A History of Irish Brewing

Looking for tasting notes or pairings?  Click here.

If there's one thing Ireland's known for, apart from shamrocks and leprechauns, it's beer.  Specifically dark, malty stouts and ales like Guinness.  Yet as anyone who's ever read their Guinness bottle knows, Arthur Guinness only started brewing beer at the St James's Gate brewery in Dublin in 1759.  Surely, the Irish can't have been without beer before that, can they?

The answer, obviously, is that of course they weren't.  Beer recipes were recorded in ancient Mesopotamia before even bread recipes were, and it's been brewed in Ireland for thousands of years.  While those ancient brews bore little resemblance to that pint of stout you enjoyed on St Patrick's Day, they were the drink of choice for the inhabitants of the British Isles for millennia before the beers we drink today were created.

The world's first beers were likely created by accident, when grain storage pots were flooded and the mixture fermented naturally, at least 7,000 years ago in the middle east.  By the time the technique reached Ireland, around 5,000 years ago, the science of fermentation was well-known.  Early brewers in Ireland (and elsewhere in Europe) were usually women, who produced beer in their homes mainly for the use of their families.  These early beers were lower in alcohol than the modern varieties, and would have tasted quite different, since they were not flavored with hops, which isn't native to the British Isles.  Ale was made in pits in the ground, and these beers were quite malty, made with barley and water, and flavored with various herbs, particularly gentian.  The resulting ale was the drink of choice in homes and at royal banquets durring the bronze age, and by Roman times, the strong Irish ales were known on the continent.

Production of mead, a beverage made by fermenting a mixture of honey and water, began during this period.  It was used for ceremonial purposes and was drunk in wealthy households throughout the middle ages, but has since declined in  popularity.

Production of cider, made by fermenting apple juice, probably began around the same time, about 2,000 years ago, though this may have begun earlier.  Apples have been cultivated in Ireland since the early years of Irish agriculture, 5,000 years ago, and it was only a matter of time before someone tried to make them into alcohol.  While the first written record of cider in Ireland appears in the 12th century, there are many legends involving St Patrick and apples which date back further than that, and it is known that the ancient Britons were making cider in England in Roman times.  Even though Ireland was never a part of the Roman empire, the Irish had many things the Romans wanted, like furs and wolfhounds, so there was a great deal of trade back and forth (St Patrick is said to have escaped slavery in Ireland by stowing away on a ship transporting hounds to Roman Britain).  It stands to reason that if cider wasn't already being made in Ireland, the technique was imported along with French wine and Mediterranean pottery while the Romans occupied Britain.

Whenever cider making started, we know that its popularity took off in Ireland when the fall of Rome made the import of wine from France impractical.  The Irish climate makes growing wine grapes impossible, so cider became the closest substitute for wine, and has continued to be popular for the last fifteen hundred years or so.  In fact, with the recent gluten-free craze, cider is gaining popularity again.

After the arrival of Christianity in the 5th century, monastic communities started brewing, mostly for their own use, just like the home brewers.  Some medieval monasteries did sell their ales, though, and brewing was frequently associated with religious centers in Ireland just as it was elsewhere in Europe.  One of the miracles attributed to St Bridget, the first Abbott of Kildare in the 6th century, involves turning bathwater into beer, and it was in one of Ireland's many monasteries that someone got the brilliant idea to distill beer, thus inventing whiskey.

The brews that the monks nicknamed "liquid bread" were very similar to the Iron Age ales of their ancestors, still made from malted barley and flavored with a variety of herbs.  Unlike the Iron Age variety, though these beers were made in large metal tubs made specifically for brewing.  We also know that these ales were a dark red in color, like modern Irish red ales.  While the arrival of the Normans in the 1170s seems to have slightly increased the preference for cider, it likely made little difference to the production of ale in Ireland.  Real change didn't come until the 16th century.

Enter HenryVIII, the king who simply couldn't leave anything alone.  In 1533, he effectively told the Pope to go to hell, and made himself head of the Church in his own kingdom, which consisted of England, Wales, and Ireland, just so he could marry his mistress, Anne Boleyn (who he had beheaded three years later).  Ireland was in open rebellion within a year of the break with Rome.  The rebellion, led by the Earl of Kildare, failed rather quickly, but others followed, and Henry and his children spent most of the century trying to "reconquer" Ireland.  While this had many very bad effects, like the downfall of the Gaelic aristocracy, the plantation of Ulster, transfer of land to English owners, the closure of abbeys, and general religious persecution, the English settlers who started arriving in Ireland around this time did bring one good thing with them: hops.

As mentioned above, hops are not native to Ireland.  The plant comes from central Europe, where it has been used to flavor beer for centuries.  Yet traditional regional brewing practices prevented hopped beer becoming common outside of this region until the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.  Why cultivate a new crop just for flavoring beer when something that already grew locally could do just as well?  But as the preservative properties of hops became known in the late middle ages, the plant began to be cultivated across northern Europe.  The English began importing hops and hopped beer from Europe in the late 15th century, and the plant was first grown in England by Dutch settlers in the 1520s.  The English took it to Ireland a few decades later, though most of the hops used in Irish brewing until the 19th century were imported.

The decline and closure of Ireland's abbeys- and their breweries- as a result of religious and political turmoil in the 16th and 17th centuries meant that by 1700, most of the brewing in Ireland was once again done on a much smaller scale, mainly in the home.  In 1700, though, the western world was on the brink of change.  The religious turmoil of the 16th and 17th centuries was dying down (though it would flare up occasionally in 18th century Britain and Ireland) as people all over Europe shifted their attention away from the spiritual issues that had been the primary concern of previous generations and towards more secular issues.  The scientific revolution had begun in the Renaissance, but hadn't really gained much momentum until the late 17th century, and was well under way by 1700.  Politically, this is the age of absolute monarchy, designed to glorify the state rather than God.  Writers and philosophers once again turned from theology to the study of the classics.  This is even reflected in the art and architecture of the era; how many Greek temples can you spot in London, Paris, or Washington today? That's the legacy of the 18th century.

More important for our purposes, though, the shift towards secular concerns that followed the turmoil of the Reformation allowed for a greater focus on commerce.  The age of exploration had opened up a whole new world, and thus a lot of new markets, to European traders, and the English in particular were inclined to take advantage of it.  Trade brought with it a great deal of wealth, and anyone with a product to sell could make a fortune.  The result was larger-scale production of trade goods, the beginnings of the industrial revolution.

What does this have to do with Irish beer, you ask?  Well, Ireland has an excellent climate for barley production, and a remarkable talent for producing delicious alcoholic beverages.  Besides which, the introduction of hops prevented spoiling for a longer time, so it was really just a matter of time before someone got the brilliant idea to make large quantities of beer and sell it all over the country and even abroad.

Ireland's first commercial brewery was founded on the site of an old abbey in Kilkenny in 1710, brewing a traditional red ale.  This early entrepreneur's name was John Smithwick, and you can still buy his beer (or a modern version of it) in most supermarkets today.  Others followed, and by 1815, Ireland was exporting more beer than it was importing.

Guinness drinkers will also know that there was another important change in the world of Irish beer in the 18th century.  As brewing became more commercial, English brewers started trying to sell their products in the Irish market, resulting in a shift in tastes away from red ales and towards darker, but still very malty porters, brewed mostly in England.  Naturally, Irish brewers soon started to make their own porters, with great success; by 1799, Guinness had stopped making ale altogether and exclusively brewed porter.

Then someone had another brilliant idea, this time aimed at cutting costs.  At the time, malted barley (the kind traditionally used in brewing) was more highly taxed than unmalted barley.  So a few Irish brewers decided to start using unmalted barley to make their porters, resulting in the bitter, dark beer Ireland is most famous for today.

The trend toward larger breweries continued through the 19th and 20th centuries, and Ireland still produces far more beer today than its population could ever consume.  While Guinness is no longer the largest brewer in the world as it was in 1900, it is still the largest producer of stout, and owns most of the other large breweries in Ireland, including Smithwick's.  Tastes have shifted again in the 20th century, and imported lagers make up about 60% of Ireland's beer consumption today.

Another change is in the air, though, and with it, a shift back toward stouts and ales.  The decline of Guinness and other industrial breweries has created a space in the Irish market for craft brewers, who started marketing high quality beers made in small breweries and brewpubs all over the country in the 1980s.  As in any other industry, many of these startups fail, but many others have been highly successful, and Ireland's craft brewers are growing in number and popularity every year.  It's a shift that bodes well for the future of traditional ales and stouts, which I, as a stout drinker, can only see as a good thing.  At the very least, it means more choice for consumers, after all.

