Delicious Corned Beef Recipe....Just in time

Irish Blessing

May you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live.



 We await all year long for today. 

 The annual invitation to Bill and Marijo's for St. Patrick's Day feast. At the end of this post I'll include Marijo's Corned Beef Del Monaco. You'll want to try this melt-in-your-mouth corned beef, the best corned beef I've ever tasted.

Every year at the appointed hour, a bottle of whisky in hand, we walk the short distance between our front door and Marijo's, usually through snow or the tattered remains of snow covering the lawn like a blanket dirty with age. 

Chilled from the brief walk, we welcome the merry fire in the grate, the air spiced with beef brisket.

Bill fills our glasses. We drink, share stories, laugh.

Finally it's TIME!

Bill carries the platter of corned beef and cabbage.

Marijo follows with bowls of Irish soda bread and roasted potatoes.

The table is set with Marijo's best silver 

and china--cheery with strawberry and ivy pattern.

The corned beef melts in the mouth. Glasses are refilled.  Will we have more potatoes? Yes! and cabbage? Why not? A little more corned beef? Oh my, yes!

Do you know St. Patrick's Story?

Irish raiders kidnapped a teenage St. Patrick, taking him from England to Ireland.  There, St. Patrick was forced to become a shepherd.  After six years of slavery, God spoke to St. Patrick, urging him to flee to the coast.

Heeding God's call, St Patrick found a ship on the coast waiting to take him home.

Safely back in England, St. Patrick became a priest. Again feeling God's call, he returned to Ireland to Christianize the Pagan population.

March holds spring's promise.

Hope, freedom, reunion, redemption, new beginnings--St. Patrick's tale contains all of the elements that March and second chances promise.

St. Patrick's dinner with Bill and Marijo is a treasured tradition in our house celebrating another year of friendship and the promise of spring and good-will.

As promised here is Marijo's recipe for the best corned beef you will ever try!

Marijo's Corned Beef

Del Monaco (serves 6)

1 5-6 lbs boneless brisket or bottom round corned beef

2 cups white wine

½ cup onion

¼ tsp garlic powder

2 stalks celery

1 bay leaf

1 orange rind

2 whole cloves

¼ tsp cinnamon

4-5 drops Tabasco sauce.

Cover brisket completely with cold

water. Bring to boil and simmer 15 minutes. Drain and discard water. Re-cover with water and following ingredients:

white wine . onion, finely chopped . garlic powder . Celery . Bay leaf . orange with rind, sliced . whole cloves . Cinnamon .Tabasco sauce

Cover and simmer 3-3 1/2 hours.

Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!