St. Patrick's Day

The only place outside of the United States that I would truly like to visit is Ireland. I have always been drawn to the legends of the Emerald Isle, especially the legends surrounding its natural wonders and beauty. According to all accounts, Irish hospitality is no myth, and the land remains unspoiled even under the pressures of modernization and tourism. As Nicholas Mosse writes in his excellent book, Country Living: Irish Country:

"The famous greens of Ireland are not just poetical or political imagination. They are so ever present ... bluegreens of winter barley, the yellowish greens of unfurling beech leaves, the blackish greens of thorn trees, have all been allowed to thrive. Small farms are still worked, and their patchworks of fields and hedges are a study in Irish green. Traditionally, the small amount of wood used in Irish cottages was painted for protection. Originally, lead based brown and green paints were used, but in the 19th century, as more colourful dyes entered the marketplace, these colours became bolder and more amazing. Glorious pinks, lipstick reds, brilliant blues and high gloss paint were all over these cottages, replacing the Earth-based colours of earlier times. They provided punctuation marks in the otherwise green landscape."

Although I am neither Irish, nor Catholic, I grew up in a Southside Chicago neighborhood during the 60's and 70's that was overwhelmingly Irish Catholic; every third house belonged to a cop, and seven plus children was the norm. On St. Patrick's Day the large local church was busy in the morning, and the small local bars were busy the rest of the day. Green beer flowed as freely as the Chicago River and restaurants featured bad boiled corned beef and cabbage specials. WGN always showed "The Quiet Man," that I didn't quite understand but always enjoyed, then we would take off our green socks or shirts and go to bed.

There has never been a year that I did not celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but now we treat ourselves to a dinner of lamb shanks in Guinness, a good beef stew, corned beef slow roasted with leeks, or trout fillets drenched in melted butter, lemon and dill, accompanied by black & tans, and followed by Bailey's Irish Cream & coffee. We listen to authentic Irish music, and we still top off the evening with a viewing of "The Quiet Man."

The feast day of St. Patrick commemorates his death. The births and early lives of most Saints are not recorded and are shrouded in the mists of time, but generally the circumstances and dates of their deaths are documented. Interestingly enough, St. Patrick was not Irish. It is believed that he was born in Scotland around 385A.D. His father may have been an official working for the Roman government that ruled the British Isles at this time. St. Patrick was given the birth name Maewyn, but took the name Patricius which means "well-born" in Latin. Patrick is the English transliteration of this word.

The Irish frequently raided the neighboring islands and when Patrick was 16, he was taken to Ireland as a captive slave. For six years Patrick spent a solitary life tending his master's flocks of sheep, praying by day and night, and serving a penitence he believed was just. One night in a vision, a voice told Patrick, "Thy ship is ready for thee." He took this as a sign and made his way to the coast where he boarded a ship bound for Western Europe. Many years passed and gaining an education in an unspecified monastery and devoting his life to God, Patrick again had a vision wherein he heard "the voice of the Irish, crying as with one mouth, 'Come hither and walk among us'."

Patrick was a bishop by this time and he set off for Ireland to bring the Word of the Lord to the pagan Celts. Ireland was a primitive and warlike society divided into clans that believed in Druidism, a religion dominated by Druid priests who practiced magic, worshipped nature gods and offered human sacrifices. Patrick worked tirelessly in his mission, spreading the Word and establishing churches throughout Ireland. For forty years Patrick labored among the Irish, finally being laid to rest near the River Quoile in County Down in Northern Ireland.

The celebration of St. Patrick's Day since that time in Ireland and America involves religion and history and politics, the "Troubles" and the great famine, and is far beyond the scope and focus of this essay. But perhaps a glimpse into the Irish "character" can be gleaned from the following passages:

"I have but a few more words to say - I am going to my cold and silent grave - my lamp of life is nearly extinguished - my race is run - the grave opens to receive me, and I sink into its bosom. I have but one request to ask at my departure from this world; it is - the charity of its silence. Let no man write my epitaph; for as no man who knows my motives dare now vindicate them; let not prejudice or ignorance asperse them. Let them and me rest in obscurity and peace; and my tomb remain uninscribed, and my memory in oblivion, until other times and other men can do justice to my character. When my country takes her place among the nations of the earth, then and not till then, let my epitaph be written." -- This passage was spoken by 23 year old Robert Emmett on September 19th, 1803, after being sentenced to death for leading a Rising for Irish freedom.

