By Imelda Murphy
In January 1989 I was about to leave my home in Ireland as I had a one-year working visa in Australia. My suitcase was in the hall, all set to go to the airport, and my Dad was putting off saying goodbye. He knew that anyone that went there never came back.
Daddy said to my Mum ‘Give her a bag of porridge going’.
I said that they’ll have porridge in Australia.
He replied ’they won’t have real porridge, they’ll only have that Quaker oats’.
The exchange was a mixture of humour and sadness. Typical for an Irishman in his late seventies in rural Ireland. Using porridge to portray the distance I was to travel, as it was so central in our lives from cradle to the grave.
Flahavan’s factory is three miles from our house, and they have been milling oats and making porridge for over 200 years. So that is maybe why Daddy mentioned it, but there is more to it than that.
The benefits of oats in your diet are many. Oats are high in thiamine, magnesium, Iron, zinc, phosphorus and B vitamins 1,2,3,6,9. Oats help lower cholesterol and are high in fibre to name a few. It was the first breakfast recommended to a new mother because it is easy to digest and full of goodness.
Lunch or dinner recommended for a new mother was stobach gealach, a traditional Irish stew, meat for protien, root vegetables for vitamins, minerals and fibre and stock for hydration.
Growing up we also had an abundance of nettles. A nutrient-rich food. Obviously, they grew wild and were easy to prepare and cook.
This was a common meal recommended to everyone but especially women and nursing mothers. It gave an immune boost to fight illness and an energy boost to fight fatigue. It is amazing to see the humble nettle on menus in top restaurants these days from soups to sauces, a garnish for souffles and much more. I think back to when I wouldn’t tell anyone that I had a bowl of nettles every year in May growing up as a spring tonic.
Malt extract is another nutrient-rich food that is easily accessible and always recommended to nursing mothers in Ireland. Its health benefits are varied: it is protein-rich, full of nutrients and antioxidants and again, easily digestible.
Food is our life, from enjoyment to fuel and of course medicinal. In the antenatal and postnatal phases mothers need to eat well; what is consumed then forms the building blocks for mother and child.
Imelda Murphy
Imelda is a Chef from County Waterford, Ireland, where she completed her City and Guilds qualifications and began her career at a major hotel in Waterford City. She moved to Australia in 1989 and worked at the Celtic Club in Melbourne’s CBD, cooking for The Fury brothers, Jim Stynes, and Irish politicians. She later joined Smeg, showcasing their premium appliances through live cooking demonstrations, architect events, and major food and wine festivals. Over the years, she has cooked a dish from nearly every cuisine, but Irish food will always be her favourite.
Tinteán 