St. Patrick’s Day is a religious holiday that has been celebrated by the Irish for over 1,000 years to commemorate Saint Patrick. Since he is the Patron saint of Ireland, it’s no surprise the Irish go all out. Ireland is full of rich history that spans beyond the potato famine, shamrocks and James Joyce’s contempt. St. Patrick’s Day is only one example of the traditions and amazing dishes Ireland has to offer. The Irish cuisine is one that is overlooked, but in this article, we’ll take a look at some of the holiday classics.
St. Patrick’s Day sometimes occurs during the Christian season of Lent during which eating meat is not allowed, but on St. Patrick’s Day these rules are lifted as people celebrate. Here are some of the notable Irish hearty meals from history:
Irish Fry: A breakfast that consisted of bacon, fried tomatoes, blood sausage, bread and tea.
Roast Dinner: Either a beef or lamb roast that is served with peas, carrots, potatoes and gravy.
Dublin Coddle: This dish is the very essence of comfort food — in fact, you can eat the coddle then settle in for a cuddle. It’s basically a stew made with bacon, pork sausage and potatoes.
Chicken and Leek Pie: This pie is filled with chicken, bacon and leek. For some more depth in flavor, some add mustard and peppercorns.
Shepherd’s Pie: This pie is filled with lamb mince and is an Irish staple for cold days and celebrations.
Colcannon: This side dish can be a mixture of all of the vegetables that Ireland has, although it is traditionally made with kale or cabbage. This dish is heavy on the cream as well.
Rhubarb tart: Made traditionally with cream, whiskey and rhubarb, this tart is the sweetest of dishes to have on St. Patrick’s Day. If you aren’t a fan of rhubarb, you can easily substitute apples.
The Hangover Cure: In the joy of celebration, lots of drinking can occur. This simple recipe is the cure for that situation — buttered slices of bread with Irish potato chips in between.
Other notable recipes include soda bread, scones and butter pudding. Of course, you can’t have good food without good drinks. Remember to drink responsibly, but Guinness beer (which Ireland is known for) and whiskey are two popular options.
On a more local point, there are several Irish themed restaurants and pubs in the Utah area. They include MacCool’s Public House, Murphy’s Bar and Grill, Beer Hive Pub and Rock and Reilly’s.
I encourage you to have fun this St. Patrick’s Day by taking some time to try out some of the traditional Irish dishes for an authentic celebration. Check out the recipes in the links below:
http://dish.allrecipes.com/irish-recipes-for-st-patricks-day/
http://www.mashed.com/47288/irish-people-really-eat-st-patricks-day/