History of St Patricks Day Patrick was born in Britain, in a Romanized family. His father was Calpurnius, a local official. Patrick was taken away as as a slave by the Irish raiders in Ireland where he spent 6 years in slavery. It is during this period he became closer to God. After six years, after getting a message from God in dream, he escaped from the slavery, to Britain, in a ship. It said that he reunited with his family, and then went to Gaul where he studied in the monastery under St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre for a period of twelve years. During his training he became aware that his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity. The best known passage in the Confessio, his spiritual autobiography, tells of a dream, after his return to Britain, in which one Victoricus delivered him a letter headed "The Voice of the Irish." As he read it he seemed to hear a certain company of Irish beseeching him to walk once more among them. "Deeply moved," he says, "I could read no more." Once in the field, however, his hesitations vanished. Utterly confident in the Lord, he journeyed far and wide, baptizing and confirming with untiring zeal. In diplomatic fashion he brought gifts to a kinglet here and a lawgiver there but accepted none from any. On one occasion he addressed with lyrical pathos a last farewell to his converts who had been slain or kidnapped by the soldiers of Coroticus. Patrick was quite successful at winning converts. And this fact upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped each time. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion of the Irish country to Christianity. His mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. After that time, Patrick retired to County Down. He died on March 17 in AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday.
St Patricks Day recipes....
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds lean boneless lamb shoulders, cut in 3/4-inch cubes 12 fl. ounces beer, or water 2 14 oz. cans broth 3 cups cubed potatoes 2 cups thinly sliced carrots 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon pepper 1 envelope brown gravy mix parsley, chopped, for garnish
Directions: In 3-quart pan with cover, heat oil. Add onion and saut until brown; stirring occasionally. Add lamb and saut stirring until browned. Stir in beer or water, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Mix in broth and gravy mix. Add potatoes and carrots, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
Ingredients: Chicken, about 4.5 lb 4 oz Oatmeal Medium onion, chopped 2 T Butter 3 T Stock Salt and pepper 6 oz Bacon 3 x Med. onions, sliced 2 lb Potatoes Seasoned flour 3 T Dripping or oil 4 x Med. carrots, sliced If there are giblets with the bird, take them out, wash all but the liver (reserve that for another use), and cover with water, add salt and pepper, bring to the boil and simmer for half an hour. Wipe the bird inside and out and remove any lumps of fat from the inside; sprinkle with salt. Mix together the oatmeal, chopped onion, butter or suet, stock, and seasoning, stuff the bird with this mixture and secure well. Heat the dripping or oil and lightly fry the bacon, then chop and put into a casserole. Quickly brown the bird in the same fat and put on top of the bacon. Soften the onion and briefly saute the carrots, then add to the casserole. Strain the giblet stock and make it up to about 1/2 liter. Heat and pour over the chicken. Cover and cook in a moderate oven (350C) for about an hour. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into thick slices and blanch them in boiling water, or steam them for about 5 minutes. Toss them in seasoned flour and add them to the casserole, adding a little more of the giblet stock if needed. Cover with buttered wax paper and continue cooking for another 1/2 hour, taking off the paper for the last few minutes for browning. Servings: 4
The Classic Irish Dish Ingredients: 2 pounds medium-size potatoes 1/2 pound cabbage 2 strips bacon 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon minced onion 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1. Boil the potatoes until soft, peel and mash them. Cook the 2 strips of bacon. Shred cabbage (you can either cut very fine shreds or use the food processor). Cook the cabbage, covered with bacon and one-half cup water until very tender. Drain. 2. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add minced onion, salt and pepper, potatoes and cabbage. Blend thoroughly and heat. Serves 6
Ingredients 1 large corned beef brisket 2 or 3 cans of cheap beer, e.g. MGD a couple of dried chilies, perhaps serranos 1 or 2 teaspoons coriander seeds 1 or 2 teaspoons mustard seeds a few dashes cinnamon a few dashes of allspice 3 or 4 large potatoes, scrubbed and chopped in quarters 5 or 6 carrots, coarsely sliced 3 or 4 turnips, scrubbed and sliced 1 large cabbage, coarsely chopped 1 lb mixed beans
Directions: Buy a corned beef brisket at your local supermarket. In a pot, pour 12 ounces of beer. Add a bay leaf or two, a dried red chile or two, a teaspoon or two of coriander seeds, a teaspoon or two of mustard seeds, a few dashes of cinnamon, a few dashes of allspice, and all the juice from the corned beef pack. Put the corned beef on a steamer rack in the pot and add water to bring the liquid level up to the bottom of the rack. Cover the pot and put it on some heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Steam for several hours (it took me five hours for a 4 lb brisket) until the meat doesn't feel rubbery when you stick a fork in it. Add water or beer or both as needed to keep some liquid in the pot. [I usually steam the corned beef over night.] Remove the meat and slice. Remove the steamer rack. [I just leave the meat in at this point. It's in no condition to slice.] Leave all the otherstuff in the pot and put in some potatoes and carrots and turnips or whatever. Add water [or MGD!] to cover and boil until the stuff is cooked. Remove all the vegetables and potatoes. [I leave the potatoes, carrots and turnips in.] Put the steamer rack back in and put in some cabbage wedges. Steam them for about five to ten minutes, depending on how crisp or soggy you like cabbage. [I use 15 minutes.] Serve.
