Cooking with Colm O'Gorman: Potato-stuffed flatbreads from my new Afghan friends
Food is such a fantastic way to get to know people, isn’t it? It is a wonderful insight into other cultures and traditions, and a great way to connect and bond with other people. Even when language separates us, we can find connection in sharing a meal. In recent decades the range of foods available to us has become fantastically diverse, both when we travel and when people from other places come to live here with us. I love that. I love the excitement of discovering new flavours, new ingredients, and new cooking styles. But I also love how often I see as much commonality in all those wildly varied food cultures as I see difference. It shows that for all our perceived differences, we have more in common than we sometimes imagine.
I was reminded of that again this week. For the past several weeks I have been working with many others to help people at risk in Afghanistan get to safety. The efforts of so many people here in Ireland and around the world have saved the lives of many people. I am proud to say that Ireland has been exemplary in this effort. Our government has worked closely with NGOs and people from all across society to help bring people who needed protection to safety here and to then begin the process of helping them rebuild their lives.
