Ireland

IRELAND’S RICH SOIL AND GENTLE CLIMATE made it ideal for growing the new-fangled potato when the vegetable arrived in Europe, and potatoes quickly became the basis for much of the island’s cooking. They are used in soups, cakes, dumplings, bread, scones, pies and pancakes. The climate and resulting rich green pastures also make Ireland a major producer of lamb and beef, and a rich dairy production has helped it relatively recently develop some extremely fine cheeses, such as Gubbeen, Cooleeney, Milleens and Cashel Blue.