Waterford hopes its unique blaa bread gets EU seal of approval

The Waterford blaa is a bread product so unique that the European Comm-ission has shortlisted it for inclusion on its Database for Protected Designations.

Food Minister Simon Coveney said the Waterford Blaa is now in the EU’s DOOR Database, the first step in the scrutiny process for protected geographical indication status.

Mr Coveney said: “Waterford blaa is a fine example of a product with qualities and reputation linked to a region. The EU protected designation of origin/protected geo-graphical indication system is a way of designating and protecting agricultural products with a particular link to an area. I encourage groups of producers to explore the options available with my department.”

Ireland has relatively low awareness of the protected geographical indication and protected designation of origin stamps. To date, only Imokilly Regato Cheese, Clare Island Salmon, Timoleague Brown Pudding and Connemara Hill Lamb have gained either accreditation.

However, both marks open doors in European markets, where speciality food lovers seek out the highly-rated stamps. Only around 1,000 have been given out, primarily to foods from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece and France.

It is into this elite club that Waterford hopes the blaa will be given access. The European Commission will examine the application and assess whether it meets the conditions laid down.

Waterford’s four remaining bakeries — Barron’s Bakery, Harney’s Bakery, M&D Bakery and Hickey’s Bakery — are optimistic the EU will be won over.

The bun dates back to the arrival from France of the Huguenots in the 1690s. Their bakers used the term “blaad” to signify leftover dough.

Brother Edmund Ignatius Rise, founder of the Christian Brothers, began baking the unique, flour-covered soft bun in his bakery in Mt Sion in Waterford city in 1802, using low-cost local ingredients. It was popular with the poor at the time.

Esther Barron of Barron’s Bakery said: “We’re delighted with this latest step in gaining the protected geographical indication approval. We have worked hard putting all the paperwork for this together. Very few Irish products have ever gained the protected geographical indication.”

Esther’s husband, Joe Prendergast, said the protected geographical indication — if it is awarded — will give a great lift not only to Waterford’s four surviving bakeries, but to the entire county. “In recent years, the Waterford blaa has become hugely popular at events like the Waterford Food Fest and the farmers’ market in Dungarvan’s main square.

“A fella from Cork came to the last Food Fest and set up with a full pig on a spit. He sold the pork in the Waterford blaa and it went down a treat.”

While the European Commission will scrutinise the veracity of the Waterford blaa’s claim to geographical uniqueness, there is no doubt some of the charm is built on its change from the French “blaad” to today’s “blaa” — with local variations and elongations in the pronunciation adding to that colour.