Saint Patrick’s Day Dinner Food Cooking International Guide
Saint Patrick’s Day Dinner For An Authentic Irish Feast
By Patrick D Kelly
"The misconception is that Irish food is all about bacon
and cabbage," says Rachel Allen, author of four cookbooks.
"Irish food today is about our fantastic cheeses and our
produce. We’ve got amazing vegetables and dairy.
We’re becoming much more aware of eating in season now."
She recommends choosing Saint Patrick’s Day dinner options like
homemade pork sausage with a potato and cabbage dish called Colcannon,
hearty Irish stew and apple cake.
In her latest book, Rachel’s Food For Living, she offers up many
of these authentic Irish recipes.
A Meal To Remind Emigrants Of Home
Your corned beef and cabbage Saint Patrick’s Day dinner may make
you feel nostalgic, but it’s certainly not the most authentic
type of Irish feast.
According to www.irishcultureandcustoms.com,
"After one (or more!) drinks of "Patrick’s Pot"
(customarily a drink of whiskey), the menfolk hurried home to
the feast. Usually, the good wife would have ear-marked a nice
piece of cured pork.
Corned beef and cabbage? Not back then, and not even now is this
a traditional St. Patrick’s Day dinner! It’s a custom that was
begun by emigrants who, in longing for their native land, tried
to create a meal that would remind them of home."
Floury Potatoes With Cabbage
Instead, dad would serve a piece of boiled bacon, which tasted
more like ham. Mom had floury potatoes cooked up, with cabbage,
butter and warm soda bread on the side.
Lest not we forget what drinks to serve with our special Saint
Patrick’s Day feast! A typical accompaniment to any Irish table
would be something like Guinness or Murphy’s. The Guinness brewery
originated in St. James’s Gate, Dublin circa 1725 and remains
the top-selling beer in Ireland.
The Fallacy Of Green Beer
Murphy’s Irish Stout, based in County Cork since 1856, is the
fastest growing stout in the world, available in 70 countries
now. It’s a fallacy that green beer is representative of an authentic
Irish celebration.
Some people think it’s cute to mix a few drops of green food
coloring in a lighter beer like Harp, but you’re best served with
Irish lager, Irish stout or Irish ale. The most popular lagers
sold in Ireland include Harp and Heineken.
Irish Red Ale
Irish stouts like Guinness, Murphy’s and Beamish are heavier,
darker beers. Smithwick’s is the most heralded Irish red ale.
For Irish whiskey, look for Bushmills or Jameson.
To eat Saint Patrick’s Day dinner like the colonists, Pennsylvania’s
Peddler’s Village recommends pies baked in a Dutch oven, roast
beef cooked on a clock-work jack, tin kitchen cooked fish laced
up in a plank of cedar, Maryland crab, Johnny cakes and Irish
soda bread.
Their annual "Evening in the Colonial Kitchen" runs
from January to March at the Cock ‘n Bull Restaurant in Bucks
County (Lancaster, PA) and serves up hearty, traditionally-cooked
Irish cuisine, while telling tales of Irish folklore and playing
Irish songs. What better way can one celebrate this holiday?
About the Author:
Patrick D Kelly has written a number of articles on food and cooking
including Irish
Recipes, Crock
Pot Soup,
Vegetarian Crock Pot,
Sabatier Knives,
Wood Bread Box,
Bread Baskets,
Black and Decker Coffee,
Fruit Juice.
Keep a lookout for more articles on this website.
Did You Know?
Every March there is a holiday celebrated widely across the world.
Some people mark the occasion with green beer or shamrocks. Some
wear green for good luck. The holiday is a time to drink merrily
with friends and family. You can also watch some parades.
Saint Patrick’s Day is a welcome break from the consumer fueled
Valentine’s Day and gives you a bit of relief before Memorial
Day. But how much do you know about this holiday named after Saint
Patrick?
You may know the date but you may be unfamiliar with the customs
associated with this celebration. This article will let you know
all you want about this festive occasion where you can drink green
beer, eat corned beef and be surrounded by friends and loved ones.
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