The mighty Waterford blaa
The real Irish hero foodstuff
The Oxford English Dictionary recently announced the addition of new words which included several from Irish English, namely ludraman, class, morto, act the maggot, debs, spice bag, mineral (as in a soft drink) and blaa.
It’s wonderful to see the inclusion of three words or phrases related to food and drink and while the addition of spice bag has largely dominated the headlines, I’m here to represent for the much older, the humble but mighty blaa.
I first came across blaas way back in 2000. We had just started going out and I was bought to Waterford for a first visit. A trip to the small local shop in the village resulted in a plastic bag filled with several bread rolls, the merest touch of which left streaks of flour on your chin and clothes. I was a little puzzled at the semi-reverance they were causing, surely it was just bread?
I was promptly informed they were blaas, the local Waterford bread. I was also told that they went stale quickly, meaning they had to be bought fresh every day. Oh, and that they were delicious especially when filled with ham and cheese, or as a breakfast blaa.
I was amazed. Even though I came from the adjoining county, albeit near the Kerry border, how had I never heard of blaas? These days though, it’s a different story. The Waterford Blaa was awarded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status in 2013 by the European Commission, ensuring that only those produced in Waterford and its environs could bear the name.
Now, let me digress for a minute. I’m currently reading ‘This is Happiness’ by Niall Williams which is set in the fictional Clare village of Faha. Reading it is like drowning in a sea of soft Irish vowels, quaint words and country sayings. The lyricism and the familiarity just reaches up and envelops you and bang, I’m back in my childhood, growing up in the country.
Why is this book relevant? Blaa is such a word. It seems nonsensical. But let the word emanate from your mouth. Blaaaaa. It’s a simple word, perfect for bread, the most simple, yet important, of foodstuffs.
As far as I know there are only three bakeries left in Waterford producing blaas, Barron's Bakery & Coffee House in Cappoquin, Hickey's Bakery and Walsh’s in Waterford city itself. For people outside Waterford, Walsh’s produce blaas for the Dunnes Stores Simply Better range, and thankfully, they last more than a few hours before going stale.
If you want to experience blaas in their natural habitat, fresh that day from the bakery, take a look at Visit Waterford’s Ultimate Blaa Roadtrip for suggestions on where to enjoy the best blaa dishes or alternatively book a guided food tour with Tasteful Tours.
So there you go. No Johnny-come-lately spice bags today. Here’s to the mighty Waterford blaa.