Why I Like McCann's Irish Oatmeal

Today on our show we will be featuring a new favorite product: McCann's Irish Oatmeal. We will interview McCann's enthusiast Elizabeth to find out more about why she loves McCann's.
So, Elizabeth, the Big Red Couch is curious: why do you like McCann's Irish Oatmeal?

Me: Well, I'd seen it at the store several times but never purchased it because it seemed a little pricey. I like oatmeal and I like foreign foods and I love all things Scottish, Irish and English, so I was eager to see what it's like. When I found it on clearance at Wal-Mart recently, bam-o! I slam-dunked it into my cart. (Did you know Southerners call shopping carts "buggies"? It was super confusing when I went to the store with a friend and she said we needed a "buggy".)

What did you discover about Irish Oatmeal?

Me:I love it! It's ready in 5 minutes - either stovetop or microwave - and it's really filling; I'm not hungry soon afterwards. It makes instant oatmeal look like water. Also, the texture is different - like a blend between oatmeal and grits. This is because they don't press it flat. So it looks different than, say, Quaker Oats. A cool fact about McCann's is that it was started in 1800. That's over two hundred years ago!!

What do you eat with it?
I sweeten it with a little bit of brown sugar and pour some milk over it. I could add berries if I wanted to, but it's actually really good by itself.


What's the flavor of McCann's like?
Difficult to describe. It's...heartier and more flavorful than the oatmeal you're used to. I think it's probably because oats from all over are incorporated into typical oatmeal, but McCann's is from one specific location, as this map of Ireland shows. Actually, it makes instant oatmeal, or even quick oats, seem tasteless and like glue. McCann's steel cut oatmeal has a distinct grainy, nutty flavor. I like to think it tastes like Ireland!

Where do you find McCann's Irish Oatmeal?

I suspect it's available at a lot of places. At Wal-Mart or Kroger's, it'd be with the rest of the oatmeal. At Meijer's, it's in the international food aisle. It's probably at Whole Foods and venues like that, as well.

Have you ever paired McCann's Irish Oatmeal with Irish Breakfast tea, for a taste and cultural morning bonanza?
Why yes, Big Red Couch, I have. Just the other day I enjoyed a cup of River Shannon Irish Breakfast tea with my Irish oatmeal. It was delicious, nuanced, and savory.

Anything else you'd like to say about your new favorite product?
Well, there are obvious health benefits from eating oatmeal regularly - its fiber, the way it helps regulate cholesterol, how it's not a high-fat breakfast. It helps remind you that back in the day, foods that were good for you were also...good. I think a lot of "health" foods specially marketed these days are bland and disgusting - but that's because a lot of flavor is removed when fat or calories are removed. With McCann's Irish Oatmeal, it's distinctly flavorful, but it also really makes me feel good the rest of the day. One serving is kind of small, so often I make two servings, but the canister is lasting me quite a while. Another way to enjoy McCann's Irish Oatmeal? Just Google "Irish oatmeal recipes." Mmmm.

Well, folks, that's the word from one happy oatmealer.
You can enjoy more information about this classic starter to a good day at McCann's Irish Oatmeal. While I simply followed the directions for McCann's Irish Oatmeal (steel-cut), here are additional ways of preparing this lovely treat.