On This Date in 1314...

Bannockburn memorial, Scotland.
Source: Wikipedia

On Midsummer's day in 1314, Robert the Bruce defeated the English at Bannockburn, not far from Stirling.  It was a remarkable victory, not least because the Scots were outnumbered by as many as 4 to 1.  The fighting actually lasted two days, with smaller scale skirmishes on the first day, and a pitched battle on the second.  By the end of the second day, King Edward II had fled the field, followed by as many of his knights and nobles that could escape the confusion.  The king barely escaped, pursued all the way to his ship by Sir James "the Black" Douglas, and while a few of his followers made it home, many more were captured or killed on the road.  It was one of the most embarrassing defeats in medieval English history.

It was not, however, the end of the Scottish war of independence.  Bannockburn's significance is more in its effects in Scotland.  In 1314, the Scots were just coming out of decades of fighting over the royal succession.  Robert Bruce was king, but many Scottish nobles still supported the Balliol family, whose claim to the throne had been judged to be stronger than that of the Bruce's grandfather (also called Robert) back in 1292.  Victory at Bannockburn changed that.  The Bruce showed the Scottish nobles that he was a strong enough leader to unite an army that came from all over Scotland, including the then  independent kingdom of the Isles.  If the force of Robert Bruce's personality could accomplish what several previous kings hadn't been able to do with an army, he was probably the right man for the job.

The other important effect of the victory at Bannockburn was that it removed the English army from Scottish soil.  The fighting continued, but not in Scotland.  After Bannockburn, the Scots were able to invade England, which gave them a distinct advantage.  Now on the offensive, the Bruce invaded both England and English-occupied Ireland, eventually forcing the English to acknowledge his kingship and Scotland's independence, albeit grudgingly.  In short, without this one victory in 1314, and the political work that followed it, including the Declaration of Arbroath (1320), Scotland almost certainly would not have remained independent until the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

So enjoy the solstice, but if you're Scottish at all, maybe have a dram around sunset in memory of those who fought for their country's independence 701 years ago today.

Spicy Gingerbread

Yes, it's nearly June, the kids are out of school, the weather's warming up again, and we've got more than 6 months to go until Christmas, but here I am making gingerbread anyway.  While it may be out of season right now, gingerbread is one of my favorite treats any time of the year.  Which is how it was traditionally enjoyed all over Europe, actually.

Gingerbread is likely one of the oldest traditional recipes I'll ever post on this site, as it dates to at least the 10th century.  In the centuries before the Spanish started to import chocolate from the new world, ginger, cinnamon, clove, and other spices imported from Asia were some of the most exotic flavors available to European bakers, so gingerbreads, usually sweetened with honey or molasses because sugar was too expensive, became a delicacy seen at festivals and royal courts year-round.  Elizabeth I was known to impress foreign  dignitaries by serving gingerbread men (probably without the candy buttons we add today).  English towns held "gingerbread fairs" as late as the nineteenth century, and gingerbread was believed to have some medicinal properties, as an aid to digestion.  (In fact, this is quite true, provided the cake contains enough ginger.  We still use ginger teas and ginger ale for that purpose today.)

While gingerbread, particularly in cookie form, has undoubtedly been eaten at Christmas time since the middle ages, it was not strongly associated with that particular holiday until the mid nineteenth century, at least in the English speaking world.  When Queen Victoria married Albert of Saxe-Koburg (in Bavaria) in the 1830's, they imported many German Christmas traditions to England, including Christmas trees, Saint Nicholas, and gingerbread houses.  Around the same time, a wave of German immigrants were bringing the same traditions with them to the US.  Obviously, the traditions stuck, and while some bakeries today might have gingerbread and other spiced cakes year-round, they're mainly associated with Christmastime.

Which obviously isn't to say that you can't enjoy this spicy cake any time of year, as long as you're willing to make it yourself.  Whether it's June or December, this cake is the perfect not-too-sweet treat to have with your morning coffee or afternoon tea, so I highly recommend making the effort.  And it's actually really easy to make.  There's not even any decorating involved!

This recipe comes straight from one of my Irish cookbooks and is very heavy on the ginger and molasses.  The resulting cake is dense, moist, sweet, and a little spicy.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbs ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup molasses
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F, and butter a 9-inch loaf pan.  Whisk together flour, spices, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add molasses, and finally add the buttermilk.  The mixture will appear runny and not emulsified.  Stir in the dry ingredients until combined, then pour the batter into the pan and bake in the preheated oven for 40-50* minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool before serving.

*The cookbook, written by someone who lives at sea level, says to bake for 40-50 minutes.  Here at 5280 feet, it's more like an hour.  The center was still runny at 40 minutes.

Cottage Pie

In the US, the pie made with ground meat, a few veggies, and mashed potatoes, but no pastry crust, is generally called Shepherd's pie regardless of what kind of meat is used.  In the UK and Ireland, however, this is not the case.  On the other side of the Atlantic, it's only shepherd's pie if it's made with lamb, and it's called cottage pie when beef is used.  Either way, though, it's a delicious, hearty comfort food.  It's very easy and relatively cheap to make in huge batches, which makes it common in pubs across the UK and Ireland, and perfect for feeding a crowd.

School may already be out for the summer, but it's been cool and rainy in Denver this month, and I felt a little warm British comfort food was in order, so I decided to make this this week based on several British and Irish recipes.  I skipped the customary peas and tomato paste, added garlic, and substituted Kerrygold Dubliner cheese for the usual yellow cheddar.  While very easy to make, this recipe can be a little time consuming, since you have to reduce the stock to make the gravy, though you can definitely save time by using leftover mashed potatoes rather than making a fresh batch.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 14 oz beef broth*
• 2 tbs vegetable oil
• 2 carrots, 1/4" diced
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp thyme leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tbs Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tbs flour
• 1/3 cup grated Dubliner or sharp cheddar cheese
  

For the mash:**

• 3 medium potatoes
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 stick butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup grated Dubliner cheese

Instructions:

First, make the mash.  Peel and roughly chop the potatoes and place in a large pot.  Just cover with water, and place on the stove over high heat to boil.  Once the potatoes are tender (after about 20 minutes), strain and return to the pot.  Add butter and milk, and mash.  Add grated cheese and stir or mash to combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

While the potatoes are boiling, start the filling.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat half the oil and fry the meat until browned.  Set aside.  Add the rest of the oil and fry the vegetables until soft.  Add the broth, flour, herbs, and Worcestershire sauce.  As the liquid cooks off, put the meat back in the pan and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Once the gravy is thick, discard the bay leaves and transfer to a medium oven-proof dish or 4 large individual dishes.  Top with mashed potatoes and 1/3 cup grated cheese and bake at 425F until cheese is melted and begins to brown, about 25 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Total time:  Approx 90 minutes.

*Next time, I might substitute half a bottle of Guinness or 1/2 cup red wine for half of the broth, like I often do with Bangers and Mash.

**You can, of course, also use leftover mashed potatoes.  Just re-heat about 2 to 3 cups worth and stir in the cheese.

A Brief* History of Whisk(e)y

There's no denying that the British Isles produce most of the very best (and most expensive) whiskeys in the world.  Just head to your local liquor store and compare the prices of Scotch, Irish whiskey, and Bourbon, then go online and read some reviews if you doubt it.  But why is this?  Why is this particular spirit made in so many places around the world, and why is the Scottish variety so much more prestigious than the others?  The answers to these questions, like many things, start with some monks who lived more than a thousand years ago.

*Obviously, I'm a terrible liar.

Irish Origins

Skellig Michael, off Kerry.  It's a UNESCO
world heritage site, and impossible to tour in
anything but perfect weather due to safety
concerns, which is saying something in
Ireland.  The monastery is at the very top...

First, a little background.  In the centuries after the arrival of St Patrick and Christianity, monastic communitites sprang up all over Ireland.  Some were remote and inacessable, like Skellig Michael, on a tiny island off the coast of Kerry, which can only be toured in good weather due to safety concerns.  Others became population centers and centers of learning, like Kildare, which has been a medium-sized city since the middle ages.  These early monastic communities were designed to be self-sufficient, often producing their own food, clothing, and, naturally, beer.

