Monday, March 17, 2008

A St. Patrick's Day Story


My heritage is Italian. I am the second generation on both sides of my family born in this country(USA). I was brought up in a strict, old-world tradition. Himself is Irish, with a mixture of stubborn Scot thrown in for good measure.

At St. Patrick's day when we were first married, Himself had gone grocery shopping and presented me with a cryovac package.

"What the hell is this?"

"It's corned beef. Haven't you ever seen corned beef before?"

"Yeah, sliced up in the deli. "

Himself was shocked beyond measure. "What did you people have for St. Patrick's Day dinner?"

"Pasta with gravy(what Italians call spaghetti sauce), like every other night of the week."

A call to my MIL for the recipe. Soak the meat in cold water, bring it to a boil, dump the water out, add cold water to cover, bring it to a boil, etc. An all day process and way too much work for this graduate from the Jane Jetson Culinary Institute. I've since found a nice Corned Beef recipe done in the crock pot. With a crock pot liner, it's not only easy but an easy clean up as well. A nice loaf of Irish Soda bread from the blessed bread machine rounds out the meal.

And St. Patrick's Day wouldn't be complete without watching The Quiet Man starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. The church yard scene with Wayne wearing the soaking wet, white silk, Arrow shirt. Be still my heart. Can you say THUD?

So how do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day? Corned beef and cabbage? Green beer? Wearing of the green? It's just another day?

However you celebrate, have a happy day.

3 comments:

  1. John Wayne in the Quiet Man...SA-WOON! That is the sexiest movie of all time.

    Happy St Paddy's Day

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  2. Just another day here... Although my jammies were coincidentally green, does that count? I just watched Quiet Man a few weeks ago... Nice.

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  3. Mmm, St. Patty's Day - THAT makes this red-head's heart go thud.
    Corned beef & cabbage from a butcher who's actually corned the beef himself, all cooked in beer. Usually Irish Soda Bread from scratch but this year I used Bob's Red Mill mix and then, the SERIOUS part of St. Patrick's Day - Guinness Brownies. And for movie? The Irish movie "Waking Ned Devine." The opening scene makes me laugh every time!

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