"irish" news and stories

Last Sunday, Showtime launched Brotherhood, a drama about about Irish mafia. A recent MSNBC article wonders if the series will do for Irish food what the Sopranos did for Italian fare. Could we see an increase in fans gathered around the tube with plates of corned beef and cabbage? I missed the first episode, but according to MSNBC, food doesn't figure nearly as prominently in Brotherhood as it does in the Sopranos. One character on the show is supposed to be a notoriously bad cook. Will there be Irish cookbook tie-ins? I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

[Via Restaurant News Resource]

The Irish agriculture minister, Mary Coughlan, recently said that "consumers could be divided into 'fuelers,' who use food purely to satisfy hunger, and 'foodies,' who seek out the richest flavors and textures and most interesting and authentic products." This statement followed news that exotic and expensive foods, like Kobe beef and "organic beef goulash for babies" are rapidly gaining popularity in Ireland.

To be honest, I am a little insulted here. I don't like to think that food is so divisive and so black-and-white. Granted, there are people who care more than others, but you don't have to someone who only wants to eat incredibly expensive food, like the $150 Wagyu/foie gras sandwich at Selfridges, to enjoy eating. I don't know about you, but I can enjoy an ordinary burger any time I want to and still consider myself to be something other than a "fueler."

Perhaps Ms. Coughlan should look more carefully at the nuances of being a foodie and consider that a preference for foie gras is not the defining criterion.

Source

We here at Slashfood aren't the only food blog that's celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Here's a peek at other food blogs that are taking a big bite of green from around the food blogosphere:

• The Culinary Fool puts together a traditional Irish pub plate, the Ploughman's Platter
• World on a Plate investigates the new sophistication of Irish cuisine
• Chicago Foodies explain how to order a "Black and Tan" depending on where you are
• Andrea's Recipe Box has one for Irish Soda Bread
• Beef brisket gets slow cooked with Guinness at Taste Everything Once
• Off the Broiler seeks out the elusive Shamrock Shake
• She's not a Domestic Diva, but she can make colcannon
• Albion Cooks Irish Chocolate Whiskey Cakes
• Rani and Raja also do an Irish Soda Bread
• Kiplog's food blog directs us to a few places in and around Chicago to celebrate

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Slashfood readers!

While we here at Slashfood did the majority of our St. Patrick's Day preparation yesterday, we don't want to forget that today is the actual day to wear a bit of green, indulge in a pint of Guinness, and have a couple of shamrock-shaped sugar cookies! These are simple cookies made from dough sugar cookie dough dyed with green food coloring - use more than a few drops or else they'll be a little pale, like mine were - and piped with white chocolate. Make sure to drink your Bailey's on the rocks after you finish the piping, too, otherwise the lines will be a little squiggly like mine.

So what's the story behind the shamrock anyway? "Shamrock" is derived from the Celtic word "seamroy" for a three-leafed clover. It is considered a sacred plant because it symbolizes the arrival of spring and the idea of re-birth. The shamrock has long been associated with Irish culture because it is believed that St.Patrick used the three-leafed clover to symbolize the Trinity.

The idea of the lucky four leaf clover comes from a legend that the three leave of a regular clover each symbolize hope, faith and love. A fourth leaf on a clover symbolizes luck.

I'll take all the luck I can get, so I made a cookie with four leaves for myself.

Though the big St. Patrick's Day hype and parades are elsewhere in Chicago (a green river!) and New York, you can still don your green leprechaun tights in and around LA for food or drink or both (just expect some strange stares if you really do dress up like a leprechaun) Plan ahead,and get there early - it's going to be a mob green scene:

1. Finn McCool's (food and drink), 2702 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405, (310) 452-1734
2. Ireland's 32, 13721 Burbank Blvd, Van Nuys,CA (818) 785-4031
3. Irish Times, 3267 Motor Ave, Los Angeles, CA (310) 559-9648
4. Joxer Daly's, 11168 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232, (310) 838-3745
5. O'Brien's Pub & Restaurant, 2941 Main St, Santa Monica, CA (310) 396-4725 
6. McMurphy's Tavern, 72 N Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA (626) 666-1445 
7. Molly Malone's Irish Pub, 575 S Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA (323) 935-1577
8. Tom Bergin's, 840 S Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA, (323) 936-7151