While many of the brothers (and sisters- many of the early Irish monastaries were mixed) of these settlements merely lived quiet, contemplative lives, one of the major goals of the early Celtic church was evangelization, the spreading of the Christian faith through missionary activity.  Thus early medeval monks from Ireland set out to spread their faith across Scotland, England, Scandinavia, and much of continental Europe.  Some may have even made it as far as Iceland or even North America, though there is not much evidence to back this up yet.  We know with certainty that by about 1000 A.D., some 500 years after St Patrick, Irish missionaries had made it as far as the eastern Mediteranean, where they encountered the technique of distilling perfumes.  They brought stills back to Ireland, and, being Irish, set about finding a way to use them to make alcohol.

Obviously, they succeeded.  The first mention of "whiskey" as a social drink in Ireland is from 1405, but there are earlier mentions of Uisce Beatha, a beverage distilled from barley beer and used as a sort of cure-all, to treat everything from colds and flu to smallpox.  The technique of triple distilling barley beer to make whiskey seems to have spread quite quickly to Scotland, where it's first documented in 1494.

Distillation seems to have mainly been done in monastaries throughout the medeval period, both in Ireland and Scotland.  This began to change, however, with the Protestant Reformation.  In 1541, Henry VIII ordered the closure of all monastaries in his kingdom, which included Ireland.  As the monastaries began to close, distilling moved into the home and a few liscensed distilleries (like Bushmills, est. 1608 with a liscense from King James I), where it remained until the late 18th century.

Whisk(e)y Spreads Around the World

As mentioned above, whisky is first documented in Scotland in the Exchequer Rolls (tax records) from 1494.  The document shows a purchase of barley by a monk "to make aqua vitae"- aqua vitae being the Latin translation of Uisce Beatha, meaning "water of life."  The modern English word whisk(e)y (with the "e" in Ireland, without in Scotland) is believed to be derived from the Gaelic name from the beverage.

Like many alcoholic beverages,
including beer and champagne,
whiskey was mostly produced by
monks in the middle ages.

In Scotland as in Ireland, closure of monastic commuinities by religious reformers in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries resulted in many monks setting up distilling operations in private homes and in more people learning how to make whisky.  The crown took advantage of this new state of affairs by imposing heavy taxes on stills.  Naturally, the Scots responded by setting up smuggling operations in order to avoid the taxes, so much so that by 1780, there were 8 licensed distilleries operating in Scotland, and about 400 illegal ones.

Eventually, the government took action.  The Duke of Gordon, on whose land much of the best illegal whisky was being made, suggested a bill that eased restrictions on legal distilleries while also making operation of illegal stills more difficult.  This passed as the Excise Act of 1823 and ushered in a new, more commercial era in the history of whisky.  (Not that that really stopped production of moonshine.  It's still common in Ireland today.)

While all this was going on in the old world, of course, Europeans were largely preoccupied with exploring and colonizing the new world.  The English started settling the lands that would eventually become the eastern seaboard of the US and Canada in the seventeenth century, and it wasn't long before Scottish and Irish settlers began to join them.  Mass emigration from Scotland began after the defeat at Culloden in 1746, and from Ireland durring the Great Famine in the 1830s.  And aside from the willing immigrants seeking a new life in the colonies or fleeing persecution at home, it was common practice for criminals, including whiskey smugglers and illegal distillers, to be deported to the colonies.

And of course these settlers brought whiskey-making with them.  Illegal stills became just as common on the frontiers of the British colonies in North America as they were back in Scotland and Ireland in the eighteenth century, and their products had evolved into the Canadian (rye) whiskey and Bourbon we know today by the middle of the nineteenth century.  During this time, imported Irish whiskey was growing rapidly in popularity in the US, especially in places like New York and Boston with large immigrant populations.  Indeed, by the beginning of Prohibition in the US in 1920, Irish whiskey was the second most popular spirit in America, after rum.

Meanwhile in Scotland…

Coffey stills, also called
column stills.

Traditionally, whisky was made by distilling barley beer three times in a pot still.  Irish whiskey is still made this way today.  But in nineteenth century Scotland, a new innovation was introduced that would eventually allow the Scots to dominate the international whisky market.

Funnily enough, the column still, or Coffey still, was invented in Ireland, by an Irishman.  The Irish distillers shunned this newfangled still and the less intense whiskey it produced, however, so Mr. Coffey took his invention to Scotland in 1831.  Realizing that the continuous distillation process of the column still was much quicker and cheaper than triple distilling in pot stills and resulted in a smoother product, the Scottish distillers took to it very quickly.

The Coffey still, as it turned out, really was a godsend for the previously underrated Scottish whisky industry.  Its smoother product increased the appeal of Scotch to a much wider audience than before, for one thing.  For another, because Irish whiskey had been wildly popular in America prior to prohibiton, when importing to the US became illegal, the market for Irish whiskey crashed, and many distilleries closed.  This, as well as the much quicker production time allowed by the Coffey still, meant that when Prohibition was repealed in 1933, Scottish distillers were better able to meet the new demand form the American market.  Add to the equation the fact that many GIs aquired the taste for Scotch while stationed in Britian during World War II, and we begin to see why Scottish distillers were able to market their whisky so effectively in the last sixty years.  (Yes, of course it's all a marketing ploy.  As with any other food or drink, the best whisk(e)y is really just a matter of personal taste.)

Back on This Side of the Pond:

Oddly enough, Prohibition and World War II also provided a boost to the US market for American-made Bourbon.  Obviously, the commercial distilleries had to close down during Prohibition, but making liquor illegal to buy or sell didn't do much to curb demand.  When the law prevented importers   from selling spirits in the US, American distillers with little regard for the law, many descended from those who had first brought the technique of whiskey-making to North America, saw an opportunity.

Prohibition in the 1920s
ushered in a new era of
organized crime, mostly
devoted to selling black
market alcohol, often to
congressmen and
Senators.  

The price of a drink in the US doubled between 1920 and 1930, since so much of the supply was cut off without much of a decrease in demand, which meant a small distiller could make a good profit selling contraband whiskey on the black market.  The result was that illegal distilling and smuggling became as common in 1920's America as they had been in late 18th century Scotland.

As we saw above, when Prohibition came to an end in 1933, the Scottish distillers were the first to be able to meet the demand of the American market, since the closure of all the large American distilleries in the 1920's had set back Bourbon production by several years.  Just as they got to producing again, many had to shut down or start making industrial alcohol for the war effort after the US entered World War II in December 1941.  Fortunately, they could still sell whatever stock they had on-hand, and simple geography gave them an advantage over Scottish distillers, who were still importing whisky to the US during the war: supply may have been limited, but American distillers didn't run the risk of losing shipments to U-boats on the way to cities like New York and Chicago.  While Bourbon has never developed the same snob appeal as Scotch, this small edge during wartime allowed Bourbon to establish a small foothold in a market that would be dominated by imported whisky for the next several decades.

Current Trends

The Japanese hoped to
get a piece of the huge
Asian market for
luxury goods, like Scotch,
and promptly found
themselves in a legal
battle over labeling.  

As discussed above, a little innovation, a little good luck, and a natural affinity for marketing have made Scotch the most sought-after and expensive whiskey in the world.  So much so that Japanese distillers have tried to mimic Scottish single malts in order to get in on the profits (they are prevented by law from labeling their products as "Scotch," since they're not made in Scotland).  However, this has begun to change in the last decade or so.  

In recent  years, Irish whiskey and Bourbon have experienced an upswing in popularity in the US.  The willingness of younger drinkers to experiment has been wonderful for small distillers, just like it has for craft brewers, and in the economy of the past decade, their lower price-point appeals to many Americans.  Of course, Scotland continues to compete.  While Ireland and the US also have their premium products, none of these really have the snob appeal of the top-of-the-line Scotches yet, and many of the young Americans buying Irish whiskey and Bourbon also buy Scotch, and will likely continue to do so, especially as their incomes increase.  

Regardless, it's nice to see that one of the world's oldest spirits still has a strong following in spite of the popularity of flavored vodka and jello shots.  One can only hope that the recent trend towards the traditional in food and beer bleeds over into the liquor market; there's a certain degree of class in old-fashioned whiskey cocktails and quality liquors sipped neat that fruity drinks lack, and it would be a pity to lose such a large piece of our history to beverages with names like "sex on the beach."

