Blaa

A soft, floury white bread roll from Waterford, with a history traced back to Huguenot refugees in the late 17th century. Since 2013 the name Waterford blaa has been protected by the European Union, so only bakers in County Waterford and a small adjoining corner of south Kilkenny can use it. Locals eat it before midday, split and filled with butter, a rasher or a fried egg; the famous local version is the blaa and red lead, stuffed with bright red Ballybeg ham. Visitors should go and get one at the source. Home bakers can make a soft white roll in the same spirit, but cannot call it a Waterford blaa.