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Dear Reader,
I learned something new this year about St. Patrick's Day from book club members. It's an after-the-big-day realization, from emails readers sent in, and it came as quite a surprise. Did you know that Americans are the only people who celebrate St. Patty's Day by dining on corned beef and cabbage? I didn't, until book club reader Maureen O., wrote...
"Suzanne did you know that in Ireland folks do 'not' eat corned beef and cabbage--ever? It's an American-Irish dish borrowed from Jewish neighbors when the Irish flooded into New York, Boston, and Philadelphia during the genocide-starvations in Ireland. In visiting my Irish relatives in Ireland, none of them had heard of corned beef and cabbage except from American relatives who asked about it. Our family ate baked salmon, scallops, and potatoes with cabbage along with Irish bread on St Patrick's Day." -- Maureen O.
(Note from Suzanne:) From my research, Maureen is correct. Corned beef and cabbage did not originate from Ireland, and the meal isn't actually Irish at all. Corned beef was used as a substitute for bacon by Irish-American immigrants in the late 19th century.
"Hi Suzanne, eleven years ago, my husband and I were lucky enough to go visit Ireland. After a cool, rainy (well, it was probably Irish sunshine) day exploring, my husband and I went to a pub for dinner. We ate one of the best stews that we have ever eaten. In the center of this bowl of Guinness gravy, lamb and vegetables was a rounded scoop of creamy, mashed potatoes. It was delicious, and we practically licked the bowls.
When our waitress came back, she asked if she could get us anything else. We both said, "The Recipe!" She thought that we were kidding, but went back to the kitchen to ask anyway. The photo is the recipe she brought us. I have made some version of this recipe yearly since we went to Ireland, and think of this story every time." -- Emily
The link to see the original recipe can be found here.
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
** AUTHORBUZZ **
THE COINCIDENCE MAKERS (Fiction) by Yoav Blum
Sometimes, fate is just another well-executed mission...
This is the story of Guy, Emily & Eric, whose job is creating coincidences--happenings that look like random events but that will cause people to change their own lives. I invite to join me in a journey about fate, free-will and above all, about love.
Go to: AUTHORBUZZ click on THE COINCIDENCE MAKERS by Yoav Blum to read more and to email author Yoav Blum, you'll get a reply.
* This month's Penguin Classics book is PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, by Joan Lindsay. Start reading now and enter the drawing for your chance to win a Penguin tote bag
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