My Irish heritage was hidden from me until only a few years ago. And then I had to discover it for myself. I believe that for my parents there was some kind of stigma attached to being Irish. I know that, as a child in school, I was emphatically instructed there would be no "wearin' o' the green" for me on March 17. I just thought I was all Scottish and German heritage as I had always been told. The maternal grandparents didn't figure very large in family histories back then. It's not an old Irish heritage - as these things go - and, no doubt, the family was English before moving to Ireland. I always longed to be Irish...did you know that not wearing green got you a pinch? And this seemed to be the best fun of the day for some kids.
But I know now. And we will be eating a lovely soda bread with our soup tonight. This is a new recipe for me and I wanted to test it before making it for the seniors' lunch next Monday: lamb stew, soda bread and a Bailey's cheesecake for dessert. The bread recipe was passed on by a woman (from Ireland) who has made it so often she just jotted down the ingredients from memory. I love these kind of recipes. They leave out so much of the technique. I mean, doesn't everyone know these little details? It's a keeper, though. Already out of the oven and taste-tested. Yum!
Now for the soup.
6 comments:
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
To my knowledge, I have no Irish in my history, but as long as I wear green today, I'll consider myself Irish.
If you want one of those umbrellas, I'll try to pick one up for you. There was one left at the store on Saturday. Let me know!
Rats!! I thought you were going to post the soup recipe, we adore soup! But the bread looks so good!!! I guess you were black and blue from yearly pinches in school?? Hope you have a great day!! Pinchless, of course!
Stephanie, Stephanie! You're making me hungry! The sound of the menu for the seniors and the look of that lovely soda bread, yummy! I love fresh soda bread with lashings of butter and jam! And lamb stew, yum too!
I'm fascinated at the denial of the Irish heritage, but for a long time, Irishness was not always a thing to celebrate. I think that has changed now, I do hope so, and ALL are welcome to the party!
Rudee - thank you for the offer. You are so kind. I think I was just being greedy - although it is such a cool umbrella. I did get two for my birthday. It really isn't THAT rainy here in Vancouver.
Ginny - the soup is just a vegetable soup. Throw in veg, tomatoes and broth - done!
Mimi - Yes, I'm happy with this bread recipe. Very light and it doesn't even need butter. Of course, it's so much better with.
Hi Stephanie - isn't it hilarious the way the Irish national day is over-egged in other countries? I think the pinch thing is only in North America and the denial of Irish heritage is well documented in many families' histories - there was much anti-Irish sentiment in the wake of the famine at the influx of Catholics that many kept that identity pretty low-profile in the US, and then the Irish in some new communities didn't exactly cover themselves with glory in their own prejudices - many were racist to the blacks especially in places like New York where they saw the freed slaves as a threat to their labour and did everything to keep them out. Films like the Gangs of New York show that side of things. Many of the Irish diaspora in the US and Canada came from Scottish planter stock and would be from Protestant/Puritan origins, so it gets very confusing when you try to distil who is Irish on Paddy's Day and who isn't! We don't celebrate it with green beer or wearing green at all here - parades are nice and colourful, but the only time I have felt it a national day of celebration was when I lived abroad! We see it as an over-commercialised tourist draw which has lost sight of the Saint's origins! Or maybe I'm a bit too cynical!
Catherine.
Post a Comment