St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is an Irish national holiday celebrating Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Legend holds that Patrick converted the pagan Irish to Christianity in the 5th century, in part by using the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. Read more »

Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional St. Patricks Day dish for Irish Americans, but not for the Irish themselves. The meal became popular with immigrants from Ireland in the 19th century. The word "corned" comes from the Old English for "grain" or "pellets," and pellets of salt were originally used to cure the beef for this dish. These days corned beef is usually sold brined in vacuum-packed bags with a spice packet for flavoring. A variation of the dish with root vegetables makes up a New England boiled dinner. A Canadian version is served with pease pudding. Read more »

This is the traditional recipe for Irish soda bread, containing only flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk. Soda bread became a popular hearth bread in Ireland in the mid-19th century when baking soda became available as a leavener. A baked loaf of bread is called "cake," while flattened wedges baked on the stovetop are called "farl." Soda bread is best eaten warm from the oven. It stays fresh for only a day or two, tightly wrapped. Leftovers are good for toast. Read more »

Even though this dish--known as ballymaloe, or stobhach gaelach in the Irish language--is very basic and has its origins in hard times, it is quite simply delicious. In the old days, this hearty stew was made with simple mutton neck bones and meat scraps for flavor. Sometimes mutton or young goat meat was used. In the last few decades it has become much more common to use milder flavored lamb. Read more »