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Nowhere were our new-found delight in notions more starkly evident than in kitchens and restaurants up and down the land. Shout it with us: “NOTIONS!”
1. Sundried tomato pesto (formerly a jar of sauce)
Back in the day, a jar of any old sauce plus some completely soggy spaghetti was a fancy Italian dinner. And now? Now it’s all tortellini that, tapenade-infused this. Was it for this?
2. (S)wanky frappuccinos (formerly a nice cup of tea)
Barrys or Lyons. That was the choice 20 years ago. Now we’re falling over our vente, choconut syrup flavoured, double-shot, frap, soy, whipped whatever the hell it is. At one time during the Celtic Tiger, there were as many buckets of coffee in urban centres as there were buckets of cement. And that’s saying something.
“Takeaway” is a fine word. It’s totally grand. Gets the job done. We all know where we stand and what we’re saying with the word “takeaway”. So, riddle me this, why did we need to replace it with “to go” during the Celtic Tiger?
Back in the day, you’d have an aul hang sangwich for lunch. And be grateful for it. Now, apparently, it’s not a sandwich unless it contains some sort of fancy Italian meat and has been ironed completely flat in a terrifying machine. Is this progress?
Rocket burst on to the scene some time during the Celtic Tiger like some sort of unavoidable, ubiquitous virus – infiltrating our every meal, every sandwich, every waking moment.
Imagine time-travelling back to Ireland of the 1980s and trying to explain hummus. You couldn’t, could you? Everyone would be laughing their holes off at you. “Mushed up chickpeas? In every fridge in Ireland?And no one gets slagged? Get real, pal.”
Monday 23 December, 2024
Monday 23 December, 2024
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7 foods that simply did not exist in Ireland before the Celtic Tiger
A LOT WENT on during the Celtic Tiger but one of the biggest phenomenons at the time was the complete, blanket proliferation of “notions”.
Kitchen islands? Notions. Free-standing deck heaters? Notions. Shopping jaunts to NYC? Notions.
Nowhere were our new-found delight in notions more starkly evident than in kitchens and restaurants up and down the land. Shout it with us: “NOTIONS!”
1. Sundried tomato pesto (formerly a jar of sauce)
Back in the day, a jar of any old sauce plus some completely soggy spaghetti was a fancy Italian dinner. And now? Now it’s all tortellini that, tapenade-infused this. Was it for this?
2. (S)wanky frappuccinos (formerly a nice cup of tea)
Barrys or Lyons. That was the choice 20 years ago. Now we’re falling over our vente, choconut syrup flavoured, double-shot, frap, soy, whipped whatever the hell it is. At one time during the Celtic Tiger, there were as many buckets of coffee in urban centres as there were buckets of cement. And that’s saying something.
3. “To go” (formerly takeaway)
“Takeaway” is a fine word. It’s totally grand. Gets the job done. We all know where we stand and what we’re saying with the word “takeaway”. So, riddle me this, why did we need to replace it with “to go” during the Celtic Tiger?
4. Chorizo panini (formerly a ham sandwich)
Back in the day, you’d have an aul hang sangwich for lunch. And be grateful for it. Now, apparently, it’s not a sandwich unless it contains some sort of fancy Italian meat and has been ironed completely flat in a terrifying machine. Is this progress?
5. Rocket (formerly butterhead)
Rocket burst on to the scene some time during the Celtic Tiger like some sort of unavoidable, ubiquitous virus – infiltrating our every meal, every sandwich, every waking moment.
6. Kettle Chips (formerly Tayto)
Let me spell it out for you: N O T I O N S.
7. Hummus (formerly mayo)
Imagine time-travelling back to Ireland of the 1980s and trying to explain hummus. You couldn’t, could you? Everyone would be laughing their holes off at you. “Mushed up chickpeas? In every fridge in Ireland?And no one gets slagged? Get real, pal.”
12 golden memories of the Celtic Tiger era >
9 worrying signs that Ireland has developed “notions” >
13 things from the Celtic Tiger you don’t see anymore >
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best of de celtic tiger culinary Eating Eating Out Food food and drink Hospitality notions Panini restaurants Rocket to go please