I made a traditional Irish breakfast for St. Patrick's Day and the hearty meal took me back to my roots

I tried making an Irish breakfast for the first time and, although it was delicious, it was a lot of work.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

• When I was young, my first-generation Irish grandparents often served me a full Irish breakfast.
• In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I decided to make a traditional Irish breakfast for myself.

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I decided to tap into my Irish roots and prepare a traditional Irish breakfast for the first time.

My grandparents were first-generation Irish immigrants who later moved to England.

I also grew up in England and would often eat a traditional Irish breakfast when I would go to their house. After I moved to the United States when I was 7, I would always have a full Irish or English breakfast when I went to visit them each year.

An Irish breakfast differs slightly from a "full English" in that traditional Irish breakfasts always include black or white pudding and are often served with soda bread in addition to regular toast.

Some of the products I used in this breakfast came from the specialty British food shop Myers of Keswick in New York City, founded in 1985. While British and Irish shops can be rare finds, even in major cities like New York, they offer international visitors an authentic taste of home, and I couldn't have come close to making a traditional Irish breakfast without this store.

Here's how I made a traditional Irish breakfast, and how you can, too, this St. Patrick's Day.