FULL IRISH

It may be true there’s no wrong way to plate up a Full Irish breakfast, but I would say there’s most definitely a right way. And here it is…

 

• BACON OR RASHERS: Front and centre. Directly under your nose, as this is the aroma we most associate with a fry-up.
• FRIED EGG: Front to the side. A prime position for this true and trusted staple of many a breakfast. An egg tends to lose its optimal temperature sooner than other items on the plate, so close proximity is ideal.
• FRESHLY BAKED SODA BREAD (or the lesser toast), generously spread with real Irish butter: Front, dominant-hand side. Oven warm bread or toast combines perfectly with everything and is also quick to cool down, so keeping it close at hand is essential. It can be served on a separate side plate, though not imperative.
• FRIED TOMATO: In the middle of the plate, purely for aesthetics; A pop of vibrant colour in the centre, kind of like the “cherry on top.”
• SAUSAGES: Preferably placed on the dominant-hand side, middle section of the plate. This also works well as a barrier for beans (if you’re not fancy enough to have them in a ramekin).
• HASH BROWNS OR OTHER POTATO ADDITION: A perfect balance to the opposing sausages. A significant but not too dominant placement for the humble yet amazingly versatile potato, which is, of course, a prevalent factor in pretty much every Irish meal.
• WHITE AND BLACK PUDDING: Top centre. White pudding, a crucial and unique element of the Full Irish, partnered with the more common (though sometimes unfavoured by tourists, after finding out what it’s made of) black pudding.
• BAKED BEANS: Perhaps the most controversial ingredient in a Full Irish breakfast, as they are considered by purists to be an English addition, or “Englishism.” Though today, the baked bean is widely accepted to hold a position on the modern Irish plate. However, it is recommended to keep them restrained in a small dish to avoid any unwanted invasion or contamination of the more respected members of this traditional culinary ensemble. At the back, barricaded by the sausages, seems most fitting.
• MUSHROOMS: Back corner's grand.