“May Nothing But Happiness Come Through Your Door.”
Did you know that the feast of St. Patrick has been celebrated for more than 1000 years? Irish communities throughout the world normally gather together to dance, drink and feast in honor their Irish heritage and culture. COVID, however, makes large gatherings in the pub difficult. But, you can certainly create your own home St. Patrick’s Day celebration. All it takes is some good food, your favorite ale with some Irish music playing in the background.
Can we say Guinness®?
If there was ever a day for a dark ale or stout, it’s St. Patrick’s Day and Guinness® certainly fits the bill. Guinness® was first created in Dublin Ireland in 1759 at the brewery owned by Arthur Guinness. While cold Guinness® is certainly good, warm Guinness is an eye opening experience because it reveals more flavors and aromas. Don’t be surprised if you can taste hints of chocolate, coffee and perhaps even some woodsmoke. But, what about the acid? If you are acid sensitive, Prelief® can help. Just two caplets of Prelief® will reduce up to 92% of the acid in 12 ounces of beer.
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Corned beef and cabbage never looses its appeal, especially during the cold winter months. You’ll find several prepackaged corned beef products in most grocery stores. Because a “brisket” can be a tough cut of meat, look for the more tender “round” cut instead. You can go for traditional boil or roast it in the oven, wrapped in foil to preserve the juices. If one pot meals are your jam, add some organic white potatoes and carrots to the corned beef while it’s boiling. In the last 30 minutes, add a few quarters of cabbage as well! The veggies absorb the brine adding yet more flavor to these traditionally bland veggies. Unfortunately, cabbage can be a bit acidic and, again, Prelief® can help. 3 caplets of Prelief® will reduce up to 75% of the acid in 1/2 cup of red cabbage.
Another authentic Irish meal is ShephardsPie, preferably with lamb or beef. This is the quintessential comfort food due to the savory meat filling topped with mashed potatoes and cheese. Guinness has a fabulous recipe on their website worth a try that also includes stout for flavoring.
Irish Soda Bread
The secret to making great Irish Soda bread is buttermilk which gives it both flavor and texture. Irish Soda Bread does not use yeast but rather baking soda to help it rise. It is a denser bread that is absolutely tasty straight out of the oven and smeared with a little bit of butter. Some recipes call for some caraway seeds that add savory flavors, while others prefer using currants or raisins. The combination of sweet and savory make for a truly memorable flavor. To add some extra flavor, try soaking the cranberries or currents in some Guinness® before hand.
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1 egg
4 1/4 cups organic all-purpose flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
5 tbsp cold unsalted butter
1 cup (150g) cranberry or currants
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Set aside. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. Add fruit, buttermilk and egg. Mix gently. Place dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until thoroughly moistened.
- Form the dough into a round loaf and place on a greased baking pan. To make sure that it heats thoroughly through the center, score an X on top of the bread.
- Bake until golden brown, roughly 45 minutes. (Place foil on top of the loaf if it’s getting too brown in the oven.)
- Serve warm, with fresh butter!
Colcannon
Here’s a different twist on comfort food. Yes, we know you love mashed potatoes. Steamed cabbage is also a popular favorite among the Irish. But when you combine them together, you create Colcannon, a rich mashed side dish that combines the comfort of potatoes, the nutrition of cabbage (or kale) and the rich flavors of ham or bacon. Give it a try! You might love it!
3 pounds of organic potatoes, peeled
1 stick of butter
1 1/4 cup milk (your choice of dairy, coconut or almond)
1 head of cabbage or kale
1 lb cooked ham or bacon
4 scallions finely chopped
- Steam potatoes until tender, approximately 30 minutes. Mash thoroughly while adding 1 stick of butter and hot milk. Season with salt and pepper.
- Boil cabbage or kale in unsalted water until tender. Drain and then chop into fine pieces.
- Dice ham and heat in a skillet with butter until tender.
- Stir greens and ham into the potatoes gently. Feel free to add a wee bit of garlic powder for flavor, as well. Serve with butter!
Guinness Chocolate Mousse Cake
And for the quintessential dessert, let’s turn back to Guinness® and combine it with chocolate to create a rich, creamy almost pudding like cake. Simply top with a scoop of ice cream or fresh whipped cream. Enjoy!
1 cup unsweetened butter
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 cup organic all purpose flour
1 cup Guinness® dark stout
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a spring form pan with parchment paper and butter.
- Combine Guinness and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until the better melts. Remove from heat. Add cocoa & sugar, mix thoroughly.
- In a separate small bow, mix eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Add Guinness®, mixing thoroughly. Finally add flour and baking soda, stirring until smooth. Place in your buttered cake pan. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Cool before serving. Top with your choice of ice cream, whipped cream or powdered sugar.
Irish Coffee
End the day sitting beside the fire with a hot Irish coffee. Simply combine:
1 cup of freshly brewed hot coffee
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 jigger of Irish Whiskey
Whipped Cream
Place sugar and coffee in your serving glass, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add Irish Whiskey. Top with whipped cream and, if you have it, some grated chocolate! Don’t forget a few capsules of Prelief® which can reduce the acid in both the coffee and whiskey!