The following quotes pertain to the Potato Famine. The first, written by John Mitchell, is a bitter indictment of English policy of that time. The second, by Canon P.A. Sheehan is a poignant description of a people in despair:

"There is no need to recount…how families, when all was eaten and no hope left, took their last look at the sun, built up their cottage doors, that none might see them die nor hear their groans, and were found weeks afterwards, skeletons on their own hearth…and how, in every one of these years, '46, '47, and '48, Ireland was exporting to England, food to the value of fifteen million pounds sterling, and had on her own soil at each harvest, good provision for double her own population, notwithstanding the potato blight."

"And they did perish; perished by hundreds, by thousands, by tens of thousands, by hundreds of thousands; perished in the houses, in the fields, by the roadside, in the ditches; perished from hunger, from cold, but most of all from famine-fever. It is an appalling picture, that which springs up to memory. Gaunt specters move here and there, looking at one another out of hollow eyes of despair and gloom. Ghosts walk the land. Great giant figures, reduced to skeletons by hunger, shake in their clothes, which hang loose around their attenuated frames. Mothers try to still their children's cries of hunger by bringing their cold, blue lips to milkless breasts. Here and there by the wayside a corpse stares at the passers-by, as it lies against the hedge where it sought shelter."

In the face of such tragedy and injustice, which unfortunately are not confined to Ireland, is it any wonder that the Irish people so embrace their Patron Saint, or so proudly display the shamrock? Those of us who are not Irish-born, but can empathize with a valiant people and a resilient land, can with equal heart embrace St. Patrick and honor his day.

This year we are starting our festivities Saturday evening with a dinner of Honeycrisp apples, seedless grapes, cracked nuts, and a selection of Irish cheeses, Blarney Castle-a mild, creamy Gouda, Dubliner-a sharp cheddar, and Cashel-a rich blue cheese, washed down with Black and Tans. After dinner we'll settle down to watch Disney's "Darby O'Gill and the little People."

Sunday morning for breakfast we have Irish oatmeal with diced apples and raisins topped with a pat of Kerrygold Irish butter, light brown sugar and Half and Half, accompanied by mugs of coffee with Bailey's Irish Cream. After that we get down to the serious business of preparing our St. Patrick's Day dinner. This year we are being very traditional and serving corned beef, but here's the rub. We are corning our own point cut beef brisket, which we special ordered from City Meat Market. We started it last Monday, so it will have "corned" for 6 days before we simmer it on the stove for 4 hours. We are serving this with Champ, a classic Irish mashed potato recipe that uses milk steeped with chopped green onions, and of course, more Irish butter. For the vegetable dish, we are making sauteed Brussels Sprouts with roasted chestnuts, another popular staple in Ireland. And what could be better for dessert than Bailey's Bread Pudding, made with soda bread and Bailey's Irish Cream?

Our celebration does not stop there. Monday for dinner, we're planning one of our favorite St. Pat's treats, "Blarney Pies," a recipe I invented, basically a popover using refrigerated pie crusts, filled with cubes of Blarney Castle cheese and sauteed leeks. These sound pretty plain, but everyone who bites into one, absolutely insists on incorporating them into their annual St. Patrick's Day menu.

To round out our holiday, we are also trying a main dish, later in the week, of Irish Macaroni and Cheese which uses a variety of Irish cheddars and a reduction of Guinness Stout.

Simple foodstuffs, perfectly blended, are the hallmark of traditional Irish cooking. Dairy products abound, and rich cream, sweet butter and mild cheeses are ever present. You are likely to find lamb, beef, fowl and seafood. Pork is less common, but no Irish farmhouse breakfast worth the name would be without good country sausages and thick rashers of bacon, and many a Limerick ham has graced a holiday table. Vegetables are a mainstay; particularly root vegetables, and apples, berries and dried fruits such as currants find their way into enticing desserts. Accompanied by fresh baked loaves, dark beers that are a foodstuff unto themselves, and the ubiquitous potato, the larder is complete.

