\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2650-edited-2.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nSome dishes are quintessentially Irish like colcannon (potatoes and cabbage), bacon and cabbage (which begat corned beef and cabbage), Irish stew (traditionally mutton and potatoes), boxty (a potato pancake), coddle (sausage, bacon, and potatoes), black pudding and white pudding (sausages), shepherd\u2019s pie, and more. <\/p>\n
But in honor of St. Patrick\u2019s Day on March 17, here is a favorite that does not include meat, potatoes or cabbage: Irish soda bread. Baking soda activated by buttermilk takes the place of yeast as a leavening agent in this delicacy; that accounts for its delicate, crumbly texture and puts it somewhere along the bread <-> cake continuum.<\/p>\n
Excellent, as always.<\/p>\n An-bhlasta! I checked into Wikipedia before I started writing this to see what gaps in my knowledge of Irish cuisine might exist: the extensive article boasted almost 9,000 words and explored the cuisine beginning with its roots in the prehistoric Mesolithic Period (8000\u20134000 BC)! So for the sake of our mutual sanity, I’m going to stick with Irish food that I actually know and love. Read on…. Continue reading <\/a>
\nI purchased this sweet raisin-studded beauty from Court Pastry Shop, 298 Court St in Brooklyn and it was truly outstanding. It\u2019s served here with Irish cheddar cheese, radicchio marmalade (a change up from the traditional coarse cut orange) and whipped butter.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nAnd speaking of quintessentially Irish dishes, here\u2019s one I put together for St. Patrick\u2019s Day 2023. Colcannon, from the Gaelic \u201cc\u00e1l ceannann\u201d meaning white-headed cabbage, is in my opinion Ireland\u2019s contender for the ultimate comfort food. It consists of whipped mashed potatoes and cabbage with a hape o\u2019 butter (Irish butter, to be sure) and cream. Some recipes call for the addition of kale or scallions for a darker green component (I used scallions here) and it\u2019s often topped with crisp bits of Irish bacon.<\/p>\n
\n
\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"