So get out there and start experimenting!  If you're new to whiskey, I'd recommend starting with a mid-range aged Irish whiskey, like Jameson's 12-year-old, mixed with a little water.  Those are generally quite smooth, and won't cost you too much if you don't like them.  If you want to taste a lot without spending too much, though, your liquor store probably has mini "sample" bottles, for only a few dollars each, which are a much less risky way of trying something new.  I plan to (eventually) post whisk(e)y guides here, but in the meantime, knowledgable liquor store staff and bartenders are probably your best resources if you need a recommendation.  (Which isn't to say that I wouldn't be happy to answer any questions posted in the comments.  It's just that a lot of people know more about tasting notes of specific whiskeys than I do!  Still, I'm always happy to share the results of my experimentations.)

Pork and Apple Pies

Meat pies have long been a staple in British kitchens and pubs.  The practice of encasing meats in pastry while roasting to keep the juices in was introduced in the middle ages, though at first, the pastry was discarded before serving.  It wasn't long, however, before chefs realized that leaving the meat in the pastry was delicious too, and they quickly started adding gravy, vegetables, and herbs.  Those pies, served hot or cold, have graced the table at many royal banquets throughout the centuries, and were often eaten by commoners as an easy on-the-go meal.

These are not at all the traditional English Melton Mowbray pork pie.  Those pies, popularized as "fast food" in the eighteenth century and comprised of a hot water pastry shell filled with pork and gelatin, looked like far more effort than I felt like expending on my day off, and require things like pig's feet not easy to find in the Denver area.  I've never even attempted hot water pastry, and didn't feel like trying to find lard at the grocery store.

So instead I improvised.  Using the French-style tart dough I use for all my fruit pies, the granny smith apples I had in the fridge, an onion, some diced pork, and a few slices of bacon, I concocted what I hoped would be a nice, hot dinner for a cold and rainy evening.  And they turned out wonderfully!  The apple, onion, and sage complimented the pork perfectly, and they were wonderful hot out of the oven and cold later in the evening!

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

• 6 tbs butter
• 1 cup AP flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 egg

For the Filling:

• 1/2 lb diced pork
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 granny smith apple
• 5 slices thick-cut bacon
• 1 tbs chopped fresh sage
• 1 cup chicken or veggie stock
• 2 tbs flour
• pinch of mustard powder
• pinch of garlic powder
• 2 tbs vegetable oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

First, make the crust*.  Cube the butter, and combine with flour in a medium bowl.  When dough forms a craggy ball, add water a little at a time until a smooth dough is formed.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Next, make the filling.  Cut the pork into 1" pieces, and cut the bacon into small pieces.  Dice the apple and chop the onion and sage.  In a large bowl, combine flour, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper.  Toss the meat in the flour mixture.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan.  Place the meat in the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring periodically, until it begins to cook, about 6 minutes.  Add the onion, apple, and sage and continue to cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 more minutes.  Add salt and pepper as desired.  Transfer to a large heatproof bowl, and set aside.

Add the chicken broth to the frying pan over medium heat and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.  This will collect any caramelized meat juices and sediment left over in the pan.  While the broth is cooking, preheat oven to 350F.  Divide the pie filling between 6 ramekins.  Once the broth has mostly evaporated, pour it over the filling in the ramekins.

Divide the crust into 6 golfball sized pieces.  Roll each one out and place it on top of one of the pies.  Make an egg wash by beating the egg with a little water, and brush this over the top of each pie.  Cut a small vent in the middle of each crust, and place pies in the preheated oven.  Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, then lower the oven temp to 325F for a further 45 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly before serving.

*If making pie crust isn't something you really want to do, you could just as easily use store-bought puff pastry, cut to fit your pie dishes.

Scotch Eggs

Only in Scotland would someone decide that the most appropriate thing to do with a soft boiled egg is to wrap it in sausage, roll it in breadcrumbs, and then deep fry it.  Because salt and pepper just aren't good enough, and everything could do with being a bit more fried…

In all seriousness, though, Scotch eggs were originally created as an on-the-go meal for long carriage trips, probably sometime in the eighteenth century, and have since become a pub staple in Britain.  And really, eggs wrapped in sausage?  What's not to love?  They're high in protein, and could probably be made gluten free by using some substitute for the breadcrumbs (almond flour, perhaps?), if you're inclined to do that sort of thing.

I've been wanting to try these for some time, and when shepherd's pie just sounded like too much effort by the time I got off work today (which is definitely a testament to my laziness), I decided to give it a go.  How much work could boiling and frying some eggs possibly be, after all?

As it turns out, not much.  These were extremely quick and easy to make; the entire process took me about an hour.   And they're great hot or cold, so you can do them ahead of time.  Also, they're designed to be portable, and therefore an excellent picnic food, which is perfect now that spring has arrived.

Ingredients:

• 7 large eggs
• 1 lb bratwurst or other savory sausage, removed from casings
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder (optional)
• vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions:

Place 6 eggs in a large pot or saucepan and just cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil, and promptly remove from heat.  Cover, and let stand for 6 minutes or so.*  Remove eggs from water and place in cold water to stop cooking.

While the eggs are cooking, divide the sausage into 6 even balls.  Whisk together the flour and mustard in a small bowl.  In a separate bowl, beat the remaining egg.  Pour vegetable oil into a thick-bottomed saucepan, about 1-2" deep and heat over medium heat.

Peel the boiled eggs.  Squish the sausage balls into patties, and wrap each egg in sausage.  Roll each one in the flour, then dip in the beaten egg, and then roll in breadcrumbs.  Check that the oil is hot enough by dropping a scrap of sausage into the pan.  If it sinks, the oil is too cool; if it sizzles and floats to the top, the oil is ready.  Fry the eggs in batches of two or three, until the outsides are browned.  Cut into quarters to serve.

* I left the eggs in the hot water for 6 minutes so the yolks were still a little runny.  However, I live in Denver, at 5280 feet.  At lower altitudes, you should probably only cook the eggs for 4-5 minutes.

Currant Scones

I said before in my Simple Scottish Scones post that fruit scones like you see in the US aren't really traditional.  That doesn't mean they're not delicious, however, and I had some dried red currants left over from my Irish (American) Soda Bread experiments, so I decided to make some currant scones.

They're very simple to make.  I simply took my basic scone recipe and added some currants, plus sprinkled a little sugar on top before putting them in the oven.  The resulting scone is still light and buttery, but a bit sweeter than the plain scones.  Naturally, I still recommend splitting the scones and filling them with butter and blackcurrant jelly, like I did with the traditional ones.  These are perfect for tea parties, breakfast, or an afternoon treat!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup AP flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 tbs butter, plus  more for spreading
• 2 tbs sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup dried red currants
• 1 egg 
• 1 tbs water
• blackcurrant jelly

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 425F, and sprinkle a baking sheet with flour.  Combine flour and baking powder in a medium bowl.  Rub in the butter, until the mixture reaches a sand-like texture.  Stir in the sugar and currants, then add the milk and stir until combined.  Turn the mixture out onto a floured surface and knead very briefly until it forms a smooth dough.  Roll the dough out 3/4 inch thick, and cut into triangles or squares with a butter knife.*

Make an egg wash by beating the egg with the water.  Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash, sprinkle lightly with sugar, place on the baking sheet, and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, until they've risen and are golden brown.  Let cool briefly, then split with a butter knife and fill with butter and blackcurrant jam.


These are best straight out of the oven, but will keep for a few days in a sealed container at room temperature.  Just don't put the butter and jam in any scones you plan on saving; they'll get soggy.

*Thrifty Scotswoman's tip: traditionally, Scottish scones are cut into circles with a cookie cutter.  While this works well, re-rolling and kneading the scraps to use more of the dough can result in tough scones, and no matter how many times you roll the dough out, you will still end up wasting some.  It's quicker and less wasteful to cut the scones into squares or triangles.

Happy Easter! Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns, hot cross buns… Are you singing it in your head yet?  I can't help hearing the melody every time I think of the traditional Easter treat.  Yet many people in the western US have probably never seen actual hot cross buns.  Some bakeries carry them this time of year, but if you want to add this traditional British and Irish touch to your Easter brunch, it's probably easiest to make them yourself.

So what are hot cross buns?  They're slightly sweet rolls with spices and fruit, common in Ireland throughout the Easter season.  They're a great brunch or afternoon tea item, but not sweet enough for dessert.  They are yeast rolls, so allow at least 2 1/2 hours to make these (though you absolutely can make them the night before your brunch).