Get out some beans which you have thoughtfully left soaking overnight in water (I used white beans, red beans and black beans all mixed up). Drain them and put them in a pot. Cover them with the liquid that you have been using to cook the corned beef and cabbage and potatoes and vegetables. The liquid should be about an inch higher than the beans. Simmer for three or four hours or until the beans are as firm or as mushy as you like them. The beans will not be ready with the rest of the meal but, as the original poster noted, you can eat them reheated the next day when the flavors have had a chance to "marry".
Ingredients: One stemmed whiskey or grog glass very hot strong black coffee 1 tablesp. whipped cream 2-3 teasp. sugar measure of Irish Whiskey Heat glass. Heat whiskey and poor into the glass, fill with very hot black coffee in which the sugar has been dissolved. Float the cream on top. Tip! Turn a teaspoon upside down and hold against rim inside the glass. Pour in the cream slowly over the spoon. The secret lies in the combination of the piping hot coffee with a slight taste of Irish Whiskey and the cold soothing cream on top.
To make one 8-inch round loaf, you will need: 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 to 1 1/2 cups buttermilk Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift the flour, soda and salt together into a deep mixing bowl. Gradually add 1 cup of buttermilk, mixing with a large spoon until the dough is firm enough to be gathered into a large ball. If the dough crumbles, add some more of the buttermilk, a tablespoon at a time, until the particles adhere.
Place the dough on a lightly floured board, and pat and shape it into a flat circular loaf about 8 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches thick. Set the loaf on a floured baking sheet. With the tip of a small knife, cut a 1/2 inch deep cross into the dough, dividing the top of the loaf into quarters. Bake the bread in the middle of the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and wrap in a clean cloth and let cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes.
Ingredients: 4 slices Shannon Traditional Irish Bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch strips 8 ounces dried corkscrew or quill-shaped pasta 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 small onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup de-fatted chicken broth 1/8 teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes 4 cups fresh broccoli florets 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Method: Cook pasta in large amount of salted boiling water. While pasta is cooking, in non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook bacon strips just until they begin to brown. Stir in garlic and onions; cover and cook for several minutes or until onion is soft. Raise heat to medium-high. Add chicken broth, hot pepper flakes and broccoli. Cover and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until broccoli is crisp-tender and still bright green. Stir in grated Parmesan and salt to taste. Toss with hot cooked pasta. Serveimmediately. Serves 4
Ingredients: 6 Small eggs or 4 large eggs 1 Lg. cooked potatoes, mashed Squeezed lemon juice 1 T Chopped chives or scallions Salt and peppers 1 T Butter
Separate the eggs and beat the yolks: add to the mashed potato, mixing thoroughly, then add the lemon juice, chives, and salt and pepper. Melt the butter in the omelet pan. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and stir them into the potato mixture. Cook the mixture until golden, then run under the broiler to finish and puff it up. Serve atonce.
SODA BREAD PUDDING with GUINNESS STOUT ICE CREAM Ingredients: About 2 loaves of Irish soda bread 4 ounces butter, melted 6 eggs 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup raisins 1 quart heavy cream 8 ounces semi sweet chocolate (chopped) Procedure: - Cut 1 loaf or half of the bread in cubes. Process the remaining half in a food processor. - Place bread cubes and crumbs in a bowl and cover with melted butter, toss and set aside. - Place cream in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Place chopped chocolate in a bowl and set on top of the cream and let it act as a double-boiler to melt the chocolate. - In another bowl beat eggs and sugar until pale and thick. - When the cream comes to a boil pour it over the chocolate whisking quickly. Then temper the chocolate-cream mixture into the egg mixture. - Mix in the raisins. - Pour this mixture over the bread, mix well, and let it soak overnight or at least 2 hours. There should be a sense of moistness. If the mixture looks dry add another 1/2 cup of heavy cream. - Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F. - Butter a 9 inch cake pan. Pour mixture into pan. Place in a hotel pan and fill 3/4 up the sides of cake pan with cold water. - Bake at 375 for 1/2 hour. Turn pan, reduce heat to 325 F and bake for another 1/2 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out dry. Top with Guinness Stout Ice Cream (see next recipe).
