investigating Irish food
The time is ripe for exploring Irish food culture and cuisine. While I’m waiting to build Aniar 3.0 with a Research centre for Irish food and a larger cooking school, I’ve decided to put my hand to this weekly Substack to principally educate and disseminate knowledge of Irish food, specifically the knowledge I have accrued through 14 years of running Aniar restaurant.
Much of this knowledge is already out there in the number of books that I have published, namely, The Irish Cook Book (2020), An Alphabet of Aniar: Notes on a New Irish Cuisine (2023) and mostly recently, An Irish Food Story: 100 Foods that made us (2024). Signed copies can be purchased directly from our website.
Furthermore, my column for The Irish Times, written between 2015 and 2023 also includes much of this information. These are still available on line.
So why Substack now…
In January we launched Aniar 2.0 (we had signed a new lease in January 2021) to reinvigorate our mission to further investigate Irish food. A new kitchen and dining room was shaped around my desire to try and bring the outside in - to try and make the restaurant decor reflect the outside landscapes of Galway and Connemara. This was done in conjunction with Aidan Conway of Marmar Architects. The result has been wonderful, and our customers (both new and old) have really appreciated the transformation of the space.
Yet, our own daily investigations continue. Currently we have a pumpkin rice pudding on the menu for dessert with white chocolate and sea truffle seaweed. Getting vegetables into desserts is important for us in Aniar, particularly in the during the winter months when all the autumn fruit has faded. Using vegetables in dessert is nothing new. I think most Irish people will have experienced a spiced carrot cake. However, it is the wild element that makes things different in Aniar. Instead of using spices, we used wild herbs, in this case, woodruff. The rice pudding element is a nod back to my grandparent’s day when rice was only ever used as a dessert. I suppose this is the dual project of Aniar: a looking back to move Irish food forward
We are also trialing a pumpkin amazake to use in other desserts, as koji fermentation plays a big part in our investigative process. Koji fermentation will feature much in this Substack, reason being it is vital for the future of food (particularly in the realm of food waste.)
However, for the moment, I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself. I’ll be writing once a week, always with some information pertaining to Irish food. It will also be seasonal as well as historical, from the oldest fig found in Ireland to the practice of seaweed farming that is now returning to Ireland. Some weeks, I’ll include recipes and processes that you can adapt in your kitchen at home to further engage with Irish food in a practical way.
We’ll also discuss what I call ‘food in Ireland’ which is all the other food in Ireland that doesn’t come under the banner ‘Irish food’. I explain this distinction in my book An Irish Food Story. Simply put, Irish food is either wild indigenous foods that predate people or food that is produced in Ireland (beef, potatoes, lamb, cheese, etc.). Food in Ireland is everything else, from contemporary Japanese restaurants to Italian chip shops and much more. Both propositions continually interact and influence Irish food anew.
You can also ask me about aspects of Irish food that you would like to know more about. Ultimately, this Substack will be a platform for future generations of Irish chefs, food producers, entrepreneurs, and people who want to learn more about the history and traditions of Irish food.
Until next week.
Jp.