‘A feast for the senses’ – Survivor cook islands in Ireland

RTE 2.0 – Cook Islands in Ireland, the first episode of a new series. 

In the episode, we hear about the island of Cook Islands, which was one of the last to be conquered by British troops in the 1812 War of Independence. 

It was occupied by the French for the next eight years, but the French finally withdrew from it in 1846, and the British were unable to conquer it. 

But there are still a few survivors, and a new colony has emerged on Cook Islands. 

We see the island’s main population in a restaurant, eating food that was brought over from England. 

When we meet the chef, he has a few tips for the cook. 

“Try to avoid the sauce. 

If you try to do that, you’re going to ruin the flavour of the dish. 

Try to cook a whole meal in one go, it’s very simple,” he says. 

As well as eating food, Cook Islands also offers a unique culture, as the islanders cook traditional dishes. 

They use local and seasonal ingredients. 

The islanders also have a sense of humour, and they take great pride in their heritage, so it’s no surprise that they have a lot to offer. 

So far, we have seen the islander’s cook in action, and we also hear from the island resident. 

He tells us that there is a special flavour to Cook Islands cooking. 

His favourite food is the potato and the cabbage. 

And what is his favourite? 

“The chicken and the egg. 

Those are the ones I’ve been eating all my life. 

You’re not allowed to eat the meat,” he laughs. 

This is an edited transcript of our podcast, The Cook Islands Cook Islands: Survivor: Cook Islands on RTE2.0, aired on Monday, July 31, 2018.

Listen to the podcast and see the rest of the episodes in our archive.