St Patricks Day
You don’t have to have a drop of Irish blood in your ancestry or even be able to locate Ireland on a globe to be welcomed into St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. While green colored beer, Irish whiskey, and Irish coffee are the most famous drinks linked to the festivities, there are many traditional Irish foods served throughout the day.
St. Paddy’s Day Breakfast
Breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day and on St. Patrick’s Day, it’s an especially important repast if you plan on spending a lot of time during the day bellied up to a bar. And if you happen to overindulge during the celebration, a traditional Irish breakfast will make your recovery easier on the fateful “morning after.” Bake a loaf of Irish soda bread and pair it with a hearty Irish or Dublin coddle, a rib-sticking combination of sausage, bacon, potatoes and onions slow-cooked in a Dutch oven on the stovetop or in the oven. For a quick bite before heading out to the St. Patrick’s Day parade, toast the soda bread, and eat it with a steaming bowl of Irish oatmeal. Rarebit, a rich cheese sauce served over toast, is often attributed to the Welsh but if you add a cup or two of Irish stout to the sauce, it qualifies for a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast menu and tastes great with a couple of fried eggs on the side.
Traditional Irish Fare
Corned beef and cabbage is the meal most associated with St. Patrick’s Day but there are many other time-honored dishes made famous by the Irish. Irish stew is similar to American beef stew but customarily made with lamb. Bangers, also known as Irish sausage, are popular served with mash, slang for mashed potatoes.
Potatoes, long associated with Ireland, are prominent in other popular Irish dishes as well. Colcannon is a combination of Irish bacon, cut from the back of the pig rather than the belly, scallions, shredded cooked cabbage, and creamy mashed potatoes, all spread in a casserole, and topped with melted butter. Boxty is an Irish version of potato pancakes made with grated raw potatoes and leftover mashed potatoes and a bit of baking powder to make them light.
Going Green
Besides cabbage, add green to your St. Patrick’s Day table with sides of sautéed spinach or kale, roasted asparagus, or a tossed green salad. Add a magical touch of green to the potato dishes with a sprinkle of chopped parsley. Serve up a bright green broccoli soup to accompany the bangers and mash or add a spinach frittata to the spread for people who need a snack they can eat on the way to the party.
Irish Imbibements
If you grow weary drinking conventional Irish coffee, Irish whiskey and green beer, switch to an Irish cream liqueur. Several brands are available at li
