Authentic St. Patrick’s Date Fare
St. Patrick’s Day is coming up and though we’re not all Irish, many of us can celebrate with the best of them. Whether your date is Irish or not, you might be thinking about going out for some Irish grub on this white, orange, and green day of all days, which can be a very enjoyable food to eat. That said, you don’t want to make the mistake and treat your date to some green beer and popcorn and call it an Irish food—unless both of you find it funny and ironic or something. Instead, take the proper precautions and find yourself something truly Irish to enjoy, such as…
Your local pub. Call around and see who has the most authentic Irish foods for sale. Find out if they have corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, or other customary favorites available. If not, they probably aren’t selling something authentic—and even if they are, it still may not be! Check out the restaurant’s online reviews or get recommendations from friends if you are truly not sure. Here in St. Louis, for example, you can be sure to get authentic foods from places like Growler’s or Llewellyn’s.
Your local supermarket. Many supermarkets have great deals on Irish foods at this time of year. They will either have pre-planned menus or packaged foods that you can order and simply re-heat, or recipes and recommendations for foods to purchase and prepare yourself. If you have zero familiarity with Irish foods, you might want to go for the former; it might be a little more expensive than what you’d normally like to spend, but it will probably be worth it in terms of food and flavor.
An Irish festival or parade nearby. In St. Louis, this is an annual event not to be missed! Many vendors may have foods for sale as they walk by, or you can visit their food and drink stands for an authentic Irish treat. Some of these may not be so authentic, but it will still be fun to sample their wares—and you will be able to see authentic Irish dancing and other performances while you are there.
Your nearby cooking school. We have several cooking schools around where I live that offer day-cooking classes for specific events or themes, such as Valentine’s Day or kid’s cooking classes. Call around and see if you have one, and if you do, if there is a St. Patrick’s Day menu or course for two available.