Happy St. Patrick's Day from the Geaghans!

Yeah, I had some fun with photoshop. I really should have added mr. kitty in here somewhere, but what can you do. We couldn't find a tiny orange beard for him and I'm loathe to spend money on non-necessary items for him - like silly hats and bow-ties. If I had a green ribbon, that would have worked. Anyway, first St. Patrick's day with an Irish name! Woo hoo! And I think it helped in my corned beef and cabbage dinner.

So, I think this started in 2006 when I decided to corn my own beef. We get a brisket from Grazin Angus Acres (this year was a 5lb year - I definitely wanted leftovers.). Corning times vary - I've done a little as three days to 3 weeks before. This year, I had a week and half. It is essentially a brined brisket - water, kosher salt, and pickling spices. I crush pickling spices in my mortar and pestle to break up the aromatics - don't really know if this does anything, but I feel like a medieval apothecary whenever I use the mortar and pestle. Rub the powdery goodness all over the brisket and toss it in the salty water. The stock pot then moves into our chilly back area (we are lucky to have a chilly area in the back of our apartment to store the brisket because there is never enough room in the fridge!) A good paddle stir once a day and we get a delicious corned brisket ready for the big day!

I started cooking the brisked yesterday around 7:30am - before I left for work. I know - the brisket is not so lovely in the le creuset (or at least SOME people might not see this delicious hunk o meat as lovely). I hope that the delicious aroma gave my sleepy Irish husband lovely dreams.

Tim had quite an adventure at the New York Public Library and the Union Square Farmers Market yesterday - since the St' Patty's Day parade starts at 5th Avenue and 44th street - two blocks from the library. Poor researcher trying to do work among the party people. But the sight was nice according to him - a sea of green people. I think I even forgot to ask him if he accomplished his task at the library. Maybe? It would have been hard for me. He even spotted some of the orthodox Jewish residents in our neighborhood wearing shamrocks and green ties or shirts. On St. Patrick's Day, everyone is Irish.

Moving on - I got a text from Tim sometime yesterday afternoon - something that could have completely derailed our festivities - the farmers market didn't have cabbage. Gasp! Ol'reliable Key foods had some and in a late dash to the grocery after work, our dinner was saved. Just a few more shots of the Geaghan family St. Patty's Day - Here we see how happy Tim is that we found the cabbage. Remember to take your Beano! Tim! He was also the bar tender yesterday. We had a delicious Irish Red beer from Sly Fox called Seamus Irish Red - chosen with love and filled in the growler that he gets from Bierkraft in Brooklyn. It was so tasty - I had 1 1/2 glasses - and I drank from one of the Geaghan's pint glasses from Geaghan's Pub in Bangor, Maine (this was a lot for me).

If we could have been anywhere else yesterday, it would have been with the family at Geaghan's. We'll hopefully be with them sometime this summer. Geaghan's is super fun on St. Patrick's Day. I've only been once - 3 years ago now. But what a great time. I hope they had a great day yesterday!

While I completely forgot to take a picture of our finished meal (inner fat girl really wanted to eat), here it is cooking with all the delicious winter veggies. I think St. Patrick's day is really the day that we say goodbye to heavy winter foods. After we have leftovers - tonight is Reuben night! - I'm completely ready for asparagus, ramps, fiddle heads, and oysters. It's going to be around 70 degrees here today and I'm ready for sprouts. I'm longing for light greens and I think that the farmers market will be delighting my palate soon.

That's all for today kids. More news soon. We just got the cd of wedding pics from the Empire State building of photos from the day before the wedding. They're pretty cute. I'll post some over the weekend. Also - new blog name? I'm still not sure what to change it to...thoughts? Help?