Happy St. Paddy's Day

I hope you had an enjoyable holiday.  For many, the focus of St. Patrick's Day is on revelry and partying, but the Patron Saint of Ireland's life was anything but a party.

He was kidnapped at age 16 and taken to Ireland, an unfamiliar land. He tended sheep, and while there grew in his Christian faith.  When he escaped on a ship back to his homeland he heard God's inaudible voice telling him to return to the place where he was enslaved.  While living there he taught the Trinity to the inhabitants by using the three-leaf clover.  He ministered on the Emerald Isle for 29 years and built over 300 churches.  He was a hero of the Christian faith.

Joy's tablescape that I recently shared, showed a vase filled with twigs with ornaments hanging from them.  I thought that was such a cute idea that I went out in my backyard and gathered some twigs to do likewise.  I had several wooden St. Patrick's Day ornaments from years back when I used to decorate a miniature Christmas tree for all the holidays.  The twigs could only hold three or four ornaments, but I was glad to put them into use again.  My local florist finally got some daffodils so I added them to the vase as well.

Below is the St. Patrick's outfit I wore to work last Saturday.  The restaurant is currently only open Thurs. thru Sunday, and since I only work on Saturdays, I had to wear it last week in anticipation of the upcoming holiday.  It was fun and festive and the guests enjoyed it.  I only get one time of the year to celebrate my ancestry/heritage, so I enjoy it.

I almost missed out on making my Irish Soda Bread this year.  I had to go to several stores before I finally found currants.  I could have substituted raisins, but I wanted to be true to the recipe.  It's called Grandma Clark's Soda Bread and is from the Silver Palate Cookbook.  It's more cake-like than bread, but it's a favorite that I've made for many years.

This is the first time I've ever bought Irish butter.  It's a deeper yellow than ours, and has a very good flavor.  It's pricier too!  ;-)  I also bought mint flavored apple jelly to spread on the bread, which was good, but truthfully I was going for the green color as much as the taste.  I don't imbibe alcohol, so there was no green beer, just tea.  I'll be sober when I wake up in the morning.  ;-)

Here's to St. Paddy's Day 2021!