Shamrocks, Green Beer and Irish Eats

about 3 years ago

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Just the way I like to start my day off. Pucker up, baby!!! I'm Irish today!! Everyone is a little bit Irish on St. Patrick's Day. If you don't wear the green, you chance getting pinched for the offense! The folklore-turned tradition says wearing green makes you invisible to leprechauns, which like to pinch anyone they can see. Have you ever gotten pinched for not wearing green? I know I have!

St. Patrick's color is not green! Sorry! It is actually blue. Pictures depict Ireland's patron saint wearing blue garments, and blue was used on flags and coat of arms. Blue is on sports clothing such as jerseys. That right there seals the deal.Of course, I am old school and go in the green. All this blue talk is making me hungry.

This afternoon, I walked through the door and the aroma of corned beef hugged me as I came in. Sweet Jesus! It smelled delightfully yummy. The soda bread was in the oven, and the potatoes, cabbage, and carrots were waiting their turn to be added to the pot!!

Voila!! The corned beef is paired with cabbage, as it was one of the cheapest vegetables available to the Irish immigrants. It matters not, because it is delicious. no matter the price. A little green beer and we are in business! Pass the vinegar, malted, please. Would it surprise you to know that many of your favorite Irish foods may very well not be Irish at all, but, adapted by the Irish immigrants once they came to the States.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Erin Go Braugh! A few Irish facts or fiction:

Leprechauns
As a St. Patrick's Day symbol, the leprechaun is a smiling, merry little elf. However, legend tells us that leprechauns are always grumpy, untrustworthy and very tricky. Leprechauns are believed to be little old men who make shoes for fairies and are usually about two feet tall. The legend says that if you catch a leprechaun, you can force them to tell you where they hid their pot of gold.

Shamrocks
According to Irish legend, St. Patrick chose a three-leaved clover or shamrock as a symbol of the church's Holy Trinity because of its three leaflets bound by a common stalk. He used the tri-leaved plant to help illustrate the idea of the holy trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. A shamrock is not a four-leaf clover, contrary to popular belief. When a four-leaf clover is found it is said to represent God's grace. The good luck attached with the four-leaf clover predates Christianity in Ireland back to the ancient Druid priests.

The Claddagh ring
The Claddagh Ring features two cupped hands holding a heart with a crown on top. It has been the traditional wedding ring of the Irish since the 17th century. For love, the heart is worn. In friendship, the hands are worn. And, in loyalty and lasting fidelity, the crown is worn. If the ring is worn on the right hand, with crown and heart facing out, this symbolizes that the wearer's heart is yet to be won. While dating and under love's spell it is worn with heart and crown facing inwards (still on the right hand.) Wearing the ring on the left hand, with the crown and heart facing inwards, signifies that your love has been given to one and only one, through marriage.

Corned beef and cabbage
Corned beef and cabbage is the traditional meal enjoyed by many on St. Patrick's Day, but only half of it is truly Irish. Cabbage has long been a staple of the Irish diet, but it was traditionally served with Irish bacon, not corned beef. The corned beef was substituted for bacon by Irish immigrants to the Americas around the turn of the century who could not afford the real thing. They learned about the cheaper alternative from their Jewish neighbor. source

Drink Safely today! xo

Let's go to town with the green in celebration of St. Patrick's Day! Everybody is Irish on St.Patrick's Day! We can give it back to them tomorrow!

Ready, set? Contact!

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source

I planted these shamrocks in my garden a few years back and they always return, long after the holiday is gone. :))

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All I have are my words, armed in my mind, written in pen, stand by stand. Oh, yes. Still by hand. It has a different feel. Altered not by keys, backspace, and delete, I write, erase, tear it to pieces and start all over again. And again.

It’s my way. I walk out to the deep end of the page and dive right in.

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The Naming of Cats

The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn’t just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I’m as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.

TS Elliot