Saturday, March 17, 2007

Gung Fhéile Pádraig Fat Choy, Mo Lucht Cumainn

St. Patrick's Day is an official holiday in Canada only in Newfoundland, that most civilized of our provinces. But as the photograph above attests, the celebrations are undertaken properly in Vancouver. They're getting the hang of it in Dublin, I see:

Lithuanian musicians, drum-beating Punjabis and West African dancers used Dublin's St. Patrick's Day parade on Saturday to celebrate their place in a booming Ireland that has become a land of immigrants.

You can take in St. Pat's day in Barcelona, in Seoul, in Montreal (they've been at it since 1759; Dublin's parade goes back only to 1903), and Toronto, where they parade on Sunday, as do Vancouverites.

Truth is we never much celebrated it in my family. We reserved our shamroguery for Easter. Nonetheless, this is for my auld man:

6 Comments:

Blogger Blazingcatfur said...

Here is the recipe for Irish Soda Bread courtesy Incognito:

IRISH SODA BREAD

4 cups soft wheat or pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 to 1 tsp salt

1/2 to 3/4 cup raisins, currants or sultanas (optional)

approx. 2 cups of buttermilk

approx. 1 cup Blood of Protestant (optional)



Preheat oven to 425 deg. F

Lightly grease and flour a cake pan.

Sift the dry ingredients together.

Make a well in the centre and add enough buttermilk to make a soft dough.

Knead lightly on a floured surface and flatten into a round. Place in a cake tin.

Cut a cross on top ( to let the devil out!) cover the pan with another pan and bake at 425deg. F for about 30 minutes. Remove the top cover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.

The bread is done when there is a hollow sound when the bottom of the bread is tapped.

Enjoy!

Soda Bread is the simplest, yummiest bread there is, as is Irish Brown Bread.

6:28 PM  
Blogger Terry Glavin said...

That's the one I was raised on.

Slainte!

T

6:45 PM  
Blogger Incognito said...

Their songs and vocals are so incredibly beautiful. Brings back wonderful memories.

And the 'auld country has done well for itself!! finally. After all the struggles and strife.
Though it's now bloody expensive there. Didn't used to be, back when I lived there.

7:22 PM  
Blogger RadicalOmnivore said...

At some point I had a question on the appropriateness of toasting St Paddy's day with Bushmills but then I had another shot and forgot.

7:50 PM  
Blogger SnoopyTheGoon said...

The most memorable St. Patrick's in my life was in New Orleans, when a huge potato thrown from one of the parade floats knocked a bottle of Dixie from my (tightly enough clenched) fist. No, I do not hold a grudge - It coulda been me heid...

12:04 PM  
Blogger SnoopyTheGoon said...

Or was it a can? I am only sure it was Dixie...

12:05 PM  

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