List your top 5 grocery store items.
Pan-Celtic cuisine is my thing, it’s land and sea, a connection that has been cherished for centuries across the Celtic nations. As I step into the kitchen, I think about the ingredients that truly capture this tradition, ingredients that tell the story of our ancestors and their resourceful way of living. I reach for the bag of oats sitting on the counter. Oats have been a constant in Celtic cooking, not just as a breakfast porridge but as the foundation of rustic oatcakes and lots of other dishes. There’s something so grounding about using this ancient grain, knowing it nourished generations before us.
Beside the oats is a small jar of dried dulse, a gift from the sea. Seaweed has always been part of Celtic life, harvested along the rugged coasts and added to soups or eaten as a snack. Its salty, earthy flavor immediately reminds me of the ocean and of windswept beaches and crashing waves. Whether it’s dulse in a stew, laver in traditional Welsh laverbread, or carrageen moss used to thicken desserts, seaweed brings the Celtic shores to life in every bite.
Then, of course, there are the potatoes. Humble yet indispensable, potatoes hold a special place in my heart. From Irish colcannon to the filling of a Cornish pasty, they are the backbone of so many beloved recipes. Their simplicity belies their versatility, and in every dish, they remind us of resilience and survival, of finding abundance in what is seemingly modest.
I glance at the golden butter on the counter, a reminder of the lush, green pastures that define so much of Celtic farming. The dairy from these lands is second to none, from creamy butter to cheeses like Caerphilly or Isle of Mull Cheddar. There’s a richness in these ingredients that transforms even the simplest meal into something special. It’s not just food; it’s a celebration of the land that gave it to us.
Lastly, there’s barley. An ancient grain that has been cultivated across the Celtic world for thousands of years, it finds its way into soups and stews, like the comforting Scotch broth that warms you from the inside out. Barley’s nutty flavor and hearty texture connect us to the old ways, to meals cooked slowly and savored fully. Even barley flour can create breads and cakes that feel as though they’ve come straight from a bygone era.
As I work with these ingredients, I feel their history in my hands. Oats, seaweed, potatoes, butter, and barley each one tells a story, and together they create the flavors of the Celtic world. Cooking with them isn’t just about making food; it’s about honoring the past, connecting with the land, and keeping these traditions alive. Each dish feels like a bridge, bringing the essence of the Celtic nations into the present day, one simple, beautiful meal at a time.
Pan Celtic Cuisine 