A Wee Bit About Celtic Cuisine

Hungry for foods from the Emerald Isle? Apparently, our guest blogger is. Her little introduction to a few common Irish dishes will get you started, and you'll find links to the recipes, too.

"The Celtic tradition always puts emphasis on life and family. No wonder traditional Celtic foods are homemade and are famed for their rich and mouthwatering flare. While a lot of people outside Ireland think that the ordinary Irish diet is composed of nothing but potatoes and mutton, the truth is, traditional Irish cuisine is truly varied. 

Modern day Celtic cuisine is the result of many influences originating from the time of the landing of the Celts in Ireland around 500 BC to the time when the Vikings and the English colonized the island. 

Until the potato arrived in the 16th century, Celtic dishes were actually cattle-based. The wealthy feasted on meat while the middle-class and poor ate milk, cheese, butter and grains. 

What are some of the most popular Celtic dishes? Keep reading to discover easy, basic foods that will add an Irish twist to any meal. 

Colcannon

Colcannon
Photo © ABP

Colcannon is a favorite Celtic dish featuring mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage. Colcannon is a staple during the St Patrick's Day. It’s also known for being served when a family wants to predict their unmarried daughter’s prospects during Halloween. Mothers would stuff colcannon with charms and an unmarried girl would need to search for them. Once found, they have to place the charms inside socks containing spoonfuls of colcannon. Then, the charms are placed on the handle of the front door. The first single man to enter will be intended groom.

Irish Champ

In his book Traits and Stories of the Irish peasantry volume 4, Carlton explains that champ is a mixture of mashed potatoes and chopped green onions. Butter, milk, salt and pepper are added for flavor. That's it. No Celtic cuisine is ever complete without a potato or two as an ingredient. Just like colcannon, Irish champ is another tribute to the humble but all-time favorite potato. Whether you use fresh or left-over potatoes, making champ is a delight for any foodie. 

Bread and Butter Pudding
Photo � RFB photography

Bread and Butter Pudding 

This dessert filled with a blend of raisins, butter, white bread, and is infused with Irish whiskey. No eating spree in Ireland is complete without a taste of this iconic bread and butter pudding, which is easy to make and takes only a few ingredients and less than an hour to bake up. Use left-over bread or cake, mix them with brown bread or croissants, add a few items as binders, and you’ve got a savory pudding that’s perfect anytime.  The Irish liqueur can be left out, but use it for a bit more of an Irish flair."

There's much more to Irish cooking than this. In fact, the book that accompanies my CD, Haste to the Wedding, contains recipes for Irish Blondies, Ginger Shortbread, Boxty Pancakes, a Guinness Wedding Cake, and even instructions on how to prepare a Proper Irish Tea. You'll find this combination book/CD on sale at my website at CelticHarpMusic.com, discounted when you purchase my other combination book/CDs.

Do you have some fabulous Celtic recipes to share? You're welcome to be the next guest blogger here at the Celtic Harp Music Blog. Contact me to be featured as a guest blogger through the email posted on my website at CelticHarpMusic.com.

About our guest blogger: Manilyn Moreno is writing on behalf of Better Cater. She loves organizing themed events like Celtic-inspired weddings. 

Mark's Trip of a Lifetime to the United Kingdom

Traveling to the Celtic nations is unforgettable. There are many wonderful travel blogs and podcasts that offer insider tips on ensuring your journey is trouble-free (for instance, check out Corey and Liam's Irish Fireside website). But perhaps the best way to travel is to see the sights through the eyes of locals, as our guest blogger, Mark Tomich did. Here's his travel log:

"Ever since I was a boy, I've always been amazed by the Celtic culture. It was never just about the Scottish clans and Loch Ness monster, but the nature, the people's religious connection with it and the whole mystical allure is what amazed me. So when the opportunity finally presented itself, I took it and set out from Australia to the UK to visit my mate in Glasgow.

Street in Glasgow, Scotland

I made a little side trip and used the opportunity to fly all the way out from Australia and visit the British Museum in London, since a major part of Celtic relics like shields, swords and various ornaments found in Britain are kept there.

The Museum is unbelievably big and the day went by in a snap. I've paid my respect to another British tradition by visiting a couple of pubs before going to bed. My mate in Glasgow was eagerly waiting for my arrival the next day.

I woke up and took off quite early, so I was in Glasgow by noon. We immediately drove away from
the city, as my mate Cedrick wanted to relax a bit after a busy week. We went to legendary Loch Lomond for a bit of fishing and hiking. It was truly mesmerizing, even more beautiful than I've envisioned it.

Loch Lomond

After a while we decided to check out the Antonine Wall and hang out a bit around the remains, nowadays covered with turf. I especially enjoyed the mild island climate. Although I was born and raised in Australia, I was never too keen on hot weather.

