Joe McNamee: Celebrating the virtues of black pudding

The primary ingredient for most blood puddings was traditionally pig’s blood but Kate Ryan's new book also examines the alternatives, as well as other ‘cousins’ of the black pudding such as traditional Cork Drisheen and Limerick’s packet.

Almost 15 years ago, I hosted a late evening event at Theatre of Food, at Electric Picnic, featuring the redoubtable Kanturk father-and-son butcher team, Jack and Tim McCarthy for a black pudding demo. It was a Saturday night and our ‘competition’ elsewhere was The Cure, due to hit the main stage soon after we kicked off.

The renown of the McCarthy’s award-winning black puddings was already widespread and the previous year, 2011, had been an annus mirabilis. In 2011, they were conferred as Chevaliers de Goute Boudin (Knights of the Black Pudding) by the Chevaliers de Goute Boudin Mortagne au Perche Francais. This prestigious French confraternity organises an annual blood sausage fair and a major international competition, turning the French town into the world capital of black pudding/blood sausage. Also in 2011, chef Ross Lewis had included McCarthy’s black pudding in the menu for the banquet honouring Queen Elizabeth II on her state visit to Ireland. This ToF audience were well aware who was up on stage and were especially keen to snaffle a sample of the McCarthys’ baked terrine style puddings incorporating a secret 12-spice mix. But this was a demo with a difference. As befits a foodstuff traditionally made with fresh blood, there was a bucket of the stuff on stage. What’s more, the McCarthys were seeking volunteers to drink it raw. I made like Dracula on a stag do and took a healthy slug, to set the tone but the reaction of the audience was largely of fascinated revulsion. Eventually, a young boy in the front row volunteered even as his parents watched on, squirming in horror.