Ireland vs. America Blog Post #4

There was relatively little change in the Irish diet between the late 1800's and the mid-1900's. Ingredients were heavily biased toward local foods or foods that could be imported from Ireland's main trading partner, the United Kingdom. In both city and country there was a tendency toward heavy meat-and-potatoes meals, and not much else. But in the 1960s and 1970's things began to change -- especially with the growth of cheaper air freight and worldwide refrigerated transport, and the introduction of the "package holiday" and the first low-cost airlines. Suddenly ordinary Irish working people could afford to sail or fly to foreign countries and eat the local foods. And when they came back home, they wanted more of what they'd had while they were abroad. The then-growing native supermarket chains began giving their customers what they wanted -- which, at the time, was anything but Irish traditional food. As a result of all the change they came to each a lot like us Americans. Similar diet, similar foods, similar way of eating. There are healthy options and unhealthy options, people just have to choose wisely. I think in the book it shows a lot of the recipes from an emotional stand-point. I don’t cook and I have never learned to cook so I don’t experience things like Tita does. But, I do see people I know link food with emotions, like when my mom will cook her favorite meal that her mother used to make her when she was younger. I am sure I will get to experience this in the near future and am cooking for myself. No matter what culture your apart of and what you are eating, there can always be an emotional link to the food. It is within families and homes. Food resembles holidays and family reunions. It is a special part of our lives and that is what “Like Water for Chocolate” shows us.

http://www.europeancuisines.com/What-Do-Irish-People-Eat