Information quoted from The Real History of St. Patrick's Day.
St. Paddy’s Day started as a
religious celebration in the 17th century to
commemorate the life of Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in
Ireland. This “Feast Day” always took place on the anniversary of Patrick’s
death, which was believed to be March 17, 461 AD. In the early 18th century,
Irish immigrants brought the tradition over to the American colonies, and it
was there that Saint Patrick started to become the symbol of Irish heritage and
culture that he is today. As more Irish came across the Atlantic, the Feast Day
celebration slowly grew in popularity. So much so, in fact, the first ever St.
Patrick’s Day parade was held in Boston
in 1737.
Saint Patrick was a Gentleman
by: Henry Bennet
Saint Patrick was a gentleman,
and he came from decent people,
In Dublin town he built a church,
and on it put a steeple;
His father was a Gallagher,
his mother was a Brady,
His aunt was an O'Shaugnessy,
and his uncle was a Grady.
Then success to bold Saint Patrick's fist,
He was a saint so clever,
He gave the snakes and toads a twist,
and banished them forever!
Leprechaun, Leprechaun
Leprechaun, leprechaun, fly across the sea
And fetch an emerald shamrock for you and me.
Do not bring a nettle or a thistle for a joke,
But bring an Irish shamrock, for we are Irish folk.
And you and I, my leprechaun,
will wear the shamrock gay,
And match it with an Irish smile upon St. Patrick's Day!
St. Patrick’s Day: With an Irish Shamrock
Sandhurst, March 17, 1827
From the region of zephyrs, the Emerald isle,
The land of thy birth, in my freshness I come,
To waken this long-cherished morn with a smile,
And breathe o’er thy spirit the whispers of home.
O welcome the stranger from Erin’s green sod;
I sprang where the bones of thy fathers repose,
I grew where thy free step in infancy trod,
Ere the world threw around thee its wiles and its woes.
But sprightlier themes
Enliven the dreams,
My dew-dropping leaflets unfold to impart:
To loftiest emotion
Of patriot devotion,
I wake the full chord of an Irishman’s heart.
The rose is expanding her petals of pride,
And points to the laurels o’erarching her tree;
And the hardy Bur-thistle stands rooted beside,
And sternly demands;—Who dare meddle wi’ me?
And bright are the garlands they jointly display,
In death-fields of victory gallantly got;
But let the fair sisters their trophies array,
And show us the wreath where the shamrock is not!
By sea and by land,
With bullet and brand,
My sons have directed the stormbolt of war;
The banners ye boast,
Ne’er waved o’er our host,
Unfanned by the accents of Erin-go-bragh!
Erin mavourneen! dark is thy night;
Deep thy forebodings and gloomy thy fears;
And O, there are bosoms with savage delight
Who laugh at thy plainings and scoff at thy tears!
But, Erin mavourneen, bright are the names
Who twine with the heart-vein thy fate in their breast;
And scorned be the lot of the dastard, who shames
To plant, as a trophy, this leaf on his crest!
Thrice trebled disgrace
His honours deface,
Who shrinks from proclaiming the isle of his birth!
Though lowly its stem,
This emerald gem
Mates with the proudest that shadow the earth!
Irish Corned Beef with Cabbage
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 3 pounds flat cut corned beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup dry red wine (such as cabernet sauvignon) or beef broth
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, cut into wedges
- 1 small head green cabbage, cut into wedges
- 5-6 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch sections
- 4 celery stalks, cut into 2 inch sections
- 6 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
Instructions
- Rinse beef in cold water and remove visible fat as desired.
- In dutch oven or heavy bottom stock pot, heat oil over medium high until hot.
- Brown beef on all sides over, adding ¼ cup of red wine half way through and remaining at the end of browning- scraping up bits and pieces from the pan.
- Add beef broth, worcestershire, dry mustard, caraway seeds, black pepper, bay leaf, garlic, and onion around beef in pot.
- Cover and reduce to simmer for 3 hours.
- Add potatoes, celery, carrots, and lastly cabbage to dutch oven, cook for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are softened.
- Arrange beef and vegetables on platter and cover.
- Bring remaining juices to boil in pot and allow to reduce by half, serve as sauce.
- Enjoy!
White Irish Soda Bread (reminder: 4oz by weight is a dry "cup")
- 4 cups (16 oz) of all purpose flour.
- 1 Teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- 14 oz of buttermilk
Method:
Preheat the oven to 425 F. degrees. Lightly grease and flour a cake pan.
In a large bowl sieve and combine all the dry ingredients.
Add the buttermilk to form a sticky dough. Place on floured surface and lightly knead (too much allows the gas to escape)
Shape into a round flat shape in a round cake pan and cut a cross in the top of the dough.
Cover the pan with another pan and bake for 30 minutes (this simulates the bastible pot or cast iron pan). Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
The bottom of the bread will have a hollow sound when tapped to show it is done.
Cover the bread in a tea towel and lightly sprinkle water on the cloth to keep the bread moist. Mmmm enjoy!
Individual Irish Whiskey Cakes
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2-1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 2 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
- ⅔ cup lightly packed brown sugar, divided
- ¼ cup butter, room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated white sugar
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅓ cup bourbon whiskey
- Whiskey Syrup: recipe follows
Instructions
- Butter and flour eight 4 to 6 ounce metal molds or pans. In a medium bowl, combine the ⅓ cup flour with the walnuts, and raisins; set aside.
- Heat oven to 250 degrees. (Yes, this is correct!) In a small bowl with electric mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in ⅓ cup of the brown sugar; set aside.
- In large bowl beat butter, remaining ⅓ cup brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well mixed. Add the egg yolks and beat well. Beat in the ⅔ cup flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and bourbon. Stir in the floured nut-raisin mixture. Gently fold in beaten egg whites. Spoon into prepared molds.
- Bake cakes for 1 hour or until lightly browned. Cool cakes in molds for 10 minutes on wire rack, then carefully remove from molds. Place cakes in a large, shallow pan. Spoon whiskey syrup over each cake. Let cakes stand about 2 hours, spooning syrup over them several times.
- Whiskey Syrup: In a small saucepan combine ½ cup granulated white sugar and ¾ cup water. Heat to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup whiskey.
No comments:
Post a Comment