From pasta to soda bread: my favourite foods

What are your favorite types of foods?

Food isn’t just about taste for me, it’s also about comfort, memories, and the joy of sharing something delicious with others. If I had to sum up my favourite foods, I’d say they fall into three main food types, Italian, Mexican and Irish home cooking.

Italian food always feels like a warm embrace. A bowl of pasta, a thin-crust pizza, or something as simple as bruschetta, it’s comfort food, made to be enjoyed slowly.

Mexican food, on the other hand, excites me. The spices, colours, and bold flavours bring a sense of celebration to the table.

Finally there is Irish home cooking. This is where nostalgia comes in. Stews, soda bread, potato bread, tray bakes, the kind of food that brings me back to simpler times and cosy evenings. It’s simple, it’s hearty, and full of meaning.

I also do love fresh flavours, things that feel light, bright, and vibrant. A crisp salad, ripe fruit, or a squeeze of lemon can completely transform a meal. Alongside that, I try to keep my eating on the healthier side, not in a strict way, but in a way that leaves me feeling good after I have eaten.

Living in Australia makes the love of food even richer. The diversity here is incredible, one night I can enjoy Greek flavours, the next Lebanese, or discover something new with Nepalese or Vietnamese dishes. It feels like the whole world is on my doorstep, and it keeps my love for food constantly inspired.

I feel grateful to experience that here as I had never tried any of these foods before in Northern Ireland. The most I had ever tried that was remotely exotic was Chinese and Indian food, that I LOVE by the way but in Northern Ireland the foods are cooked to suit the locals taste buds, i.e. made with MSG. Nothing authentic about it but suits those who have never left the country to try the real deal.