I love a good snack board and I love a good theme, so creating a St. Patrick’s Day themed board was a perfect fit. I came up with this while standing in the grocery store trying to find something to nibble on for a book club outdoor gathering. It’s a nice combination of traditional St. Patrick’s Day fare and Irish products, all with a little touch of green. Deli corned beef is … [Read more...] about St. Patrick’s Day Grazing Board
Irish
Dublin Lawyer (Shrimp in Irish Whiskey Cream Sauce)
I absolutely discovered this dish because of the name. I first saw it on a pub menu in London and had to ask. After it was described, my dining companion switched his order to it and we both relished bites. But I had to know where the name came from, so I soon set out to do some research. This was many years ago and the internet was not quite so helpful, but eventually I … [Read more...] about Dublin Lawyer (Shrimp in Irish Whiskey Cream Sauce)
Guinness Caramel Sauce or Caramel Chews
This starts as a tale of failure. I set out to make a rich, Guinness-laced caramel sauce to drizzle over ice cream. In my first attempt, I dropped the ball, got distracted and cooked the caramel little longer than needed. But as the caramel was setting up, I thought perhaps I could save the day by pouring the thick caramel into a pan to see what happened. What happened was … [Read more...] about Guinness Caramel Sauce or Caramel Chews
Guinness Sausage Coddle
As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, I always turn to hearty meat and potato dishes with a nice Irish flair, and this classic with a twist makes a perfect family meal. The origin of the name “coddle” is rather cloudy, but apparently it was a favorite of authors from Jonathan Swift to James Joyce. Loaded with smoky bacon, meaty sausages, rich potatoes and sweet carrots and little … [Read more...] about Guinness Sausage Coddle
Irish Barmbrack (Fruit and Tea Loaf)
I picked up a recipe card in a grocery store in London for a fruit and tea loaf. It sounded good, so I was looking for the ingredients. A lovely lady with a lilting Irish accent was helping me, but she told me that I’d be better off making a real barmbrack than using a product-promoting recipe card. I’d never heard of barmbrack, so she explained that it was a traditional treat … [Read more...] about Irish Barmbrack (Fruit and Tea Loaf)