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Thursday, March 18, 2010

My St. Paddie's Day Traditions...


First, I must admit to no Irish blood in me whatsoever! However, over the years I did a number of different things in keeping with the spirit of the day..
As most of you know by now, I was an outside sales rep for most of my career. For years, I had a Kelly green blazer sport coat I wore for many years on St. Paddy's Day, and would try to make it to a couple of pubs in the afternoon for Irish music, and green beer..A private club I've belonged to for 20+ years would have an all day party, serving food, drinks, and various bands playing for listening or dancing (noon til midnight!)..We would go down there for Irish stew, corned beef and cabbage, or a Reuben(which really isn't Irish!).
The last few years, I try to stay away from all day parties- I'm just not that young and stupid anymore! What I do now days is cook my own corned beef, and make a killer Reuben sandwich! My version is as traditional as I can make it, and I look forward to it for days..
Cook corned beef in the oven 325F, covered with water, seasoned, for 1 hour per pound of meat. I then cool it for ease of cutting thinly..
I make a Russian Dressing from Thousand Island dressing, ketchup, horseradish, and pickle relish
I use store bought sauerkraut, mix it with the dressing, top with Swiss cheese and a layer of sliced corned beef. We use marbled Rye bread, toasting the whole sandwich until cheese begins to melt lightly.
It seems like a lot of work, but I enjoy doing my own corned beef- you can just buy it at the deli for a time saver! Hope you had a good day too- tell me about it!
P.S.-There is a real good chance I will make Reuben soup with left overs...

34 comments:

pam said...

Yum. Yeah, all day parties are a thing of the past for me too.

Kate said...

I'm half Irish, but there was no celebrating for me yesterday. Just work, work, gym and bed. Oh well. I'm not super fond of Corned Beef actually. So, I ate regular beef on a bun. With thousand island dressing and called it good.

Mike Minzes said...

Being Irish myself, I hereby dub you Sir Buff of Ireland for celebrating such an under celebrated day of green in the kitchen with the finer foods!

Rise Sir Buff!

(I'll spare you the Kilt Award) LOL

Vickie said...

BD! I'm just another "Irish Today" kind of gal . . . I made my annual boiled dinner with corned beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, rutabagas and onions. I'm with you on all day parties - long parties are too taxing at my tender age of fifty-something. :P

buffalodick said...

Pam- I used to be in the thick of it, but passed the torch to younger people!
Kate- I like corned beef, but can only eat it a few times a year!
RLM- Building those sandwiches is a half a day of work!
Vick- I make Irish lamb stew after the Easter lamb....

Barbara said...

My ex loved corned beef. I ate the veggies with it and skipped the corned beef. Never was a fan, but was a good enough sport to make it and not just on St. Paddy's Day either.

Now your sandwiches I might make an exception for...as long as you made the corned beef before I got there!
What I love is Shepherd's Pie. Soooo good.

Inspired by eRecipeCards said...

I'm actually Scottish, so only one day a year we are friendly with our neighbors... and only one day a year drink that vile green beer.

But Once is fun

buffalodick said...

Barb- I've loved Reuben's for years, even bad ones! My wife said the one last night was the best she ever had! I actually learned to love Sheperd's Pie while working at a rest home in high school!
Griller- Not much on green beer, either..Try a Nutty Irishman once..1/2 Baileys, 1/2 Hazelnut liqour on the rocks!

Akelamalu said...

We just drink Guinness! LOL

Akelamalu said...

PS my great grandmother was Irish, she came to England from Cork when she was just a girl.

buffalodick said...

Ake- That stout is pretty chewy..I do like a "black and tan" or an 'arf an arf...Irish whiskey is just nasty!

Brian Miller said...

i ate a reuben yesterday...mmm....
yeah i remember all day parties back int eh day as well...much older and wiser now...lol.

buffalodick said...

Brian- I'm older, but still seek wisdom!

Anonymous said...

Sounds gorgeous! I must be getting old too as I would rather have that with a nice cool beer than an all day party!!!

buffalodick said...

Ruth- I was the cruise director for planet Earth for years.. I just can't maintain that anymore! Time to watch, instead of do...

Chris said...

Your reuben looks great, it's one of Alexis' favorites.

I'm with you, all day parties are fine in my memories but I'm past the point of engaging in them:)

Pam said...

I'm with can't do the day parties any more. However, I love corned beef and this Reuben sounds great. I could use one now as a matter of fact.
This St Patrick's Day I spent in Tennessee with my sister.made Irish Brown Bread and we ate it with lots of butter and marmalade washed down with a fresh pot of coffee. Not to Irish......but suited us to a T.
Gypsy

Jeff B said...

We jumped the gun and had corned beef w/ cabbage and taters about a week ago. Had just enough left over that I made hash out of it for breakfast the following morning. Yum!

Christo Gonzales said...

all day parties - havent seen one of those in a coons age but then again NYC is pretty much that way all the time - I'll take a sandwich but hold the dressing on mine.

buffalodick said...

Chris- The marbled rye is a good bread for one..
Gypsy- I've had the Irish soda bread.. kind of blah..brown bread sounds way better!
Jeff- Thought of hash, but I make a Reuben soup that we'll have tonight!
DogB- It is a big day for our little town..quite a few Irish here!

Tracie said...

The only thing I did to celebrate was make sure I wore a green shirt. And that was really to protect myself from pinching. A Reuben would have been yummy.

Mona said...

Definition of torture: To read Buf blog when you are starving!!

buffalodick said...

Tracie- Totally forgot about that tradition!
Mona- Wish you were here.. sandwich was great, even if it was messy!

Carma Sez said...

I did not do even one traditional Irish thing for St. Paddy's; Pathetic, I know, given that I'm a quarter Irish.

buffalodick said...

carma- Tonight, Reuben soup- I think!

Chef E said...

Gosh I just read a saying I have not heard in a long while that made me chuckle- Coons Age

We went out for a friends birthday, had a few beers, dinner, and was home by 10;30...then I made dinner plans with friends on Sunday, 5:30, and hubby said we are in the early bird dinner league now...I have to be home in time to do work, and relax...plus I never know how some people eat late dinners and go to bed with a full stomach? One word...Tums

buffalodick said...

I believe in doing what you wish, when you wish it..

buffalodick said...

I can't drink all day, and I can't eat too late.. hate getting old!

Martha said...

Sounds like it was a perfect meal for St. Patrick's Day! :-)

Marjie said...

On St. Patrick's Day, everyone's Irish. Or so said my grandfather, whose grandfather immigrated from Ireland before 1840, and, of course, one Irish ancestor way back who knows where makes you Irish.

And I never did the all day party thing. Something about not liking beer.

urban vegan said...

I contain not a drop of Irish blood, either. But my middle name is Patrica. Close enough!

Anonymous said...

I,m in the middle of Kansas trying to read this on my blacberry. I trust you wore that green jackjet to make that brisket. Now I am going to click my heels togwether and try to get back to wifi land tomorrow.

buffalodick said...

Martha- Hit the spot!
VerbanV- Close enough, indeed!
Highlander- Jacket is long gone!

Just telling it like it is said...

ahhh You got to love St. Patties day!!!