CELEBRATE IN IRISH STYLE

Luck of the Irish Truffles combine whipping cream with Hershey's Cookies "n' mint bars.

Pat Flanagan Litwicki served up her festive St. Pat's day corn beef cabbage for dinner along with Irish potatoes and green jellow.

It has been said that there are two kinds of people in the world, those that are Irish and those that wish they were.

For Irishmen and would-be Irishmen, there is no finer time to delve into Irish lore than March 17.

Irish tradition runs deep and that even applies to the kitchen. So, to serve a tasty traditional meal, several Cape Girardeans with strong ties to the Emerald Isle suggest that the most important ingredient is a readiness to enjoy the day with family and friends. The food choices just seem to follow naturally.

It's simply tradition to serve corned beef and cabbage, observed Patricia Flanagan Litwicki.

"The children, they love it," Litwicki said with a chuckle, adding that "all the in-laws like it now."

Litwicki places great store in keeping the ways of the past. She is careful to share the stories of their Irish heritage with her sons and daughters and grandchildren.

"It's nice to keep up some of the old ways," she said.

With any Irish dinner, potatoes are a must. And some people also serve carrots with the potatoes and corned beef, Dee Kelly Durkin said.

"You can serve horse radish on the side of the corned beef and cabbage, and usually Irish soda bread or good crusty rye bread," she said. Some people prefer corn bread.

"You try to have a lot of things that are green," Charlotte McCrate said. From green jello salads to cakes with green icing, most anything goes.

While the corned beef tradition is likely more of an American contribution than direct from the homeland, it is tradition, nonetheless, several local residents with Irish heritage noted.

However, Irish ancestry isn't required to enjoy it, Bob Osborn said. He and his son, Rob, own The Meat Shop on South Kingshighway. On St. Patrick's Day, he said, "most everybody wants a little piece of corned beef," adding: "It's the traditional thing and most every family does like it."

Corned beef is most usually prepared from a beef brisket or beef round, Osborn explained. The Meat Shop makes its own corned beef using beef brisket and a specially prepared seasoning solution. They also prepare a corned beef loaf.

Whereas, corned beef is largely an Irish tradition in America, a visit to Ireland reveals there are other culinary treats to be enjoyed that are native to the country. And that variety is expanding all the time.

"I noticed a lot of restaurants we ate at would serve a plate lunch with three different meats," said Michael McCrate, Charlotte's husband.

Beef, fish -- particularly trout -- and lamb, are often on Irish menus, John Bradshaw said.

And, breakfast is far from ignored.

"They have bacon and sausage and eggs and potatoes, cereals, all at the same breakfast," he said, his thoughts resting on savory toasted Irish soda bread.

"You see a lot of vegetables -- cabbage and broccoli and beets," he continued. As for the tried-and-true potato, the list of ways it may be prepared are limited only by the imagination.

Interestingly, potatoes aren't native to Ireland, though they are so closely associated with the country, Michael Hogan said.

"The American Indians domesticated the potato and it was taken to Europe," he said. "From Europe it was brought back to the Americas."

Creams, cakes and light pastries are also culinary favorites, Bradshaw said.

But on the local front, there's no getting away from the distinction corned beef holds on St. Patrick's Day. When it comes to preparing it, the secret, several local cooks reveal, is to cook the meat slowly.

"Cook till tender and put your potatoes in for about 20 minutes. You don't want to cook your cabbage more than seven to 10 minutes," said Marie McHenry Howell. "Just watch it so that your vegetables are not overcooked."

Some cooks, like Litwicki, advise using a crock pot for the corned beef. That way, she says, "the flavor stays in a little better."

She steams the cabbage and when it comes to the potatoes, "just boil them and put butter on them."

There are certain rules of etiquette involved in a successful St. Patrick's Day celebration to go along with the hearty food, singing and dancing.

"Of course, you have to wear something green," Howell said. And, "you must greet people by saying 'Top of the morning.'"

The proper response is, of course, "And the rest of the day to ye."

St. Patrick's Day Recipes

Irish Soda Bread

3 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup raisins (optional)

3/4 cup buttermilk

Combine dry ingredients. Cut the margarine or butter into the dry ingredients until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in raisins and enough buttermilk to make a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 2 minutes, till nice and smooth. Shape into round loaf 6 1/2 inches in diameter. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Cut an X about a quarter of the way through on the loaf. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown. Brush with butter or margarine if desired.

-- Recipe supplied by Dee Kelly Durkin

Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage

(Colcannon)

Makes six servings

6 medium potatoes

1/2 small head cabbage, shredded

6 scallions (with tops) chopped

1/4 cup water

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 to 1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup margarine, softened

1 teaspoon salt

Dash pepper, margarine or butter

Heat 1 inch of salted water (1/2 teaspoon salt to 1 cup water) to boiling. Add potatoes. Heat to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and cook until tender, 30 to 35 minutes, drain. Heat cabbage, scallions, water and 1/8 teaspoon salt to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer until crisp and tender, 5 to 10 minutes, drain.

Mash potatoes until no lumps remain. Beat in milk in small amounts. Add 1/4 cup margarine, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Beat until potatoes are light and fluffy. Stir in cabbage and scallions; dot with margarine.

-- Betty Crocker's "International Cookbook"

Trout Baked Irish Style

(Try with creamed carrots and warm Irish Soda Bread)

Four servings

4 green onions, sliced

1 green pepper, chopped

1/4 cup margarine or butter

1 cup soft bread crumbs

1/4 cup snipped parsley

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves

4 drawn whole trout (8 ounces each)

Salt

Cook and stir onion and pepper in margarine until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in bread crumbs, parsley, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and the basil. Rub fish cavities with salt; stuff each with about 1/4 cup stuffing. Place fish in greased oblong baking dish, 13 1/2 x 9 x 2 inches. Cook uncovered in 350 degree oven until fish flakes easily with fork, 30 to 35 minutes. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and parsley if desired.

-- Betty Crocker's "International Cookbook"

Luck of the Irish Truffles

1/4 cup whipping cream

1/3 cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter (no substitutes)

1 Hershey's Cookies 'n' Mint Bar (7 oz.) broken into pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate sprinkles

Makes 3 1/2 dozen candies.

Place wax paper on tray. In small saucepan, stir together whipping cream, sugar and butter; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat; immediately add chocolate bar pieces and vanilla. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is well blended. Pour into glass 9-inch pie plate. Cover; refrigerate several hours or overnight to harden. Form into 3/4-inch balls, working quickly to prevent melting; roll in sprinkles. Place on prepared tray. Cover; refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Store, covered, in refrigerator.

Tips for a Festive St. Patrick's Day:

-- Serve desserts on a green lace doily or green dishes with a white doily.

-- Make or buy paper shamrocks for table decorations.

-- Top off desserts with Irish flags.

-- Add green food coloring to whipped topping or coconut flakes for a festive topping.

-- Add mint flavoring to traditional hot cocoa; top with green-colored whipped cream.