Summary
Food writer Ryan discusses the history and cultural significance of black pudding in Ireland, emphasizing its role as more than just a niche food item. He reflects on how black pudding serves as a lens through which to explore broader social changes and the often-overlooked contributions of women in its production. Ryan notes that black pudding has historically been a homespun food, with recipes passed down through generations of women, highlighting the communal effort involved in its preparation during the seasonal slaughtering of animals.
The conversation delves into the technical aspects of black pudding, including its ingredients and the traditional methods of production. Ryan explains that black pudding is made from the blood of animals, primarily pigs and cows, mixed with grains and spices. He also addresses the shift in production practices, noting that many commercial black puddings today use dried blood instead of fresh, which raises concerns about quality and authenticity. This change reflects broader economic pressures and the evolution of food production in Ireland.
Ryan further explores the historical context of blood as a food source, tracing its use back to ancient times and its significance in Irish folklore. He discusses the impact of colonialism on perceptions of traditional Irish foods, including black pudding, and how these perceptions have shaped modern attitudes toward food and identity in Ireland. The conversation concludes with a call to recognize and preserve the cultural heritage associated with black pudding, emphasizing its importance as a symbol of Irish history and community.
Show Notes
A conversation about black pudding sounds very niche and possibly even a bit ‘off piste’ for the usual Women of Ireland Project content. However, what really struck me as I read Kate Ryan’s new book, Blood, Guts and Black Pudding: Ireland’s Dying Art of Blood as Food is that food history is really social history—and perhaps, even more importantly for my own interests here, food history is women’s history. As Kate explains, the origin and recipes of one of Ireland’s oldest foods lies with a group of women now largely forgotten. Women who presided over the creation of a highly nutritious food source, ensured nothing went to waste and passed down their own personal recipe, mother to daughter. As I said in the opening of this episode: “When you take something that’s been around as long as black pudding, it can become this incredible vehicle to go back in time and look at some of the macro social changes that were happening, through the micro changes that were happening in how people interacted with food, food production and food consumption.” I learned so much from Kate’s book that surprised me. Not least the fact that part of the reason why Ireland’s 19th century Gaelic Revival (which I draw on often in my research) didn’t include much of a food revival is because, as a domain gendered female, it was mostly overlooked by the male-centred interests of the movement’s nationalist leaders. So, I just had to chat to her about it all. We spoke about seasonal traditions, the role of blood-letting rituals in Ireland’s ancient agrarian calendar and its relevance to the festival of Bealtaine. I shared a personal revelation I encountered in her book from learning how such blood-letting practices informed place-names across Ireland. And we discuss the communal meitheal around slaughtering and food production, the highly gendered—but time and expertise efficient—division of labour involved, and the enormous responsibility that rested with the woman of the house to make sure no food was wasted or spoiled. We also delved into the much older history of blood as food, including the ancient but not old practice of live-bleeding cattle and sheep. Kate describes how blood could be taken from a living animal without killing it; a practice that provided a source of nutrition while allowing valuable livestock to continue producing milk or calves. The earliest written record she discusses takes us back to the Táin, while the practice itself appears to have survived in parts of Ireland into surprisingly recent times. We also discuss how colonisation and, eventually, An Górta Mór, changed people’s relationship to this food source and altered how it was viewed among people for generations to come. And then, of course, I had to ask about the very shocking (to me) revelation that most black puddings are no longer made with fresh, but dried, blood and the modern, commercial food systems that have led to the demise of fresh blood black pudding. Never again will I look at black pudding, a food I consume often, in quite the same way. And more importantly, I will no longer overlook food history in my research—it offers a rich source of the lived experiences and life-ways of women ordinarily written out of formal histories. Enjoy! xx P.S. This conversation is also available wherever you usually find your podcasts (just search The Women of Ireland Project) if you prefer to listen to it on-the-go. Kate Ryan is a multi-award-winning food writer and founder of flavour.ie, a platform dedicated to promoting Irish food. She holds an MA in Food Studies and Irish Foodways and a Postgraduate Diploma in Irish Food Culture. Here on Substack, she writes Peckish Times, and as a freelance food writer, has written for the Irish Examiner, Echo and the Business Post on the intersections of food, drink, travel, sustainability and culture. Originally from Bristol in the UK, she’s lived in West Cork for the last two decades. Her new book, Blood, Guts and Black Pudding: Ire
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