Following are some recipes we've tried in the past with great success:

Slow Roasted Corned Beef
I mentioned that I remembered bad boiled corned beefs and overcooked cabbage from my youth. Instead of boiling it, place point cut corned beef into a roasting pan. Do not use a rack. Pour Swanson vegetable broth into pan about two inches up side of meat. If corned beef comes with seasoning packet, discard packet. I do not like the texture of the seeds they contain on my meat. Instead I season the corned beef myself. I simply sprinkle the top lightly with cracked pepper, dill (dried is fine), caraway seed, and sweet paprika. Never add salt to a corned beef! Then sprinkle top of meat and broth with cleaned and chopped leeks. One large leek should be sufficient. Cover roasting pan with lid and place in oven preheated to 350 degrees. Roast for 45 minutes per pound.  This slow roasting develops the flavor and tenderizes the meat until it melts in your mouth. Test for doneness, carving fork should slide effortlessly into meat. Remove from oven, carefully place meat on platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest twenty minutes before slicing. Arrange sliced meat on a platter and decorate with sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Lamb Shanks & Guinness
Range top or oven braising (slow cooking in liquid), is a staple of Irish cuisine. This stovetop braising dish combines succulent lamb with Guinness Stout. Plan on one shank per person. Generally, these will need to be ordered ahead of time from a reputable butcher, and they are not inexpensive, but the accolades you will receive will be well worth the effort and expenditure. In a large kettle, heat enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom. Coat shanks with flour seasoned with coarse kosher salt and cracked pepper. In batches, brown lamb well on all sides. Add oil as necessary. Remove lamb to platter and sauté 3 medium yellow onions, chopped. Stir in more of the seasoned flour to make a roux. Slowly add 3 cups of vegetable stock, stirring continuously. Slowly add three 12-ounce bottles of Guinness Extra Stout. Return lamb shanks and any drippings to kettle. Add enough additional stock to cover. Add 2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for one and a half hours. Add 6 carrots and 3 large parsnips, peeled and cut into one and a half inch pieces. Cover and simmer an additional hour. With slotted spoon, remove lamb to large platter. Place vegetables into serving bowl. Ladle sauce into gravy boat. Garnish meat and vegetable dishes with whole sprigs of rosemary. Note: Beef Stew can also be prepared with Guinness - fabulous!

Baked Trout
Trout and salmon are found in most of the rivers and lakes of Ireland. Fly-fishing is a very popular sport both with local inhabitants and tourists. This simple but elegant dish may be a spectacular change of pace from the expected St. Patrick's Day menu. If you don't happen to have a handy trout stream nearby, many grocery stores now offer wonderful farm-raised trout fillets with beautiful red flesh. Do not buy fish unless it is vivid in color and has no fishy smell to it. Plan on one large fillet per person. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Arrange fillets, skin side down. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and cracked pepper. Depending on how many fillets you are preparing, melt enough butter to drench fillets. A clove of garlic may be crushed into butter. Drizzle over fish. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over fish. Sprinkle with fresh or dried dill. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven until done, about half an hour. Serve with soda bread, Irish butter and steamed root vegetables.

Rabbit
Yes, rabbit. Coneys are a very popular Irish foodstuff. They basically can be substituted for any chicken recipe. They can be fried, stewed, baked, and fricasseed. Again, my favorite way to prepare rabbit is to slow roast in the oven. Dredge rabbit quarters in seasoned flour, brown in vegetable oil on stove. Place in roasting pan with vegetable stock, diced carrots, parsnips, onions, and celery. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh chopped parsley and thyme. Roast, covered, in preheated 350-degree oven for 2 hours.

Irish Cocktail Sauce
This totally Irish variation for a sublime shrimp cocktail appetizer is courtesy of Rosalind Cole in her book "Of Soda Bread and Guinness." You simply take a cup of heavy (whipping) cream, a cup of rich tomato sauce, one-quarter cup of freshly grated horseradish root, a few drops of fresh lemon juice, some sea salt and cracked pepper, and a bit of chopped parsley, and mix well. Serve with cooked, chilled shrimp and enjoy!

Toaster Oven Baked Potatoes
Wash up to four good-sized russet potatoes, for a standard size toaster oven, dry off and pierce in several places with fork. Coat with Crisco shortening. Make sure toaster oven is lined on the bottom with aluminum foil, and place potatoes on toaster oven rack. Bake for one hour at 400-degrees. You will find the skin to be crisp and full of flavor, and the interior to be creamier than you ever thought possible from a potato. Split the potato, smother with butter or sour cream and fresh chives, and indulge!