Ingredients:

• 4 cups AP flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup (8 tbs) butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp each allspice and nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup mixed dried fruit, such as raisins, currants, or cherries
• zest of 1 orange

For the glaze:

• 1 egg
• 1 tbs water

For the cross:

• 1/2 cup AP flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbs powdered sugar
• 1 tbs butter, melted

Instructions:

Heat the milk and butter on the stove until the butter melts and the milk just begins to steam.  Stir in the sugar and yeast and let stand for 10 minutes or so, until the mixture becomes foamy.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, spices, and salt.  Slowly add the milk mixture, stirring.  Add the eggs one at a time, then the fruit and orange zest, mixing to combine.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and shiny.  Return the dough to the bowl, lightly oiled, cover the bowl with a clean dishtowel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 12-15 even balls.  Turn each ball inside out, pinching the bottoms together.  Set them pinched side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet, cover loosely, and set aside to rise for another 30 minutes or so, until doubled in size.

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.  Make the glaze by whisking together the egg and water.  Lightly brush the buns with the glaze, then make the crosses.  Mix together all ingredients to make a dough.  Form a cross across the top of each bun either using a pastry bag or using your fingers.

Bake in the pre-heated oven 15-20 minutes, until puffed and golden.  Allow to cool until slightly warm.

National Tartan Day is 6 April!

Highland dancers at a Tartan Day festival in Canada.

I'll be honest: St Patrick's Day is probably my favorite day of the year.  It's a day to celebrate and show off my heritage, without looking like a crazy person by doing so.

Or half my heritage, anyway.  I'm half Scottish, too.  And as I discussed at greater length here, while you do see pipe bands and kilts and even St Andrew's Society delegations in the parades on St Patrick's Day, it's really Ireland's holiday.

Fortunately for the Scots among us, there are actually several opportunities to show off our Scottishness.  The most traditional is St Andrew's Day, 30 November, the feast day of Scotland's patron  saint.  Obviously, this is mainly a religious holiday, but enjoying a dram and wearing your kilt that day are definitely not frowned upon.  Then there's Burns Night, 25 January, to honor one of Scotland's most popular poets, Robert Burns (1759-96).  This is generally celebrated with whisky, haggis, and poetry recitals, but if that's not really your style, or it's just too cold for a kilt in January, there's National Tartan Day on 6 April.

What, exactly, is Tartan Day, you ask?  It's actually quite a recent creation, only officially celebrated in the US since 1998 and Canada since 1993.  The date, 6 April, was chosen in commemoration of the Declaration of Arbroath (1320, during the reign of Robert the Bruce), in which the Scots asserted their national sovereignty in defiance of English territorial claims.  Of course, I can't help but observe at this point that 6April is generally a very nice day to have an outdoor festival in most parts of the US, while Burns day and St Andrew's usually are not.

How many Scots do you see?

In the US at least, Tartan Day is treated as a celebration of accomplishments and contributions of Scots and Scottish Americans, who have been involved in every aspect of American history, from declaring independence and fighting the revolution (Apparently, Jefferson was descended from Robert the Bruce) to becoming captains of industry at the turn of the century (Andrew Carnegie was an immigrant), to landing on the moon, and many are still prominent in American politics, business, and culture today.   The same is true in Britain, and pretty much anywhere the Scots emigrated in large numbers, like Canada and Australia.

To list every famous Scot would require several pages, but just to prove the point that these are people you can be proud to call your own, I'll say that in the last few centuries, Scots have fought for religious freedom, promoted democracy in Europe and North America, defined the concept of free-market economics, written dozens of classic novels and poems, made many scientific advances, including the invention of the telephone, fought bravely for Britain and for their various adoptive homes around the world, been active in politics, been pop culture icons as actors and musicians, and did I mention landing on the bloody moon?!  Seriously, I'd say they deserve some recognition, wouldn't you?

So how does one celebrate Tartan Day?

Well, as this is a holiday established in the 1990's, there really aren't established traditions.  Wearing tartan would seem the most obvious choice, though, and there are Tartan Day festivals around the country with pipe bands, highland dancers, historical re-enactors and so forth.  Sadly, there aren't really a lot of Scottish pubs in most US cities (as far as I'm aware, anyway), but getting together a large group of people in kilts and invading your local English pub might be amusing, though the local Irish bar might be a little more welcoming.  Or you can take advantage of the lovely April weather we'll hopefully have that day and enjoy some smoked salmon sandwiches and whisky outside (somewhere legal, obviously).

Whether your favorite famous Scot is a historical figure like William Wallace or Flora MacDonald, a modern celebrity such as Dame Maggie Smith or David Tennant, or even a fictional character like James Bond or Jamie Fraser, I hope you'll join me in showing your Scottish pride by wearing your tartan on 6 April!

So which tartan should I wear?

MacDonald of the Isles-
my clan's tartan.

If you're from a Scottish American family like mine, you probably know that you're only really supposed to wear your own family's tartan, but unless your surname or your mother's maiden name is the name of one of the prominent clans, you may not know which tartan you're supposed to wear.  Don't worry, you're not alone.

Because so much of the Scottish immigration to the new world took place after the collapse of the clan system following defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, but before the Celtic cultural revival of the late 19th century, many Scottish Americans don't know which clan they belong to.  With most of the Jacobite chiefs dead or imprisoned after Culloden, there was no one to whom clansmen owed loyalty, and no Laird to rule the clans, so they simply disintegrated, and membership lost its significance.  To make matters worse, Scots were one of America's first major immigrant groups, so immigration records are difficult to find.

Fortunately, the magic of the Internet does make it possible to find out with reasonable accuracy which clan you belong to.  I'd still suggest starting with your family, though.  Older family members are likely to know more about the family history than you do, even if you don't think they're actually interested.  They're at least likely to know your great-grandmother's maiden name, and possibly even more.  If your parents and grandparents are interested in your heritage, it's likely that someone's done at least a family tree at some point.

Stewart Black tartan,
my favorite of the
universal tartans.

Once you've got as many of the Scottish family names as you can find, it's time to turn to the Internet.  Simply enter the names into Google (e.g. "Michie Scottish clan').  Alternately, if you have some idea of which clan you belong to, you can search that way (e.g. "Clan MacDonald septs").  Obviously, it's important at this point to filter your results.  Most of the sites you find are merely trying to sell you something, and their information isn't always accurate.  However, most of the clans have their own sites, providing information from clan historians and genealogists, and they usually have a list of septs, or families associated with that clan.

Once you've found your clan (or clans), all that remains is to head over to the Scottish Tartans Authority or Scotweb to find your tartan and, if so inclined, get a kilt in it.

Isle of Skye

If, however, you can't find your clan, don't despair!  If you want to know badly enough to spend the money, a professional genealogist can probably find out for you.  But if you don't want to spend that kind of money, there are always the universal tartans like Black Watch, Royal Stewart, and Flower of Scotland.  If you know the region but are unsure of the clan, there are district tartans, such as Isle of Skye and Edinburgh.  There's also an American national tartan, and a lot of US states and Canadian provinces have their own tartans as well.  Or you could just pick one you like.  You see, the rules about who can wear which tartan are actually Victorian inventions.  Prior to the ban on Highland dress in 1746, clan tartans only existed in the sense that members of a certain clan would generally wear a certain tartan because it was the pattern available in their area.  And most of the clan tartans we know today don't actually resemble the patterns in existence before the ban.  So there's really nothing stopping you from wearing whichever tartan you want; you can always make up a story about why you picked it.

So remember to wear your tartan, or at least St. Andrew's blue, on the 6th, and take advantage of the other American Celtic holiday!  The Colorado Tartan Day festival isn't until the 11th-12th, but events elsewhere across the country kick off this weekend, so look for a fun way to celebrate in your area, where there's hopefully lovely spring weather.  Happy Tartan Day!

Tattie Scones

Tattie scones, or potato scones, are an essential part of the full Scottish breakfast, but I'd be willing to bet that most Americans have never even heard of them.  So if you're picturing something like a cross between that blueberry scone you got at Starbucks this morning and light, fluffy potato bread, think again.  They're also not much like the light, fluffy scones you'd see at tea time in the UK.  They're really more like a potato cake than anything else, but rolled out much thinner than other potato cakes I've made.

This is a traditional Scottish dish, probably dating from the 18th or 19th century, and as with many traditional foods, there are many different variations.  These range from very basic recipes with just potato, butter, and flour to recipes with a little baking soda to a slightly thicker version with chives and dill.  As delicious as some of these sounded, I decided as usual to go with the simplest version of the recipe I could find and got started.

