The small city of Waterford, Ireland, has a couple of claims to fame. The most internationally recognised is its crystal, which dates to 1783 and still ships all over the world today.

The second is a product you’re less likely to find abroad. It’s humbler. It’s cheaper. It’s something that people across Ireland immediately identify with the town. Many Waterford residents consume it on a daily basis, and it inspires the kind of loyalty (and competitiveness) seen elsewhere only at hurling or rugby matches.

This is the blaa: a soft white bun that has been a Waterford staple for centuries. “It’s so synonymous with the city that other counties often refer to Waterford city people as ‘the blaas’,” said Jack Burtchaell, a Waterford historian and tour guide. “At sport events, Kilkenny are the cats and Wexford are the yellow bellies. And Waterford? They’re the blaas.”