Yields: about 2 cups (Used in the Chocolate Bread Pudding recipe.) Ingredients: 3 egg yolks 2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup milk 2 tablespoons heavy cream 1 pint Guinness Stout (reduced) PROCEDURE: First, if the bowl of your ice cream maker has to be frozen, make sure you do so. In a sauce pan bring the pint of Guinness to a boil and let it reduce to about half to concentrate the flavor. Whip the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick. In another sauce pan bring the milk and cream to a boil. Pour the boiling milk mixture over the yolks and whisk continuously. Return to sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens just enough to coat a spatula. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Pass though a fine chinois strainer or 2 layers of cheesecloth. Cover loosely and quickly place in an ice bath. Whisk in the Guinness Stout reducton. Churn in an ice cream machine according to the manufactures instructions.
Irish Blessings and Sayings
May you always have Walls for the winds, A roof for the rain, Tea beside the fire, Laughter to cheer you, Those you love near you, And all your heart might desire!
May you be in Heaven a half hour before the Devil knows you're dead!
When Irish eyes are smiling, Sure it's like a morning spring. You can hear the angels sing When Irish hearts are happy All the world seems bright and gay And when Irish eyes are smiling Sure, they steal your heart away.
May your blessings outnumber The shamrocks that grow, And may trouble avoid you Wherever you go.
There are many good reasons for drinking, One has just entered my head. If a man doesn't drink when he's living, How in the hell can he drink when he's dead?
May the best day of your past Be the worst day of your future.
I'm looking over a four leaf clover That I overlooked before One leaf is sunshine, the second is rain, Third is the roses that grow in the lane. No need explaining the one remaining Is somebody I adore. I'm looking over a four leaf clover That I overlooked before.
May you live to be a hundred years With one extra year to repent.
May those who love us, love us And those who don't love us, May God turn their hearts And if he can't turn their hearts, May he turn their ankles So we will know them by their limping!
As you slide down the banister of life, May the splinters never point in the wrong direction!
May luck be our companion May friends stand by our side May history remind us all Of Ireland's faith and pride. May God bless us with happiness May love and faith abide.
Leprechauns, castles, good luck and laughter Lullabies, dreams, and love ever after. Poems and songs with pipes and drums A thousand welcomes when anyone comes. That's the Irish for you!
There's a dear little plant that grows in our isle, 'Twas St. Patrick himself, sure, that sets it; And the sun of his labor with pleasure did smile, And with dew from his eye often wet it. It grows through the bog, through the brake, through the mireland, And they call it the dear little Shamrock of Ireland.
May your neighbors respect you, Troubles neglect you, The angels protect you, And Heaven accept you.
May you have: A world of wishes at your command God and his angels close at hand Friends and family their love impart, And Irish blessings in you heart.
May God grant you many years to live, For sure he must be knowing The earth has angels all to few And Heaven is overflowing.
These things I warmly wish to you- Someone to love Some work to do A bit o' sun A bit o' cheer And a guardian angel always near.
Here's to a long life and a merry one A quick death and an easy one A pretty girl and an honest one A cold beer and another one!
May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, May good luck pursue you each morning and night,
O Ireland isn't it grand you look like a bride in her rich adornin? And with all the pent up love of my heart I bid you the top o' the mornin!
May the lilt of lush laughter lighten ever road, May the midst of Irish magic shorten every road. May you taste the sweetest pleasures that fortune ever bestowed, And may all your friends remember all the favors you are owed.
Go mbeannai Dia duit (May God Bless You)
May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.
God is good, but never dance in a small boat.
May you live as long as you want, And never want as long as you live.
If you're enough lucky to be Irish... You're lucky enough!
'Tis better to buy a small bouquet And give to your friend this very day, Than a bushel of roses white and red To lay on his coffin after he's dead.
For each petal on the shamrock This brings a wish your way- Good health, good luck, and happiness For today and every day.
Dance as if no one were watching, Sing as if no one were listening, And live every day as if it were your last.
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