When most people think of St. Patrick's Day, the first three things that come to mind are wearing green, drinking heavily and eating corned beef and cabbage. While this line of thinking almost certainly simplifies the holiday, it definitely underestimates the extent of Irish fare.
Pork has been a favorite in Ireland since the earliest times. According to Tara Gleeson, writer for an organization called Local Ireland, it often comes in the form of Irish bacon, which is extremely salty.
\It is usually served with cabbage, frequently boiled in the bacon water for extra flavor,"" Gleeson said. ""As with most food traditions in Ireland, the serving of bacon and cabbage on St Patrick's Day is starting to fade.""
This bacon is still very commonly served, however, as part of a traditional Irish breakfast. Although many of the basic ingredients are similar to breakfast in the United States, the end result is quite different. The Irish breakfast, sometimes known as an Ulster Fry, includes bacon, sausages, mushrooms, eggs and black pudding.
""[Black pudding] is a sausage made of pig's blood mixed with oats, salt, onions and spices,"" Gleeson explained. ""The pudding is normally fried and is an essential part of a traditional Irish breakfast.""
This fried mixture is then fried again with the other meat and the mushrooms and served with a fried egg and soda bread.
Soda bread became a popular Irish side-dish when soda was introduced as a raising agent in the 19th century. There are both white and wheat versions of the bread, each made with wheat flour and either butter or sour milk. Another version of the bread, called ""spotted dog,"" includes raisins.
This famous bread is also served alongside Irish dinners. According to Emerald Tiger, an independent Web site devoted to all things Irish, one of the best known meals is Irish stew with soda bread. While the stew was traditionally made with goat or kid, it is now commonly made with lamb. The meat is simply layered with potatoes and onions and cooked with spices and water.
""Irish stew is best prepared several hours or the day before as it often tastes better having been reheated,"" Emerald Tiger reports. ""[A] popular alternative is to substitute a quantity of the water with Guinness."" What an excellent idea.
If you want to try some Irish stew but will not be heading to Ireland any time soon, you have a number of St. Patrick's Day options here in Madison.
Irish Waters Restaurant and Tavern, 702 N. Whitney Way, provides the full experience. You can choose from traditional Irish stew, potato soup, Blarney sandwiches (made with beef or chicken, bacon and Dublin cheese) or order the St. Patrick's Day special. This gets you corned beef and cabbage with glazed carrots, baby red potatoes, and soda bread for just over $10. Whatever you choose, wash it down with Guinness and Bailey's specials from the bar and check out the live music from the Zor Shrinre Pipes and Drums beginning at 5:15 p.m.
If you are looking for something a little closer to campus, you have plenty of choices. The Great Dane Pub and Brewery, 123 E. Doty St., will be serving corned beef and cabbage and Irish stew. The bar also plans on serving green beer to put patrons in the holiday spirit.
Jordan's Big Ten Pub, 1330 Regent St., will also have corned beef and cabbage and green beer for customers.
Closer to downtown, Amy's Caf, 414 W. Gilman, will feature a corned beef reuben sandwich and pints of Guinness and Harp for around $1.
Finally, the Echo Tap, 554 W. Main St., will offer the hearty traditional fare: $3.50 pints of Guinness, corned beef and cabbage.
For those of you who love St. Patrick's Day but have no interest in Irish food, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate. Buffalo Wild Wings is selling 23oz. glasses of Guinness for $4.25 all night long. If beer is not your style, the City Bar, 636 State St., can make you one of three special St. Patrick's Day martinis-try a Lucky Charm, a kelly green blend of cream mint liqueur and vodka. While many of the other downtown bars have yet to decide on their specific drink specials, most are planning on having some.
If you'd rather party in the comfort of your own home, you can buy a keg of green beer. University Avenue Liquor, 525 University Ave.., is taking orders for quarter and half barrels of green Miller Lite until March 15.
Finally, if you want to celebrate but choose not to be wasted, try a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's. The mint-flavored special costs from $2 to $3 and will be available through the holiday.
If this article got you all excited about having some Irish fun in Madison until you realized you will actually be on vacation next Wednesday, there is still good news! Wando's will be throwing a second-chance St. Patrick's Day party the following Wednesday, March 24th. So fear not: No matter where you are on March 17th, you can still wear your green with the best of them when you get back. A toast to ye and happy eating!