Blarney Pies
This is a recipe that I came up with many years ago. I made the mistake a couple of years ago, of not making Blarney Pies, and instead making several other classic Irish dishes. To this day I have not heard the end of it. With my dying breath, if I make no other offering for St. Patrick's Day, I will make Blarney Pies. I have found no recipe similar to this in any Irish cookbook, yet it is so quintessentially Irish, that I cannot believe it is not a regular item on every Irish menu. Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Sauté leeks (depending on how many guests you are serving) in butter and let cool. Cut Irish Blarney Castle cheese into half-inch cubes. Take refrigerated piecrusts and cut into quarters. Place a pinch of cheese cubes and a heaping spoonful of sautéed leeks in center of dough sections. Wet edges of crust with ice water and fold up and seal to make little pockets. Place on cookie sheet (lined with parchment paper) and bake until golden brown, about twenty to twenty-five minutes.

Black & Tans
Slowly pour half a bottle of Harp Ale down side of glass, then gently pour half a bottle of Guinness Extra Stout on top. Ideally there should be a good inch of foam. This beverage goes well with every Irish dish, or stands on its own. Far superior to green beer in every respect.

Mint Ice Cream & Oreos
After a hearty Irish dinner, there can surely be no dessert more refreshing than this simple offering. Place two scoops of good mint ice cream into a bowl and surround with several Double Stuff Oreo Mint Creme cookies.

Irish Coffee (our way)
Starting with an 8-ounce container of whipping cream, add a teaspoon of vanilla and a tablespoon of sugar, whisk into froth. Pour a generous jigger (one and a half shots) of Bailey's Irish Cream into coffee mug. Fill with freshly percolated robust black coffee. Place a large dollop of fresh whipped cream on top. Start VCR with "The Quiet Man." Enjoy rest of evening. Leave dishes for tomorrow.

You will be able to find online, a variety of authentic Irish music that will greatly enhance your St. Patrick's Day festivities. Such bands and performers as Cherish the Ladies, The Chieftans, Altan, Mary Black, and many others all have several albums available on CD. If nothing else, pick up a copy of the Irish Rovers' classic release "The Unicorn." This collection of familiar Irish folk songs will appeal to kids as well as adults, and the whole family will be singing along together in no time.

For those interested in popular music, we offer several suggestions that span the past 30 years. During the 70's, a band called Thin Lizzy, headed by songman and bassist Phil Lynott, dominated progressive rock radio. Recording rock ballads as well as metal tunes, Lynott's haunting vocals and duel guitar work by Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, still hold up.

Thin Lizzy paved the way for other bands out of Ireland to achieve success in the States, perhaps most notably, U2. Exploding on the rock scene in America in 1983 with their phenomenal album "War," and such mega-anthems as "Sunday Bloody Sunday," "New Year's Day," and "Pride (In The Name of Love)" from The Unforgettable Fire, U2 became the voice of conscience for a generation coming of age in the 80's. Incidentally, the "War" album features the most intense and poignant cover of any album I have ever seen. 30 years later, it still makes me shudder.

Taking us into the 90's and beyond, the most recent Irish band to hit the pop charts in Europe (where they are extremely popular) and America is The Corrs. Comprised of a brother and three sisters, this catchy group is mentored by the likes of Mick Fleetwood, and features guest appearances by Bono, and Ron Wood of The Rolling Stones on their live album. All their releases contain amazing Irish instrumentals and upbeat selections that will have you dancing a jig. Take my advice. You won't be disappointed!

With all the food you'll be eating, beverages you'll be drinking, and music you'll be listening to, we will only offer two suggestions. But they are musts, so plan accordingly. Our first suggestion is Walt Disney's Darby O'Gill and the Little People. Starring a very young Sean Connery, this whimsical mix of Irish folklore and special effects is tremendous fun for the entire family. You'll meet Leprechauns ruled by the wily King Brian, Pookas, Banshees, and old Darby who has spent a lifetime battling wits with the Leprechaun King. Will Darby get the pot of gold, or does he receive a wish more valuable still? Raise a glass of poteen (Irish moonshine) and be spirited away by this enchanting fantasy.

Our second suggestion, of course, is Irishman John Ford's The Quiet Man. This Technicolor ode to the Emerald Isle, filmed entirely on location, is a lyrical epic starring John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, and a cast of characters you will take into your heart. This 1952 release won Oscars for Best Direction and Best Cinematography, and richly deserves them both. This film has probably done more to promote Irish tourism than any other single source. Buy the DVD so that you can view at your discretion.

The Irish are said to have the gift of gab. Whether this comes from kissing the Blarney Stone, or is just pure blarney itself, as a people, the Irish have a poetical nature and in fact, Ireland has produced some of the greatest poets and writers in the world, including James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeats, and George Bernard Shaw. Far be it from an Irishman to lift a glass and not toast his compatriots with some bit of humor thinly veiling an underlying wisdom.

