Who's cooking corned beef today?

[Jenise]

I am!

I love this annual ritual. I frequently change it up, though, and rarely do the exact same menu. Often, I put some other nationality's slant on it. This year, it's going to be Armenian complete with Armenian and Turkish wines. For an appetizer, preserved lemon/basmati rice/pine nut stuffed grape leaves. For the main meal: wagyu corned beef simmered with mint and paprika, charred carrots, bulgur wheat pilaf instead of potatoes, cabbage wedges done the traditional way, pickled radishes and turnips, grilled scallions. Irish soda bread with Irish butter on the side.

Me, me, me! I've been waiting for the last week for this day. Guinness for me on this special day. And I expect to make Irish soda bread, too.

I'm also drinking green tea this morning.

[Jenise]

Me, me, me! I've been waiting for the last week for this day. Guinness for me on this special day. And I expect to make Irish soda bread, too.

I'm also drinking green tea this morning.

I have spent the last hour perusing Irish soda bread recipes, and what it comes down to is that I don't especially like it. Too dry, too dense, too salty. And I think something with oats would be better than just plain with a bit of sugar to temper the salt. So am leaning that direction. While searching I saw a recipe for apple and cheddar scones that, I have to say, sounded like a tempting substitute.

I'm cooking mine on Saturday. My brother and his wife are coming over for dinner. This is getting to be a ritual. I think we're going on 4 years now.

Anyway, beef is in the fridge and will be ready on Friday. I still need to buy the potatoes and cabbage. Maybe pick up some stout.

J, I have been pondering the soda bread too. I'd like to make some but I don't know that it will add anything to the dinner.

[Jenise]

Dan, glad you'll have some family around. After the loss of a precious spouse, it's important to begin new traditions or continue the old with people who matter.

As for the soda bread, if it were just Bob and I--forget it. But with guests, it seems right to put something bready on the table so I'm going with the apple-cheddar (Irish!) scones. There won't be anyone here who will be able to say they have those all the time and are tired of them.

And I'm serving nothing but wine. One of the couples tonight have never been over before, but I remember Ruth mentioning in the one conversation we had three or four years ago that her wife only drinks beer. I should have bought some--oops!

Me, me, me! I've been waiting for the last week for this day. Guinness for me on this special day. And I expect to make Irish soda bread, too.

I'm also drinking green tea this morning.

I have spent the last hour perusing Irish soda bread recipes, and what it comes down to is that I don't especially like it. Too dry, too dense, too salty. And I think something with oats would be better than just plain with a bit of sugar to temper the salt. So am leaning that direction. While searching I saw a recipe for apple and cheddar scones that, I have to say, sounded like a tempting substitute.

You might like mine (Irish Brown Soda Bread). It's moist inside, made with a mix of AP and WW flour and some rolled oats. Three Tbs sugar, melted butter, buttermilk, and only 1.5 tsp salt.

[Jenise]

That does sound good, Larry, and reminds me of the one over the years that I did like. Had oats and some sweetness to it.

Burp! Today was carbs-be-damned day. I stuffed myself with corned beef, drank Guinness, and ate a couple of wedges of my soda bread (which was a big hit with Edie).

Yay for sweat pants! Now time for snooze. No blood in my cranium.

I'm also drinking green tea this morning.

Groan.

I have spent the last hour perusing Irish soda bread recipes, and what it comes down to is that I don't especially like it. Too dry, too dense, too salty. And I think something with oats would be better than just plain with a bit of sugar to temper the salt. So am leaning that direction. While searching I saw a recipe for apple and cheddar scones that, I have to say, sounded like a tempting substitute.

Well, it is dense but does not have to be dry or salty. I made some a few years ago with a buttermilk base, and I added orange zest, caraway seed, and raisins plumped in whiskey. Much more interesting than average. (Fresh rosemary would be good, too, but that's a different loaf.)

Well, it is dense but does not have to be dry or salty. I made some a few years ago with a buttermilk base, and I added orange zest, caraway seed, and raisins plumped in whiskey. Much more interesting than average. (Fresh rosemary would be good, too, but that's a different loaf.)

I've done the orange zest and raisins (or dried cranberries), but never caraway seeds. How does that taste? Now I'm wondering about orange zest and fennel seeds... Hmm, I'll have to try that.

Our monthly community lunch happened for fall on St Paddy day and the restaurant served us a Guinness beef pie which was delicious.

I've done the orange zest and raisins (or dried cranberries), but never caraway seeds. How does that taste? Now I'm wondering about orange zest and fennel seeds... Hmm, I'll have to try that.

I liked it. It took the orange in a spicy direction. Not sure I'm a fan of fennel in bread.

I've done the orange zest and raisins (or dried cranberries), but never caraway seeds. How does that taste? Now I'm wondering about orange zest and fennel seeds... Hmm, I'll have to try that.

I liked it. It took the orange in a spicy direction. Not sure I'm a fan of fennel in bread.

I made a boo-boo in my original post. I meant to say, "Now I'm wondering about orange zest and caraway seeds." (I've made the orange zest/fennel seed combo many times.)

Try orange zest and a little fennel seed in your bread sometime (it won't taste like licorice). I think it's a great flavor combo, and the people I give loaves to say the same thing. Sometimes I also add a bit of ground cardamom or ground coriander seed, which supplements the orange zest.

[Jenise]

The caraway seed thing is a popular option, it's in dozens of the recipes I reviewed.

But: my apple-cheese scones? OH DEAR GOD. We fought over them. The recipe's one of the keeperest of keepers I've tried in awhile. I'll post the recipe.

Dan, glad you'll have some family around. After the loss of a precious spouse, it's important to begin new traditions or continue the old with people who matter.

As for the soda bread, if it were just Bob and I--forget it. But with guests, it seems right to put something bready on the table so I'm going with the apple-cheddar (Irish!) scones. There won't be anyone here who will be able to say they have those all the time and are tired of them.

And I'm serving nothing but wine. One of the couples tonight have never been over before, but I remember Ruth mentioning in the one conversation we had three or four years ago that her wife only drinks beer. I should have bought some--oops!

Thanks Jenise, I have a large family, although it is getting smaller, so it doesn't take much for us to get together. Unfortunately, there are only a couple of us that like the CB&C. More for us. I'm hoping I can attract a bigger crowd for Easter dinner.

Dinner was great! I sent the others home with enough for another meal and had some for myself.

I had to go shopping on Saturday, so I picked up a loaf of soda bread. I'm sure home made would have been better, but It filled the void.

I was a little surprised at the grocery store (more of a high-end farm stand). It was the Saturday after St Paddy's day and they were still \selling the corned beef at full price. I would have picked one up for the freezer (it make create backed beans) but not at that price.