What I say is that, if a fellow really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow. - A. A. Milne
I'd bet that the first two things that pop into most people's minds when they think of Ireland's food is some variation on meat and potatoes. (I know that's what I always thought, but maybe it's just my Irish blood at work...) I had no clue until I actually got to Ireland just how prevalent these staples are. From shepherd's pie to Irish stew, almost every dish focuses on some kind of meat paired with some preparation of potatoes... even fish and chips, if you want a broad take on the idea.
I'm going to digress for a moment to talk about chips and how to eat them.
