The answer - oats! As far back as the Celtic age, when kings and their warriors fought over control of land and raided each others herds of cattle the vast majority of the people were simple farmers. They had access to common grounds to graze any animals they owned and raised grains and vegetables to feed their families. The grains included corn, oats, barley, spelt (similar to wheat), wheat, and rye. Common vegetables were kale, turnips, beans and cabbage. Bee-keeping provided honey as a sweetener.
Why oats? Well, first, they grow well in Ireland's moist climate and fertile soil (particularly in the eastern regions of Leinster). Second, oats are among the most nutritious of grains. Loaded with protein, more fat than other grains, and a host of vitamins, when combined with dairy they meant that the ancient Irish enjoyed a diet that was nutritionally sound. (Ironically, it wasn't until the late 20th century that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration advocated oats as part of a heart-healthy diet!)
Celtic warriors even found that the oats were convenient to take into battle. They could bring the sheaths of oats along and at the end of the day chop the grains with a steel blade, add water and cook into oat cakes on a flat metal surface over a fire.
So, if oats were so great, why did so many Irish end up surviving on the potato? That's a complicated question without an easy answer but as usual in Irish history an interplay of politics and economics can shed some light on the issue.
The potato was only accepted gradually after its introduction in Ireland. But, at some point, Irish farmers realized that they could grow enough potatoes on a small piece of their land to feed their families and use the rest of their land to grow oats, which they could sell to pay their rent. The days of common ownership of land were long gone and cash rents were a fact of life.
As cities grew and as landlords began to export foodstuffs from Ireland a cash-crop economy evolved, especially in eastern Ireland where the grains flourished. Before too long the poor were unable to afford oats at all and they relied solely on the potato. The potato was easier to grow and more tolerant of poor soil conditions in western Ireland where many of the Irish were forced to relocate as the Irish were forced from their lands by the English.
Sadly, by the 1840s, fully one-third of the population subsisted on the potato alone, particularly in the western provinces of Munster and Connacht. The disaster of the Potato Famine was almost an accident waiting to happen.
"Irish Oats" are different than other oats not because of the grain itself but because of the way they are processed. One of the oldest processors is McCann's, which has been in operation since 1800. On their Web site you can find an illustrated description of their process that results in a product known as "steel oats."
The usual American processing methods, go several steps farther to produce rolled oats, which purist fans of Irish oats will tell you don't yield quite the same comfort food.
Now, with the 21st century well underway, the oats are returning to popularity. They are no longer the simple fare of poor farmers. In fact, I see some irony that they have become quite "chic." How so? In January, 2001, the New York Times reported that in some New York haunts oatmeal with fruit can cost $14 a bowl!
If you are looking for recipes to bring oats back into your diet, consider one of the recipes listed below from the site's Irish Recipe Collection, or try one of the many from other About Guides, some of which are listed at the right. And, please, in the interest of being "authentic", do use steel cut oats unless the recipe calls for something else. If you're an American reading this, and steel cut oats are new to you, you can probably find them in a can in the "International" or "Gourmet" section of a well-stocked grocery store.
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