Macroom Oatmeal is a traditional stone-ground Irish oatmeal produced in

Macroom Macroom (; ga, Maigh Chromtha) is a market town in County Cork, Ireland, located in the valley of the River Sullane, halfway between Cork city and Killarney. Its population has grown and receded over the centuries as it went through periods of ...

, County Cork, Ireland, at Walton's Mill, the last surviving stone mill in Ireland.

Slow Food Slow Food is an organization that promotes local food and traditional cooking. It was founded by Carlo Petrini in Italy in 1986 and has since spread worldwide. Promoted as an alternative to fast food, it strives to preserve traditional and re ...

selected it as the exemplar of stone ground Irish oatmeal, which was taken aboard its

Ark of Taste The Ark of Taste is an international catalogue of endangered heritage foods which is maintained by the global Slow Food movement. The Ark is designed to preserve at-risk foods that are sustainably produced, unique in taste, and part of a distin ...

in 2011.

History

The mill has been operated continuously by the same family since the 1700s. Donal Creedon, great-great-great-great-grandson of founder Richard Walton, now operates the mill. Michelin star-winning chef Myrtle Allen developed the Macroom Biscuit recipe which appears on the package.

Production method

Macroom oatmeal is stone-ground, then kiln-toasted.

Reception

Saveur Magazine called it "different from anyone else's in Ireland, full of flavor when simply cooked and immensely satisfying in its grainy texture." Food writer John Thorne said it "may well be the best oatmeal I've ever eaten."

Fodor's Fodor's is a publisher of English language travel and tourism information. Fodor's Travel and Fodors.com are divisions of Internet Brands. History Founder Eugene Fodor was a keen traveler, but felt that the guidebooks of his time were borin ...

Ireland mentions Macroom Oatmeal. Darina Allen of

Ballymaloe House ''The Yeats Room'' of Ballymaloe House () is a restaurant located in Shanagarry in County Cork, Ireland. It is a fine dining restaurant that was awarded one Michelin star for each year in the period 1975–1980. The Michelin Guide awarded the re ...

, where Macroom Oatmeal is served for breakfast, said that Macroom Oatmeal has "a cult following both at home and abroad." James Beard 2010 Cookbook of the Year ''The Country Cooking of Ireland'' says "(t)he best oatmeal for Stirabout...is Macroom, milled by Donal Creedon in the town of that name in County Cork." Closeup of uncooked Macroom oatmeal

References

Breakfast cereals Food and drink in Ireland Irish cuisine Oats Porridges {{food-stub