Karen Curtis is Freshet News’ food columnist.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
A dear friend of mine is a newcomer to Canada from Ireland so I have it on good authority that while we don’t get quite as intense at the Irish on this most Irish of days, we do a pretty good job!
The Irish themselves have been celebrating the day for more than 1,000 years so it stands to reason they throw a good party.
While its origins are religious, to honour Patrick, the Patron saint of Ireland, the day has become an international day of celebration for all things Irish.
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On a food note, the tradition of eating corned beef and cabbage began in America in the 1700s with the arrival of the first wave of Irish immigrants.
Irish bacon and cabbage was the usual meal in Ireland. Irish bacon is similar to what we know as back bacon and is often unsmoked.
There is much more to Irish food than Guinness and corned beef and cabbage, though.
Colcannon is a great dish consisting of potatoes mashed together with cabbage, bacon and onion. Soda bread is a super easy, flavourful loaf made without yeast and studded with raisins.
Even something as simple as cheese on toast can become Irish with the addition of Guinness to the cheese sauce!
All in all, when you are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and tasting all the lovely Irish treats, do yourself a “flavour” and do more than make green pancakes.
Karen Curtis is a community kitchen facilitator, local food advocate and chef educator. She also owns KICS Lemonade, a home-based farmers market business
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Dining and Cooking