Planning a trip to Cork? Make the most of your stay here by sampling some of the finest food the region has to offer.Â
Known as the Food Capital of Ireland, Cork boasts some of the best quality produce in the world as well as a wealth of eateries to suit all tastes. After some fierce debating (Corkonians are passionate about our food), we at the office have concocted a list of Menu Items you simply must try during your stay here.Â
Tripe & Drisheen
Warning: This dish is not for the faint of heart! Drisheen is a type of black pudding made from a mixture of cow’s, pig’s or sheep’s blood, milk, salt, fat and breadcrumbs. It is boiled, sieved and finally cooked using the main intestine of a pig or sheep as the sausage skin. A true Cork specialty, you can only purchase Tripe & Drisheen at the English Market.
Local Farmhouse Cheese
Ireland prides itself on its high-quality dairy produce. If you happen to visit  a restaurant which offers a cheese plate – take our advice and do not skip it! Cork is lucky to call itself home to a range of delicious artisan cheeses. Local favorites include Gubbeen Smoked Cheese and Ardsallagh Goats Cheese.
Irish farmhouse cheeses are the product of unique interactions between people, place and pasture. Farmhouse cheeses are produced across the country yet each cheese is an expression of its own particular part of Ireland, encapsulating very different elemental aspects of our native landscape.
– Your Guide to Irish Farmhouse Cheeses, Bord Bia
 Bacon & Cabbage
“I’m just a savage for bacon and cabbage” – we couldn’t agree more with these words from singer Brendan Shine! This family favorite is one of Ireland’s most cherished meals. Â Try with a white parsley sauce for a true taste of Ireland.
Smoked Salmon on Brown Soda Bread
Ireland is world renowned for the quality of its seafood. If you just want a quick snack packed with authentic Irish flavour, you simply cannot beat Irish smoked salmon on traditional soda bread.
Fish & Chips
On a sunny day nothing beats a nice feed of fish and chips. While it may not be native to Ireland, the humble fish & chips has been adopted as our unofficial national dish in Ireland and is served everywhere from the local chipper to our most high-end restaurants.
The Full Irish Breakfast
Eat Breakfast Like a King with the Full Irish breakfast. Indulge yourself with this feast of pork sausages, Black and/or White Pudding, rashers (you may know this as bacon), baked beans, a fried egg, toast and tomatoes. Drink this down with a steaming cup of cha (tea) for the authentic Irish experience.
You can sample many of these Irish dishes at the Mill Restaurant here at Blarney Woollen Mills!
Header Image Source: William Murphy, Flickr