The recipe I chose really only had two ingredients, if "leftover mash" counts as one ingredient.  It's just five parts cold leftover mash to one part flour, fried in hot oil.  Really, it couldn't be simpler.  They also re-heat well, fried briefly in the pan with your bacon and eggs in the morning, so don't hesitate to make a large batch.  This recipe makes about 16.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup leftover mashed potatoes*
• 1/4 cup AP flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:
Mix potatoes and flour in a medium bowl.  Turn out onto a  well floured surface, roll out until about 1/4 inch thick.**  Cut into triangles 3 inches across, and set aside.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a medium frying pan until a small scrap of dough dropped into the pan causes the oil to bubble, rather than just sinking.  Put the scones in the pan a few at a time (I did 4 at a time in a 10-inch pan) and fry about a minute on each side until slightly golden.  Remove from the pan and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Tattie scones make a very simple addition to your breakfast or base for appetizers, and can be enjoyed in any number of ways, though my personal favorites are either hot with butter, or cold with smoked salmon, cream cheese, and dill.  Some people eat them with butter and jam like a regular scone, too, though I'm not sure how I feel about the combination of fried potato and sweet jam.

*These are a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes (have I mentioned before that I always make too many?), but you can, of course, use a fresh batch.  Just add butter and milk like normal, and allow extra time for the potatoes to cool.

**I sometimes find it's easier to flatten the dough by hand in sections, since less of it ends up stuck to the counter and rolling pin that way.

Simple Scottish Scones

In the US, a scone is a crumbly, sweet pastry with fruit or sometimes chocolate in it.  The proper Scottish variety is nothing like that.  In fact, a true British scone is more like what we call a biscuit over here.  It's light and crumbly, but not particularly sweet.  Of course, this is remedied with liberal quantities of jam and either butter or clotted cream.  They're also very quick and easy to bake, making them the perfect treat to accompany your afternoon tea.





Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 tbs butter
• 2 tbs sugar
• 2/3 cup milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425F.  In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder.  Rub in butter by hand or using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles sand.  Mix in the sugar, and then the milk with a fork.  This should make a slightly sticky dough.  If the mixture is too wet, just add a little flour.

Turn out onto a floured surface and roll the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick.  Cut into circles with a cookie cutter, or into squares or triangles with a butter knife.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the scones have risen and are slightly golden.  Allow to cool slightly.

To serve: split the scones in half using a knife and spread with butter or clotted cream and jam.  Enjoy fresh from the oven with a cup of black tea for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Makes 6-8 scones.


Brief notes on butter:

First, while butter is the traditional accompaniment to scones in Scotland (and is absolutely delicious), clotted cream is also popular. Clotted cream is close in texture to butter, but tastes more like heavy cream, and is originally from the southwest of England, particularly Devon and Cornwall.  You'll be able to find it at some specialty stores in the US, but it will be expensive.  Apparently it can be made at home, too, though I have yet to try this.  On the whole, unless you're hosting a fancy tea party, I'd recomend butter.

Second, which butter to use?  Well, as I explained in my post on Scottish shortbread, I use Kerrygold Irish butter because it and other European style butters have more fat, and therefore more flavor, than American butter.  It's more expensive than store-brand butter, but after one bite of softer, more flavorful baked goods, your taste buds will definitely thank you!  That being said, American butter will also work, if you don't want to spend the extra money.

Potato Cakes With Bacon and Cheddar

Mashed potatoes, fried with bacon and cheese.  What could
possibly go wrong?

Looking for a way to use up those leftover mashed potatoes from your St Patrick's Day feast?  While you could just make a huge batch of corned beef hash, why not do something a little more elegant?  These potato cakes with bacon, cheese, and snipped chives are perfect for brunch, lunch, or dinner, served with some greens and your favorite veggie.  They're also extremely easy to make, and are a convenient way or using up leftover mash (I always make too much).  If you don't have a lot of extra mashed potatoes sitting around, you are, of course, welcome to make a fresh batch for this recipe, but keep in mind they'll be too sticky if they don't have a chance to cool a bit before mixing in the bacon.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
• 6 strips of bacon
• 1/2 cup grated white cheddar cheese (I used Dubliner)
• 2 tbs snipped fresh chives
• Flour, for dusting
• 1 tbs butter

Instructions:

First, fry the bacon in a medium or large frying pan until crispy.  Remove from the pan and place on paper towels to cool.  Reserve the fat in the pan.  While the bacon cools, grate the cheese and wash and cut the chives.  Mix them with the potatoes in a medium bowl.  When the bacon is cool, crumble it and add it to the potato mixture.

With lightly floured hands, form the mixture into six 3-inch diameter, 1 inch thick cakes.  Dust each cake lightly with flour.  Reheat the bacon fat and butter on medium heat.*  Fry the cakes in batches so they have plenty of space in the pan until golden brown, about seven minutes per side.  Serve hot.


These are an absolutely delicious appetizer, or serve portions of 2 cakes alongside a salad of spring greens and watercress for lunch or a light dinner.

*Chef's tip: you don't want to start cooking in fat that isn't hot enough yet, because the cakes will absorb the fat, stick to the pan, and fall apart.  You can tell when it's ready by dropping a small piece of potato in the pan.  If it sinks to the bottom, the fat isn't hot enough yet.  If it doesn't sink, and the fat bubbles up around it, you can put the cakes in the pan.

Irish (American) Soda Bread, Version II

My first Irish (American) soda bread experiment was absolutely delicious, and I would definitely make it again, but the bread turned out much softer and springier than I had expected, and I felt it could do with a little more fruit.  Somehow, it just wasn't quite like the soda bread I used to buy this time of year from a local bakery.  So, naturally, I decided to give it another try, especially since I needed some bread for my St Patrick's Day breakfast anyway.

This time, I took the same simple white soda bread recipe I used last time, and added currants and a little sugar.  I hoped leaving out the egg I used last time would result in something with the texture of a basic soda bread, and the sugar and currants would add just enough sweetness to the finished product.

It turned out wonderfully!  It's just sweet enough, but still has the texture of traditional soda bread.  Perfect for breakfast, with lots of butter!


Ingredients:

• 2 cups AP flour
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/3 cup dried currants

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Flour a baking sheet.  Combine flour, sugar, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl.  Add buttermilk and stir until just combined.  Fold in currants.  Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and form into a round loaf.  Place loaf on the floured baking sheet, cut a deep cross in the top (at least half way through), and bake in the preheated oven 30-40 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and makes a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.  Allow to cool slightly before serving.

St Patrick's Day Explained

Parades are a major part of modern St Patrick's Day celebrations,
but how traditional are they?

Today, St Patrick's Day (at least in the US) is that one day a year when everyone's Irish.  Millions of Americans, regardless of whether they have Irish blood or not, celebrate by wearing green, drinking, watching parades, and carrying on in dozens of ways that the Roman missionary we're meant to be celebrating probably would not have understood.  In Chicago, they even dye the river green, which really would have confused our ancestors.

The holy day devoted to a British saint has also managed to become a celebration of Irish nationalism, which is a cause for much confusion among those who don't know a lot of the history of this unusual holiday.  And then there are the debates as to whether it's actually appropriate to wear any orange on St Patrick's day; some say we should be wearing "St Patrick's blue" instead, and then there are those who wear Scottish kilts and insist that it's really a celebration of all things Celtic.  And then there are the food and beverage debates: corned beef and cabbage or Guinness beef stew?  Green beer, Guinness, or whiskey cocktails?  There's really no end to the confusion.

So how should one celebrate?  That really depends largely on personal preference, but I'll try to explain the origins of the more common traditions here to help everyone make more educated choices about how they spend the day.

The Basics: Who, Exactly, Are We Celebrating?

The best place to start is with a little history.  Who, exactly, are we celebrating, and was St Patrick actually English, as some claim?  The second question is simpler to answer: no.  St Patrick was likely born somewhere on the east coast of Great Britain, likely south of Hadrian's Wall (so not in Scotland*), and probably in north Wales, or near modern-day Liverpool.  However, even if he was born in what is now England, he cannot have been English because the English did not exist yet.

The Angles and Saxons, who invaded the southern part of Great Britain in the 5th century and imparted their language, religion, and genes to many subsequent generations of English men and women, had not yet arrived on the island when St Patrick was born around 385 AD.  Therefore he wasn't English.  Furthermore, his parents were either Romans (from southern continental Europe- more likely French or Italian than English), or romanized Britons (Celts, from modern-day England or Wales, and culturally and genetically closer to the modern Welsh and Bretons than to the English).

