Happy St Patrick’s Day!!
I’ll save my DNA discussion for another post but yes, I am part Irish. But no matter what your DNA test says everyone is a little Irish on St Patrick’s Day. My Irish grandmother used to make what is known Shepherds Pie or Cottage Pie often. She hated lamb so used stew beef instead. I am not going to share that recipe. I love my grandmother and miss her every day but his was not the most flavorful dish. I also think it is one of those dishes, like meatloaf, that is a comfort food staple and everyone has their own take on it. I am including a recipe though. Below is an Irish whiskey Cake recipe . You don’t have to wait until Christmas to try it out.
Irish Whiskey Christmas Cake
– By Margaret Johnson
| Ingredients: • 2 cups dried currants • 2 cups golden raisins • 1 cup raisins • 2 ounces candied cherries • 2 ounces candied mixed peel • 2/3 cup chopped almonds • Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon • 1 1/2 teaspoon Mixed Spice (recipe follows) • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg • 1 cup Irish whiskey • 1 cup (2 sticks) Kerrygold Irish butter, at room temperature • 1 cup soft brown sugar • 5 large eggs • 2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted |
| Directions:This is the “Great Irish Cake,” the traditional pièce de résistance into which every Irish cook sinks her reputation. Spiced, sweet desserts like this cake have been a part of Irish holiday celebrations for centuries and were highly prized because they included spices and dried fruits that were once difficult and expensive to obtain. The traditional topping for the cake is a layer of whiskey-flavored marzipan followed by Royal Icing. The day before baking (and several weeks before serving), combine all the fruit, peel, zest and juice, spices, and nuts in a large bowl with 1/2 cup of the whiskey. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.Preheat the oven to 275° F. Spray a 9-inch round springform pan with cooking oil spray and line the bottom with a round of parchment or waxed paper.In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each in thoroughly and adding some of the sifted flour with each egg. Fold in the remaining flour, and mix in the soaked fruit by halves. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Prick the top of the cake with a skewer in several places and pour the remaining 1/2 cup whiskey over the top. Run a knife around the sides of the pan and release the sides. Invert the cake onto the rack to cool completely. Remove the lining paper. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and store in a cool, dark place for several weeks to allow the cake to mature. Unwrap the cake every week and sprinkle a few tablespoons of Irish whiskey over the top. Serves 10 to 12 |
If you are more into book suggestions:
Angelas Ashes– Frank McCourt
Ulysses -James Joyce
Dubliners– James Joyce
Collected Poems of WB Yeats
How the Irish Saved Civilization -Thomas Cahill
Ireland: A Concise History -Máire and Conor Cruise O’Brie
21 Books that define 21st Century Irish Literature
Most Beautiful Places in Ireland
I really haven’t found any movies I love. If you know any please mention in the comments.