Hello my Foodie Friends!
Today is St. Patrick’s Day. Many of us have traditional St. Patrick Day practices that we have carried over either from family or have created over the years. The holiday is honored in myriad of ways around the world, ranging from the preparation of classic Irish food like Irish Potato Pie, or the classic Corned Beef and Cabbage, to adorning homes with clever green-and-gold decorations, and even making leprechaun traps. Though the festivities have changed over the centuries, St. Patrick’s Day’s traditions still showcase much of what makes Irish culture so unique. What will bring you luck? We can hope a little luck of the Irish rubs off on us when we partake in them. We think of leprechauns’ pots of gold at the end of the rainbow, pints of Guinness, bagpipers marching, and symbols like four-leaf clovers. Originally a religious feast honoring the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day has turned into a day to celebrate all things Irish. Surprisingly, the way the holiday is celebrated in Ireland looks a little different, as some of the customs we associate with it are actually Irish American traditions. But either way, we can hope a little luck of the Irish rubs off on us when we partake in them.
Here is a list of tools you may need to make your lucky St. Patrick day foods:
Cooking corned beef in a cast iron Dutch oven is definitely one of the preferred methods. A low-temperature oven combined with cast iron cookware creates the perfect environment for the tough meat to slowly break down, resulting in incredibly juicy, fall-apart-tender slices of beef. Also, remember your Chef (cook’s knife) to help you with your Irish Potato pie (use a tart pan) with cutting your potatoes. You will need the chef’s knife for carrots and corned beef too.
Are you making your favorite Irish Soda Bread, a sweet-and-savory bread that tastes like a mix between scones and bread? This quick bread is incredibly easy to make using your cast iron skillet. We also carry scone pans to assist
If you’ve got leftovers, break out the skillet for corned beef hash. The layer of food making contact with the pan, will sear nicely, giving you crispy potatoes, while the food above it will continue to cook by the heat from the skillet.
Irish lemon pudding is a favorite dessert and is easy to make. You can bake it in a springform cake pan or pie dish. As it bakes, the batter separates into two layers. The top layer has the texture of a sponge cake while the bottom layer, on the other hand, is custard-like. The pudding can be topped with fresh whipped cream and served with berries.
Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, as you prepare your lucky foods this St. Patrick’s Day. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”.
Take Care, John & Paula