All the accounts agree that St Patrick's father was a Roman official in the late 4th century.  From there, we can infer that Patrick was from a fairly wealthy family, and that he was probably well educated.  This also tells us that Patrick was almost certainly raised as a Christian, since the emperor Constantine had declared Christianity the state religion of Rome in 380 AD, a few years before Patrick's birth.

Genteel as Patrick's upbringing likely was (by Roman standards, anyway), the late 4th century was a difficult time for the Roman Empire.  While the south had been shaken by civil wars, one of which had brought Constantine to power, the edges of the empire were beginning to crumble.  Attacks by the Germanic tribes across the Rhine were becoming common, as were raids from Scotland (Alba to the Romans) and Ireland (confusingly called Scotia by the Romans, but that's a different can of worms I won't be opening just now).

Just like the Viking raiders a few centuries later, the Irish raiders of the 4th century were after anything of value, whether it be gold, livestock, or slaves.  Patrick was captured in one such raid as a young teenager, and spent the next several years as a slave herding sheep somewhere in the north of Ireland, probably in county Armagh, Antrim, or Down.  The legend goes that durring those several years alone with a bunch of sheep, Patrick started hearing the voice of God, and that the voice helped him to escape by stowing away on a ship transporting some Wolfhounds to Britain and on to the rest of the Roman Empire, where they were highly prized.

Now in his early twenties, Patrick, made much more pious by his experiences, began studying for the priesthood, possibly in Gaul (modern France), at which point, the voices came back.  This time, Patrick believed he was being called to convert the Irish to his faith, so he rather bravely decided to become a missionary, a life choice likely to get you beheaded or burnt alive in the early 5th century.  So Patrick set out for Ireland, willingly this time, and set about converting the population with the help of the local flora and fauna.

While Patrick did not convert the entire island overnight by banishing all the snakes (there weren't any to begin with), he was much more successful than could have been hoped.  Patrick set up a church in Armagh and managed to convert many of the local tribes.  The fact that he understood the culture and spoke the language was certainly helpful, and in this case at least, the process of conversion was quite peaceful, and tolerant of those who did not convert.  Many pagan customs were retained, including the harvest festival Samhain, which became All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween, in the Christian tradition.  These additions, plus the inherent Celtic love of learning, resulted in a distinctly Irish form of Christianity that would make the so-called Dark Ages after the fall of Rome much less dark in Ireland than elsewhere.  Patrick is known to have advocated for peace between the warring tribes and small kingdoms of Ireland, with some success, and frequently spoke out against slavery, also fairly successfully.  We also know that unlike most 5th century missionaries, St Patrick managed not to be martyred; his feast day on March 17 is said to be the date of his death (of natural causes, at a very advanced age) sometime in the mid 5th century.

So here we have an advocate for peace and champion of the oppressed who encouraged education and was very tolerant of other cultures.  It's no wonder he's such a popular saint.  He sounds like the sort of person a lot of politicians want us to think they are.

*Some sources say he was born near Dumbarton, Scotland, but most agree he was from farther south.

This Sounds Like a Religious Holiday.  Is the Drinking Really Appropriate?

Note the enormous mugs of beer.  Before John
Calvin ruined everyone's fun in the 16th
century, people partied a lot more than we do
today.

If I had a dollar for every time someone said St Patrick would probably be rolling in his grave if he knew what we do in his honor every year… But really, those who think that celebrating every conceivable holiday by getting completely hammered is a modern phenomenon have clearly never seen a Bruegel painting.  In fact, before the advent of Calvinism, the extremist Protestantism that gave us the Puritans, Methodists, and other religious groups who believed alcohol to be sinful beginning in the 16th century, almost every feast day involved outrageous amounts of drinking.

Realistically, the average medieval peasant could probably drink the average modern frat boy under the table.  The medieval calendar was full of saint's days and other feast days, all celebrated with copious amounts of alcohol.  St Patrick's Day will not have been any different in the middle ages, and late Roman era when the saint was alive will have been much the same.  Christian or no, Romans were Romans, and very capable of out-partying us today.  So feel free to drink as much as you want on the 17th.  St Patrick probably did.

So How Did A Religious Holiday Become So Nationalist?

Well, this process began in the 18th century, when Irish soldiers in the British army would organize parades on this day to express their national identity.  The predominantly Catholic and often Gaelic speaking Irish saw themselves as different from the British regiments they were serving alongside, and being Irish, they did their best to show it.  

While in Ireland, St Patrick's Day remained a minor religious observance until the mid 20th century, Irish emigrants abroad, especially in North America, continued the tradition of taking advantage of their national saint's day to celebrate their heritage.  This was partly because most 19th century emigrants felt that they had been forced out of their homes, whether by famine or poverty or religious persecution; the Gaelic word for emigrant really translates to "exile".  

The nationalism took on new dimensions in the nineteen-teens and twenties, when Irish nationalist groups started raising money in the US to fund a war against the English (which they won in 1921).  The nationalism has dropped off a bit as the holiday has become more of an excuse for anyone, Irish or not, to get very drunk, but it's still also an excuse for Irish Americans to show their pride.  

The Great Color Debate: Green or Blue?  

Around this time of year, any number of news sites will post a St Patrick's day article giving cursory explanations of a few traditions associated with the patron saint of Ireland, not unlike what you're reading right now.  Many of those will almost gleefully point out that all the revelers out in green on the 17th are doing it wrong, and that the color traditionally associated with St Patrick is blue, not green.  This confusion is likely the result of inadequate research and oversimplification.  

It's true that the Order of Saint Patrick, created by the English in the 18th century as the highest chivalric order in Ireland, essentially equivalent to the Order of the Garter in England, wears blue, and that this blue is referred to as "St Patrick's blue" in many English and Anglo-Irish accounts.  However, this tradition is of Anglo-Irish origin, and only dates from about 1780.  (For those who don't know, the Anglo-Irish were the Protestant English ruling class imposed on Ireland beginning in the Tudor era in the 16th century.)  Some 18th century accounts actually suggest that blue was chosen instead of green or orange because those colors already had the strong political associations they carry in Ireland today.  

Furthermore, we have it from a few 17th century accounts that some Irish Catholics (whose holiday this was to begin with) were already wearing shamrocks and green rosettes on St Patrick's Day then, and the practice was certainly widespread by the 19th century, when it was documented on both sides of the Atlantic.  In other words, the "wearin' o' the green" actually predates "St Patrick's Blue."  So as far as I with my Irish Catholic heritage am concerned, green is more correct than blue, especially given the nationalist dimensions of this holiday, but if you happen to know that your Irish ancestors were Anglos (unlikely- they weren't starved out during the famine), blue might be the more appropriate choice for you, but expect to spend the day explaining yourself, and probably being pinched.  Most ordinary party-goers aren't aware of the Anglo tradition, after all.   

And as to Orange…

As you may have noticed, one third of the Irish flag is orange, but some people get very touchy about those who choose to wear green on St Patrick's Day.  What is this all about?

Well, as I've discussed in much more detail elsewhere, the British Parliament deposed the last of the Stuart kings, James II, for religious reasons in 1688.  James was a Catholic, and therefore had a lot of supporters in Ireland, so he fled there after he was deposed and raised an army to try to get his crown back.  The new king of England, James's Protestant son-in-law William of Orange, responded by invading.  William was able to muster some support from the Scots-Irish, descendants of Presbyterian Scots who had been granted land in northern Ireland in an attempt at preventing future uprisings back in 1603, and who supported Protestant rule.  Irish Presbyterians have been called "Orange" or "Orangemen" ever since in reference to their support of King William III ever since.

The Orangemen have always supported English rule in Ireland.  When the nationalist movement began to gain momentum in the early 20th century, the Orangemen opposed it, and even went so far as to raise their own volunteer force to fight against the IRA during the Anglo-Irish War (1918-21).  They are represented in the Irish flag (adopted by the rebels in the Easter 1916 Rising) in an attempt at reconciliation: the green represents Gaelic tradition, orange for the Orangemen, and white for peace between them.

That peace has been elusive, and the religious division has politically divided the island.  The vast majority of Irish Presbyterians are still in the northeast, the bit of the island still under English rule, where they account for slightly more than half the population.  Yet less than one quarter of the population of the entire island is Presbyterian, and in the independent Republic of Ireland, they are less than 6% of the total, while 87% are Catholic and the majority of Protestants are Anglican.

