Growing up with an Irish mom and an Italian dad always led to interesting times in general. We were the typical American family celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. My dad dressed in orange and my mom head to toe in green!!! Growing up, I remember waking up on March 17 to the smell of Irish soda bread baking and simmering corned beef. A labor of love.

A little history — St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Roman Britain in the late 4^thcentury. He was captured as a teen and taken to Ireland as a slave. Many legends grew up around him. Some research says he was released, other books say that he escaped from his captures. Regardless, as he set out in his newly found freedom he turned to the church for guidance and support. With a renewed faith in life he became a priest and a missionary to bring Christianity to Ireland. He opened many schools and used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. Legend has it that he drove the snakes out of Ireland as well. The day of his death is logged as March 17, 461, and in Ireland it is celebrated with religious services and feasts.

As large numbers of emigrants migrated out of Ireland and settled across the globe, it was the United States that transformed St. Patrick’s Day into its current secular holiday of revelry celebrating all things Irish. Boston was the first large city to hold a St. Patrick’s Day Parade way back in 1737. Interestingly, blue was traditionally the color associated with St. Patrick. I’m not sure when or why it was switched to green, but green it is! Now we have the green Chicago river, green beer that flows steadily on this day in every pub across the USA and those shakes!

Then there’s corned beef and cabbage. Ireland was a major producer of salted meats going back to the middle ages, which lasted through the 19^thcentury when England coined the term “corned beef” because of the size of the salt crystals. Most of the corned beef was made for trade and too expensive for common folk who consumed mostly salted pork. As the newly immigrated Irish came to the States, ironically salted pork/ bacon was too cost prohibitive for them. The alternative was yes, corned beef. Cabbage was an inexpensive vegetable that paired well with this boiled meat and it has become synonymous with our Irish-American celebrated tradition.

My question for you all this week is: Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and eat corned beef and cabbage? I can say it is one of our family’s favorite meals. We also add carrots and red potatoes to the simmering pot and never pour the fatty cooking water down the drain! Wishing you all a great St. Patrick’s Day.

Live well…

Everyone’s Irish on March 17

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