St. Patrick's Day

One of my fondest memories in my lifetime is of the trip I took to Ireland with my sisters. Me, Deborah, Deena and Ronda. We had a FANTASTIC TIME. And, for the life of me, I don't know how the four of us managed to get away for an entire week. It never happened before...and it hasn't happened since. But I will be forever grateful that it happened at that moment in time...

However -- for all our wonderful memories of our time in Ireland -- not one of us has a good memory of the food we ate there. Ugh. Sorry, folks...but Irish food sucks. We had a lot of fish -- and I mostly remember the bones. The "hearty Irish breakfast" they served at the B and B's were okay -- but none of us ever touched the blood pudding that.was.on.the.plate.every.single.day.no.matter.where.we.went...(we began to suspect that every B&B only had four pieces in the kitchen, which they served over and over...to new tourists every day...and since nobody touched them...??)...

Like everybody else in America -- for St. Patrick's Day, I always make corned beef with boiled cabbage. (potatoes, carrots, etc.)  I like to remember my time in Ireland, honor my Irish roots (if I have any) -- and it seems like a nice food tradition. (which you know I am a big fan of)...

But, if I'm being completely honest -- it always sucks.

Altho this is a picture from the internet -- mine looked fine.  Delicious, really.  But there is just NO FLAVOR...

Because it is one of those things that NEVER lives up to my annual expectation -- I started to wonder why I continue to do this.

I mean -- really??  Who would choose a cut of meat that is so tough it must be BOILED??

And, of all the delicious ways to prepare one of my favorite things in this world -- POTATOES -- boiling them is at the bottom of the list.

The biggest problem, of course, is the corned beef itself.  If you have ever had the privilege of eating corned beef at the Carnegie Deli in New York City -- you know WHAT IT SHOULD TASTE LIKE...

But, trust me -- those vacuum sealed packages being sold in grocery stores all across America have NO RESEMBLANCE to the real thing.  They are tasteless and chewy...and I'm tired of pretending this is some kind of annual treat. 

Next year, for St. Patrick's Day, I think I'll just paint my hair green...