Here is a small sampling of some of my favorite Irish toasts:

A man takes a drink; the drink takes a drink; the drink takes the man.

May you have food and raiment, a soft pillow for your head,
May you be forty years in heaven before the devil knows you're dead!

Here's a health to your enemies' enemies!

Health and long life to you, the woman of your choice to you,
A child every year to you, land without rent to you,
And may you die in Ireland.

Try this one after a few Black and Tans:

Here's to you and yours, and to mine and ours,
And if mine and ours ever come across you and yours,
I hope you and yours will do as much for mine and ours,
As mine and ours have done for you and yours!

For my pretty Irish lass:

Three slender things that best support the world: the slender stream of milk from the cow's udder into the pail; the slender blade of green corn upon the ground; the slender thread over the hand of a skilled woman.

"The Triads of Ireland";
translated from the Irish
And lastly in honor of the old Saint himself…

St. Patrick was a gentleman who through strategy and stealth
Drove all the snakes from Ireland, here's a toasting to his health;
But not too many toastings lest you lose yourself and then
Forget the good St. Patrick and see all those snakes again.

In terms of decorating, we have a small but elegant collection of shamrock dinnerware, themed mugs, linens, books, and artwork, just enough to turn our formal dining room into an authentic Irish Pub!

St. Patrick's Day has always been the harbinger of Spring to me. Although in Chicago the weather is still, as a rule, cold and damp, the vernal equinox is only a few days away, and warmer weather can't be too far behind. The days are noticeably longer, and even though the trees are bare and patches of gray snow still cover the ground, we can bring the greens of Ireland into our homes.

We have found the table setting to be the single most important element to creating a holiday atmosphere in your home. Even if you do not utilize any other decorating technique, dressing your table can establish a theme. Filling a decorative bowl with potatoes, green, red and yellow peppers, or even onions can make easy centerpieces. Holiday tablecloths, placemats and napkins can be purchased or sewn from themed fabrics. Inexpensive dishware can be bought at dollar stores. Garnish the butter dish with whole sprigs of green herbs. Lamb-shaped butter becomes available at this time of year. If you can find it, pick some up. The kids at the table will be delighted. A vase or country pitcher filled with a bouquet of green mums adds color to the table, as do green candles. A small expenditure of money, effort and imagination can produce dramatic effects.

Other small touches can add charm around the home. Place a bar of Irish Spring soap in the bathroom for guests. Imported Irish candies, become available at this time. These colorful, individually wrapped confections come in chocolate-mint, butterscotch, toffee, and orange-chocolate. A bowl of these delicious nuggets placed out on the coffee table will be greatly appreciated and will quickly disappear.

For those who want to take their St. Patrick's Day decorating to the next level, if you can find an Irish import shop in your area, decide on a maximum budget ahead of time because you will be tempted with high quality linens, woolens, serving ware, food stuffs, pottery, music, books and accessories. We make a point of visiting our local Irish shop each year at this time and always wind up spending more than we had planned, and never once regretting it. For the past several years we have started collecting what are referred to as bar towels. We have a few vintage towels that we have picked up at flea markets, but most are new, purchased at the import shop. These bar towels which measure approximately 19 inches wide by 28 inches long, and are usually 50% linen and 50% cotton, feature designs such as the castles, counties and pubs of Ireland, and logos such as the Guinness label. They make inexpensive (we pay around $10 apiece) and extremely colorful wall art. Make sure that they say Made In Ireland. You may wish to frame them, but because they are an irregular size, they will have to be custom framed, and that can get expensive.

Mugs are another fun area of collecting for St. Patrick's Day. Our collection includes mugs with leprechaun faces, mugs decorated with shamrocks, mugs issued by Baileys and Guinness, and a rare St. Patrick's Day Hamm's Beer stein. Again, look for antique and new pieces. Decorative mugs are plentiful, and you can grow your collection quickly.

Although it is far beyond our price range, and not quite our cup of tea, so to speak, many people collect antique and new issue Waterford crystal and Belleek china. These collectibles are for the true connoisseur, and require a lifetime commitment, but for those so inclined, the rewards are tremendous. Both companies have official websites that display extensive product lines, including Christmas wares. These stunningly beautiful, world-renowned handiworks are the epitome of Irish sophistication and grace.

Lastly, you can always visit a party outlet store and buy paper streamers and cutout shamrocks, but if you do, we will leave you to your green beer and "Kiss Me I'm Irish" buttons.