We then headed back to Glasgow for a substantial supper and what was supposed to be a nice, low-key evening at the pub. Of course, I was unaware that there is no such thing as a quiet evening in the pub with a bunch of Scottish lads! I know that us Aussies are famous for our accent and slang, but I assure you that it is nothing compared to the way these rowdy Glaswegians speak. I mean, in what other English-speaking country would you be called a glaikit (a fool) just because you don't get the slang, which is impossible to understand if someone doesn't explain it to you. But after a few beers and a couple of laughs, I got comfortable and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the evening.

The following day was all about a road trip adventure with the whole gang. We went to the beautiful Isle of Skye by ferry and enjoyed a couple of beers on the shore with the cool sea breeze was swooping along.

Eilean Donan Castle

I had to insist that they take me to see Eilean Donan Castle, which I wanted to visit since I saw it on television when was a boy. The castle was built in the thirteenth century on a small island. After I've had had my share of sightseeing, the boys took me to a tavern where we had a real feast. Warm baps (soft bread rolls), kippered herring from Loch Fyne and some smoked haddock, all drowned in streams of whiskey and beer - what more could a man ask for!

I wanted to see Loch Ness, but Cedrick and his mates had a different agenda and soon enough we were at the Celtic Park football stadium, as they wanted to show me their favorite site of the city. Although I am not a football fan, I was happy to see what my friend was so enthusiastic about.
The guys promised to take me to a big game the next time I visit. Of course, there was no way to avoid going to the pub once more, which somehow seems very natural, almost obligatory.
The visit to the magical land of my childhood ended with pints of beer and an evening-long performance of Celtic's fan-songs!"

Have you made a recent visit to a Celtic nation? The Celtic Harp Music Blog is just the place to share about your travels, and even include a few fun tips about special places to visit. Or perhaps you dream of visiting one of these lands and would like to expound about your visions? Contact me to be featured as a guest blogger through the email address posted on my website at CelticHarpMusic.com.

About our guest blogger: Mark Tomich is a father and a husband, so you may imagine what a rare treat it is for him to be able to fly out on his own to meet his friends. Apart from spending time with his family and traveling, Mark enjoys a good BBQ and a game of chess. You can reach out to him on Twitter - @TomMark84.

The Tempestuous History of the Celtic Harp

The beautiful, bell-like tones of the Celtic Harp belie its turbulent history. When you read the following excerpt from Eliseo Mauas Pinto's e-book, "The Celtic Harp", you'll understand why:

"The English warlike power [by the late 15th century] were not only looking for Irish submission. The English insisted on the idea that the Irish were "barbarians"... [they wanted to] eliminate the custom of which kings and gentlemen shared the table with jugglers, harpists and crew members... 

[The above picture] depicts an Irish bard praising the harper (who plays a not very well drawn harp in the lower right hand corner) while the host and chieftain of the Mac Sweynes is seated at dinner. With the gradual weakness of the kings in their sovereign power, the fall of the leadership of the bards and the harpists began by the end of the 15th century. Thus, the harp found refuge in Scotland, where many noble were dedicated to it’s performance, even kings like James IV.

Between 1494 and 1503, extensive companies of harpists settled in the Highlands. Thus the Harp became the national instrument of Scotland. Each clan had its own harpist, but after several years of feudal expansion and fights for the power, the importance of the harp decayed by the end of the 17th century, and gradually it was replaced by the Scottish bagpipes (Highland Bagpipes). Ironically, while the Irish bards and harpists were persecuted and executed and their harps destroyed, Isabel I delighted with harpists at her court, who used to play jigs, strathspeys and hornpipes for her. Times passed by turning even harder.

Between 1650 and 1660, Oliver Cromwell ordered the destruction of harps and organs in both Catholic and Protestant circles. Five hundred harps were confiscated and burned in the city of Dublin alone, and some 2,000 in all Eire. Like the Highland bagpipes, the harp began to gain the status of a “forbidden instrument” and was the origin of revolt against the Crown. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the poetry and music of the bards decayed as a result of innumerable exiles and fears. This deliberate destruction and persecution finished with Oliver Cromwell; soon the Enclosure Laws in Scotland and the extreme hunger in Ireland, would again force these gaelic people to emigrate.

Since the 9th century through the Baroque era, the Irish harp represented the instrument of the upper classes in the Celtic countries. Perhaps this is why some survived to modern times."

--From “The Celtic Harp”, Smashwords Edition, ©2012 Eliseo Mauas Pinto, used with permission (including artwork). 

Interestingly, the harp is recognized as the national instrument of Ireland, appearing on its flag and coins. The harp stands for the struggles Ireland has endured throughout the centuries. 

Special thanks to my friend and wonderful harper, Eliseo Mauas Pinto, for his guest blog post. Share your love of Celtic culture, Celtic music, and Celtic harps, too! Contact me if you'd like to be featured as a guest blogger, contact me through the email address on my website at CelticHarpMusic.com.

