Frugal Luxuries by the Seasons Celebrate the Holidays With Elegance and Simplicity on Any Income

Festivals of Spring "Is it so small a thing to have enjoyed the sun, To have lived light in the spring, To have loved, to have thought, to have done; To have advanced true friends? . . ." --Matthew Arnold The Feast of Saint Patrick "Cead mile failte!--One hundred thousand welcomes!" --ancient Gaelic greeting In the Irish countryside, March 17--the anniversary of the death of Saint Patrick--is a day of visiting relatives and friends, and a fitting occasion to sing, feast, and partake of concerts and plays honoring the patron saint of Ireland. Most towns and cities hold a large parade in honor of the day, during which everyone wears green, for "the wearin' of the green" is a celebration of the emerald green of Ireland herself, as well as a symbol of springtime. When I was young, my mother would celebrate Saint Patrick's Day by speaking with an Irish brogue all day, although she is not at all Irish. After our traditional Saint Patrick's day dinner of corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, and carrots, she and my father would sip Irish coffee from shamrock-encrusted Irish crystal glasses (purchased on a visit to Ireland) while enjoying Gaelic melodies playing on the stereo. I would lie on the floor at her feet and listen as she delighted us with amusing tales about her day posing as an Irishwoman (giggling with fun at the thought that so many people had believed her brogue to be authentic) and reminisced with my father about their sojourn to that ancient isle of green. Traditional Saint Patrick's Day Corned Beef Dinner "People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors." --Edmund Burke Corned beef, a brine-cured savory meat, is the mainstay of many a Saint Patrick's Day boiled dinner. In old-time Irish households, a platter of this delicious meat was the centerpiece of the evening meal, served with boiled potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. After dinner sweet songs of Ireland were heard throughout the house, as well as the sound of feet that danced a jig, proclaiming Gaelic heritage. (Note: In store-bought corned beef, a spice packet is often included, thus making these first three ingredients unnecessary) 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 corned beef brisket (store-bought or home-cured) 2 medium onions, sliced 7 carrots, sliced in chunks 1 cabbage, quartered and cored 6 to 8 potatoes, peeled and quartered 1 turnip, peeled and sliced (optional) Enough warm water to cover Use spice packet, or combine allspice, cinnamon, and cloves in a small bowl, and rub the mixture over the corned beef. Place the meat inside a large kettle and cover completely with water. Keep the pot covered while gently simmering the meat about three to four hours. When meat is nearly done cooking, add the vegetables. Cook until tender. Thinly slice the meat, against the grain; this is best done after the meat has been removed from the cooking heat for about fifteen or twenty minutes. Serve on a large platter with the cooked vegetables wreathed around it; this recipe serves 4 to 6 generously. You may also cook corned beef in a slow-cooker, with lovely results. However, unless you enjoy the taste of the corned beef spices in your vegetables, cook the vegetables separately (directly before serving the meat) when using the Crock-Pot. If you enjoy using corned beef in other recipes, you may wish to stock your freezer during the month of March, when corned beef is on sale. If you cure your own, perhaps make a double batch. Leftover corned beef can make delicious sandwiches (as follows). An Ancient Curing Process "With the ancient is wisdom." --Job 12:12 Although corned beef is fairly inexpensive and easily available, I am including an ancient recipe for curing your own brisket of beef, for those who crave a neMcBride, Tracey is the author of 'Frugal Luxuries by the Seasons Celebrate the Holidays With Elegance and Simplicity on Any Income' with ISBN 9780553379952 and ISBN 055337995X.