Realistically, there aren't very many "Orange" Irish, and they certainly wouldn't want to be represented on an Irish nationalist holiday- generations of Orangemen have fought against Irish nationalism.  So if the orange in question is on, say, a Guinness t-shirt or an Irish flag scarf, by all means, wear it.  If, however, you're trying to decide whether it's more appropriate to wear your orange shoes or your black ones, wear the black.  We wear green on St Patrick's Day to support Irish nationalism, so the orange of the flag is fine, but if it's in just about any other form, it's the color of the opposition.  It's a bit like wearing blue to the Republican national convention, only with a lot more beer.

And What's With the Kilts and Bagpipes?  I Thought They Were Scottish.

Pipers in the New York St Patrick's Day parade.

If you thought the kilt and the pipes were Scottish, you were absolutely right.  They are.  What you see above are pipers marching in the New York City St Patrick's Day parade.  Note the bearskin (funny hat), fly plaid (piece that goes across the chest and over the shoulder), sporran (fluffy purse thing in front), and kilt.  The uniform of this and most other pipe bands is actually borrowed from 18th and 19th century military uniforms, worn by the Highland regiments of the British army.  And those uniforms were essentially a formalized form of traditional Highland dress (furry hats aside).  All in all, that's rather an odd sight to see marching down a street in New York in honor of Ireland's patron saint, isn't it?  Shouldn't they be wearing tweed jackets and Wellies?

The confusion here seems to date from the around the turn of the 20th century.  At that time, the Gaelic League and other Irish nationalist groups set about trying to revive traditions that had been banned by the English centuries before.  They learned the Irish language, used Gaelic spellings of names, and wrote down ancient myths and fairy tales.  Some also started wearing kilts, on the assumption that what was traditional in (Gaelic) Scotland must also have been traditional in Gaelic Ireland.  And while traditional dress was well-documented in Scotland, having only been banned from 1747-82, while it had been illegal in Ireland since the 16th century, and therefore less was known.  What we do know about Gaelic dress in Ireland before the ban is that it generally involved a long linen tunic and some sort of cloak or blanket, often in checkered material.  It's thought that late 19th and early 20th century readers confused this with the Scottish kilt and plaid, though in fact those evolved in Scotland out of a similar tunic-and-blanket sometime after the ban on Gaelic dress in Ireland.  Whatever its origins, the tradition stuck in the US, and kilts are now everywhere on St Patrick's Day, and at Irish festivals all over the country.  

So if you have a kilt, and you're dying to wear it, don't let the fact that it's not really Irish stop you.  At worst, you're showing solidarity with your fellow Celts, and I promise the girls will love it.  However, you really needn't spend the money (they're bloody expensive!) to show off your Irish heritage.  

 Bagpipes are another matter entirely.  While the Great Highland pipes most modern pipe bands carry are the Scottish variety, bagpipes date at least to ancient Egypt, and have been common in Ireland for a few thousand years.  what you usually see in Ireland, though, are the smaller uilleann pipes.  They're not nearly as loud as the Highland pipes, and therefore more suited to playing indoors to an audience than they are to using on the battlefield.  If you manage to find a properly traditional musical performance this weekend, chances are excellent you'll see someone play the uilleann pipes.

Enough About Fashion.  Isn't This A Food Blog?  What Should I Eat?

Pictured: Not Actually Irish

Well, the traditional St Patrick's Day meal is corned beef and cabbage, usually accompanied by potatoes.  If you're interested enough to have sifted through my rants about color, you probably already knew that.  What you might not have known, though, is that this dish, like most of the other common St Patrick's Day traditions in the US, originated in North America, probably in the 19th century.  It's almost nonexistent in Ireland, where the closest equivalent is bacon and cabbage, though that has no particular association with this holiday.  This holiday is traditionally celebrated with a family meal on both sides of the Atlantic, so just pick something something Irish, and enjoy!  My personal favorites are beef and Guinness stew and Dublin coddle, one of which I'll try to post before the 17th.  Bangers and mash is also a good option, if a little less distinctly Irish.  At the very least, I'd recommend toasting a slice of Irish soda bread (or the Irish American version) with your eggs and bacon that morning, before going out to the pub.  You'll need something to absorb all the beer, after all!

And Speaking of Beer…

Pictured: Even Less Irish

Well, I should hope that drinking the horrifying green watery stuff isn't on your agenda, for starters.  Granted, most of the American light beers that's made with could benefit from a little color, but I'd much rather it came from a darker malt, not from artificial coloring.  Green beer is one tradition that's purely American, with no Irish roots at all.  The beers used are almost always lagers, since they're light in color, which are German in origin, and only became popular in the US after prohibition.  

If you do plan on making your own green beer at home, there is an Irish lager available in the US- Harp- though it's a bit more expensive than, say, Coors light.  You could also go for a craft lager, which will also be more expensive than Coors or Bud.  Just remember as you hand over the credit card that your taste buds will thank you later.  Assuming you do go with a tastier beer, though, I wouldn't even bother with the food coloring.  Just show off your good taste, instead.  If you really prefer lagers, that is.  

For the last generation or two, the best selling beers in America have been lagers, but this was partly due to a lack of much of anything else on the American market.  From the end of prohibition until the 1980's or so, Guinness, Bass, and a few other Irish and British imports were among the very few ales available in the US, and they could be difficult to find.  But as craft breweries began to spring up all over the country, and particularly in the west, America's palate began to change.  In the last few decades, lagers have dropped in popularity while ales- defined as anything made with top-fermenting yeast, therefore ranging from pale ales to imperial stouts- have gained a much stronger following.  

So if you think you don't like beer, but your only point of reference is the Miller Lite your dad buys or the PBR your roommate brought to parties in college, you may want to consider giving Guinness a try. You may find, like a lot of people have, that you just don't like lager.  Or if Guinness is too dark for you, there are Irish red ales like Smithwick's and Kilkenny.  They're less intensely flavored than stout, but they're more traditional, having been brewed since the 17th century, when stout emerged in the 18th.  

Don't like ales either?  Gluten-free?  Allergic to hops?  Well, there is one last option: cider.  It's made from apples, so there's no gluten, naturally, without sacrificing any flavor.  It's also native to the British isles- it's been brewed in Ireland for thousands of years- and it's associated with St Patrick, who some say planted apple trees in Ireland.  It's sweet and refreshing, and comes in pints, which make it a perfect alternative to beer, especially for wine drinkers.  

For more on Irish beers, as well as food pairings, click here.

Last But Not Least: Spirits And Cocktails.

If you think think this
is traditional, you
haven't been paying
attention.  

You know all those green cocktails you see everywhere this time of year?  Well, this will come as no surprise if you've read this far, but none of those are actually Irish.  While cocktails have been around since the mid 19th century or so, mixed drinks have only just begun to catch on in Europe.  They're certainly nowhere near as popular over there as they are in the US.  This is a legacy of prohibition; while alcohol was illegal in the US, high quality spirits were difficult to come by, so mixing was a way of covering up the unpleasant taste of bathtub gin.  Cocktails maintained their popularity after prohibition ended, and many Americans still prefer them to beer or wine.  Therefore a cocktail has been devised for every occasion, and St Patrick's Day is no different.  Green drinks abound, and while many of them undoubtedly taste better than green beer, they're no more authentic.  

Of course, there are genuinely Irish spirits, if that's your preference.  Whiskey was invented in Ireland in the early middle ages (by monks, of course), and Ireland still produces some of the best whiskeys in the world.  Irish whiskey has the double advantage of being less expensive and more approachable than Scotch, tending toward smoother, more vanilla-y flavors, though if you're used to Bourbon, Irish whiskey won't be as sweet.  Traditionally, whiskey was drunk neat, or with a little water, though you'll find it in lots of mixed drinks today.

That's just a basic overview of some of the major St Patrick's Day traditions here in the US.  There are plenty of others, but if I explained all of them in detail, you'd be reading this all weekend, which would defeat the entire purpose of this article.  The whole point is to enable you to enjoy the holiday, however you choose to celebrate (and maybe impress your friends with some trivia).  As the festivities kick off tonight and continue through Tuesday, I hope you enjoy pleasant weather for outdoor activities, good company and (of course!) good food and drink.  Have fun, and be safe!  Slainte!