About our guest blogger: Eliseo Mauas Pinto was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He took knowledge of the Celtic world at the age of twenty, motivated by his love for literary and musical subjects. He was the first to introduce the Celtic Harp and Celtic Festivals in Argentina. As a writer, poet, musician and reviewer, he has published printed books in Spanish, Galician and Asturian languages, enlisting some new works on eBook formats. Visit his Celtic Sprite blog.

The Secret to a Relaxing Road Trip--Turn the Harp Music On

Anne Roos Playing in County Galway, Ireland

As a Celtic harpist performing for decades (feels like a gazillion years), I completely agree with guest blogger, David Drasnin--Here, he shares his love of harp music and a wee bit of harp history, too. Go to my website to sample the sound of this wonderful instrument, and if you still aren't convinced, read David's travel thoughts:



"People throughout the ages have always been fascinated by the idea of a trip, a journey. Perhaps it was centuries ago, when the first ships sailed off to conquer unknown lands, often taking musicians on board. Or maybe it was that nice weekend road trip you've planned, taking along your favorite CDs. Music is always part of the human experience.

If you are looking for relaxing music for the road, I think Irish harp music is an excellent choice.

Even if we take a closer look at history, it is obvious that harp players were always bound to the road, ever since Medieval times, when many bards played harps. Originally, the bards were poets, usually hired by a nobleman, in order to commemorate a special event while also providing a form of entertainment for himself and his guests. Later, for political and social reasons, the role of the bard was to travel about the land. One of the most notable of was Turlough O'Carolan, a blind harpist bard of the 17th century who traveled throughout Ireland to share his music. He is considered a prominent national Irish composer.

Today, you can take the bard along with you, just as travelers have done throughout the centuries. No wonder music works so well on a road trip.

For me, there is nothing more pleasant than listening to the magical, soothing sounds of an Irish harp while on the road. It almost seems incongruous to link the mechanical power of a car with traditional Irish harp music, which comes as if from the depths of time itself, almost out of place with the modern world. But I think that this is precisely the beauty of it--Celtic harp music evokes images of the world from centuries ago, and when I listen to such music, I imagine the atmosphere, the sights, and the colors of that world, as described in books I have read. This very mixture of the past and the present is what fascinates me. It's as if listening to the sounds of an ancient instrument heard many years ago makes everything fall into place. It's as if in a single moment, on the road, you know you are going exactly where you are supposted to go, as if you are travelling on the right track.

If this hasn't convinced you to listen to harp music in your car on your next road trip, just go online and search performers of this exquisite instrument. You'll see how music by harpers like Alan Stivell, William Jackson, Loreena McKennitt, Patrick Ball, and Anne Roos can enhance your travels."

--Special thanks to David Drasnin, a frelance writer and a sworn music fan from London. He loves talking about cars and his favorite tunes. Fortunately, while he is drafting vehicle towing articles, he also dedicates his free to creating entertaining articles about his true passions--cars and music.



Would you like to share your love of Celtic culture, Celtic music, and Celtic harps? I'm always happy to feature guest bloggers. Contact me through the email address on my website at CelticHarpMusic.com to submit your article.

A Visit to the Trinity College Harp

Guest blogger Jason Hall shares his experience of visiting the Trinity College harp:

"I recently had the good fortune to visit Ireland, the old country of some of my ancestors, and, like any good cultural historical tourist, I visited the Trinity College Library. They're famous for a collection of old and rare books. While most of Europe was soaking in the Dark Ages, Celtic monks kept learning alive and paginated. I walked though the dim rooms, viewing the Book of Kells and other illuminated incunabula. 

Then, I emerged as from a dark wood to view that willow instrument to familiar from teh cans of Guinness stout. The Trinity College harp  was enclosed in glass, as sensitive to heat, moisture, and light as the manuscripts. It is stringless now and stouter than any beer, in delicate appearance, even for a clársach. I don't know when it was last actually played, but I imagine it has a bit of that clangy resonance I love so dearly.

The Trinity College harp was claimed to have belonged to 11th century Irish king Brian Boru, although it more likely dates to the 15th century. Still, it is one of only three surviving medieval Gaelic harps, and the only one in Ireland. It outlasted other contemporary or earlier instruments and became the national symbol of Ireland.

While we were visiting Dublin, my mom got a tattoo of the harp:

Special thanks to guest blogger Jason Hall, author and Brand Manager for Budget Rent a Car (Brisbane, AU). He enjoys traveling immensely, as well as sharing his travels with others.

Would you like to share your love of Celtic culture, Celtic music, and Celtic harps? I'm always happy to feature guest bloggers. Contact me through the email address on my website at CelticHarpMusic.com to submit your article.