IELTS Cue Card Question 750 with Model Answer

Describe a famous food item from your hometown or country

: You should say

what it is
what it tastes like
when and how it is usually prepared and eaten
and say why you think it is famous

: Model Answer

The Republic of Ireland is a neutral country with natural beauty. The citizens of Ireland love to eat healthy foods and a wide number of traditional food item are available there. The traditional Irish stew is one of the healthiest foods

In Ireland, about 20 percent of the populations are related with farming which also helps them to get the fresh food ingredients on a daily basis. The stew is taken primarily at lunch and sometimes it is also preferred in supper. This traditional Irish stew is considered very healthy for the ingredients used in its preparation process and the ingredients are produced at the local farms. The ingredients are collected from the local farms and it should be noted that around 10 percent of the local farms produce different food crops while the remaining lands are used for several other purposes including livestock rearing. Sometimes, different herbs are also mixed with the stew to raise its taste. The stew is basically a combination of potatoes, carrots, lamb chops, and parsley. The ingredients are widely used to prepare some other dishes as well. Potato is a broadly used food crop in Ireland and plays an important role in the meals of lunch or supper

The taste of the traditional Irish stew is different from the other types of foods and stews. This is a mixture of varieties of root vegetables and meats and thus the taste excellent. In fact, the taste of the stew is yummy. It is the preparation process that raises the taste of the stew and you need to heat the ingredients at a lower heat. The flavour is stronger and the smell spreads in the surrounding that will start your metabolism to grab the stew. Besides, you can also use some traditional spices (if you want) for having a different taste. But this is a matter of dispute that the spices decrease the taste and there are two schools about the matter. One school of thought supports the opinion that since this is a traditional dish, it should be prepared with the traditional spices so that the flavour contains the traditional taste while the other school of thought has the opinion of making the stew without traditional spices. But whatever the preparation process is, the stew is still entertaining the Irish people as it did in the past days

The traditional Irish stew is well known for its freshness and ingredients. The food item is prepared for the lunch usually and sometimes they are served as side dish in supper. The preparation process is too easy and the ingredients are available everywhere in Ireland. You will need potatoes four to five pieces and slice them. Slice four medium sizes of onions. Then you need to slice carrots for about five to six pieces and make sure the slices are thin enough. Chopped bacon is the other ingredient for the stew and you will need about one pound of bacon and three pounds of lamb chops or mutton. Ensure that the mutton or lamb chops are thick by one inch and cut into smaller pieces. You can also add some fresh and chopped parsley. Then place all the ingredients into a large stew pot and pour water about two and a half cup. Now, place the pot into an oven. You can also use pepper, some other herbs or salt to add some extra taste. Keep the pot in the oven for about one and a half hour hours in high heat and then half an hour at a lower heat. The stew is done! Sprinkle the parsley on the stew before serving on the stew bowl

The stew is famous for several reasons. Firstly the stew is made with the usual ingredients and though it takes a longer cooking time, it is worth waiting. The ingredients used in the stew are produced in the local farms where they were grown with care. As a result, the food crops become delicious when they are cooked. It helps to satisfy the hunger within a short time and sometimes you even do not need to take the other dishes once you are with the stew. This is one of the national dishes in the country that has been serving for about two centuries. People of all strata are having the stew in their meals and satisfying their hunger for centuries. A good number of events are related with the stew and thus it has become the part of Irish history