There’s something about Irish summer that makes food taste better. Maybe it’s the soft coastal breeze, maybe it’s the chat around the kitchen table, or maybe it’s the magic that happens when you take a simple spud and turn it into something unforgettable. In Season 2, Episode 4 of Food For Stories, we’re back on the west coast of Ireland for a proper celebration of flavour, friendship, and the power of seaweed to heal more than just your appetite.
About The Episode:
Filmed just steps from Hazel Mountain Chocolate, this episode takes us from Kasha’s home kitchen into a small sea moss tonic workshop and back again, potato salad in hand. It’s not just about what’s on the plate, but the stories behind the ingredients and the people who share them.
Along the way, we meet a passionate local entrepreneur who turned ancestral knowledge into a bubbling business and catch up with lifelong friends Sadia and Garcia, whose joy for life (and potatoes) will stay with you long after the credits roll.
Summer Potato Salad with Sea Moss Dressing
The heart of this episode is a bold and beautiful summer potato salad. Think waxy baby potatoes, grilled smoked cheese, juicy cherries, and a dressing that gets its zing from a cherry-flavoured sea moss tonic. It’s sweet, savoury, herby and earthy all in one, and proof that wellness food doesn’t have to taste like a punishment.
The sea moss dressing brings a real hit of health to this dish, rich in prebiotics and natural minerals. Topped with toasted pumpkin seeds and cacao nibs for crunch, this is a salad that holds its own at any table—picnic, party, or just Tuesday lunch.
Meet the Maker: A Sea Moss Tonic with Deep Roots
At the heart of this story is Edel Breslin, a passionate food entrepreneur who began her journey experimenting with carrageen moss during the 2021 lockdown. With a background in cheffing and an eye toward holistic health, Edel created MossBoss, a range of naturally fermented sea moss tonics infused with ingredients like ginger, honey, and clementine.
What started as a homemade remedy soon became a community favourite, with customers returning again and again, not just for the health benefits but for the taste. With support from Shannon ABC Bioscience Lab, she was able to validate the nutritional profile and scale up production, while staying true to her roots and her ‘why’.
Sadia & Garcia: A Friendship Worth Bottling
Then comes one of our most heartwarming conversations yet. Sadia and Garcia have been best friends since childhood. Though they live on different continents now, they meet up every year—and this time, they made Ireland their reunion destination.
As they talk about growing up together, travelling as adults, and their mutual love of chocolate (one of them even grew up in a Mars factory household), it becomes clear that this episode isn’t just about recipes or ingredients. It’s about the flavours we carry with us and the people we come back to.
Over a plate of the summer potato salad, they reflect on family dishes, from Pakistani fenugreek potatoes to lentil stews and, of course, anything involving chocolate. Their joy, humour and deep-rooted friendship is as nourishing as the food.
Summer Potato Salad with Cherries and Grilled Cheese
Equipment
- Large pot
- Frying pan or grill pan
- Serving bowl or platter
- Small mixing bowl for dressing
- Sharp knife and chopping board
- Tongs or spatula for flipping cheese
Ingredients
Salad
- 1.5 kg baby waxy potatoes
- 100-150 g fresh cherries, halved and pitted
- 1 Scamorza or Halloumi cheese, sliced
- 1 tbsp cacao nibs
- 1 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
Dressing
- 2 tbsp cherry tonic or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp mild mustard
- 2 small garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
- 1 tbsp honey
- 4 tbsp virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp chopped dill
- 1 tsp chopped parsley
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard, garlic, honey, olive oil, dill, parsley, salt, and pepper. Whisk well until smooth and emulsified. Set aside.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Bring to the boil and cook until just tender, about 15 to 20 minutes depending on size. Drain and let cool completely.
- Once the potatoes are cool, cut them in half and arrange on a serving dish or platter.
- Heat a dry non-stick or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced cheese and cook until golden on both sides. It should be soft inside and lightly crisp outside.
- Scatter the grilled cheese over the cooled potatoes, followed by the halved cherries.
- Pour the dressing evenly over everything. Sprinkle the cacao nibs and toasted pumpkin seeds on top. Garnish with a few extra bits of dill and parsley for a fresh finish.
Video
Notes
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