Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!
The above statement was definitely true this weekend, as everyone seems to like an excuse to drink too much and get rowdy. Although the Irish have this reputation, there are a lot of other things to consider about them on St. Patrick’s Day.
First off, St. Patrick may not have even been from Ireland, but Scotland and second, he was responsible for bringing Christianity to the pagans, which is the main reason we celebrate him on this fine Monday. Most people don’t consider our take on this holiday to be a bit hypocritical or the fulfillment of stupid stereotypes, but anyways…since I’m Irish, I’m going to share some of my favorite Irish recipes with you instead, since they also have great food!
6-8 potatoes, peeled
6 bacon strips
3-4 leeks
salt and pepper to taste
one cup grated Cheddar cheese
Makes 6 servings
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender. Drain.
In a skillet, fry bacon until crisp and drain well on paper towels.
Trim leeks so that you have the white part and a small amount of green. Wash well, and slice thinly. Add leeks to skillet and sauté over medium heat until soft.
Slice the boiled potatoes, and arrange half in the bottom of a pie plate. Season with salt and pepper. Layer with bacon, leeks and one half of the cheese. Cover with remaining with remaining potatoes and season again. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until top is browned and cheese is melted.
Apple Mash
Steak and Guinness Pie
And for those of you who like to drink, here’s my favorite toast:
“May your glass be ever full.
May the roof over your head be always strong.
And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you’re dead.”
A great way to work off all of these meals is to head on over to the Harp and Fiddle bar/restaurant on Tuesday nights for their Ceili Dancing, which begins at 7pm. You can also enroll yourself in the School of Irish Dance here.
And of course, don’t forget to check out the NCECA events going on this week!
Whether you celebrate today for religious reasons, to celebrate your love of alcohol or because you’re proud of your Irish heritage, Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!
Pittsburgh, St. Patrick’s Day, recipes, Harp and Fiddle, Strip District, food, dancing, Bell School
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