ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI: A JIG ON A TUB AND A TOST TO ST. PAT

Pappy Mays turned the old tin washtub upside down, for its flat bottom gave me the perfect stage to perform the Irish jig at age 3. Pappy whistled "A Toast to St. Patrick," and I kept time. Thus, St. Patrick's Day had officially begun in 1955.

Soon we would be eating corned beef and cabbage, as "Mike and Pat jokes" were told. My favorite one -- Mike says to Pat, "Can you see that fly walking on that wire way over ther?" Pat takes a deep breath and says, "No, but I can hear him!" Everyone's favorite Irishmen, Mike and Pat, were full of shamrock shenanigans.

When Pappy crossed over the rainbow into clouds of green, my Mother carried on the Irish tradition. When I was 7, she gave me a tiny gold leprechaun seated on a shamrock. I called him Ruben in honor of Pappy's father, Ruben, who had come from Ireland. Ruben is my lucky charm, and has been my companion for 39 years.

We now have a large family gathering at my Mother and Daddy's on St. Patrick's Day for an Irish feast; to sing a song or two, "When Irish Eyes are Smiling," and to give a toast-of-love, for all the sons and daughters of Erin before us and for those to come.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day would not be complete without boiled bacon and cabbage. But, when Irish settlers, like my great-great-grandparents came to America, bacon was too expensive to use as a main dish, so most families used corned beef instead. This dish offers the essence of the Emerald Isle in every bite.

1 5-pound package ready-to-cook corned beef

2 large onions, sliced

6 medium potatoes, peeled and left whole

6 carrots, peeled and sliced lengthwise

1 large head cabbage, quartered and sliced

Directions

1. Remove the corned beef from the package and rinse under cold water.

2. Place beef in a 4- to 6-quart pot and cover with cold water. Add the onions and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, about an 1 hour per pound of beef or until a fork can be inserted into the center of the meat.

3. Add the potatoes to the pot and continue cooking 15 minutes. Add the carrots and cook 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and continue cooking 10 to 15 minutes, or until all the vegetables are done and the meat is fork-tender.

4. Remove the meat to a cutting board and slice thinly across the grain. Drain the vegetables.

5. Arrange the corned beef on a platter, surrounded by the vegetables. Moisten with a little of the cooking liquid. If desired, serve with mustard on the side.

Yield: 8 servings.

St. Patrick's Irish Coffee

A cup of steaming Irish Coffee makes you feel special. And, it's a fitting finale to any St. Patrick's Day feast!

For each serving:

2 tablespoons Irish whiskey

1 teaspoon brown sugar

2/3 cup strong coffee

3 tablespoons heavy cream, lightly whipped

Directions

1. Fill an Irish or regular coffee mug with hot tap water to warm.

2. Pour out water and add sugar and whiskey.

3. Stir well, while pouring in hot, strong coffee.

4. Top with heavy cream -- and sip the warm liquid through the cool layer of cream!

Note: It is important to use strong coffee so that the Irish whiskey complements it, rather than overpowers it.

Yield: 1 serving.