Going back to the archives today for a little taste of Ireland. This recipe was inspired by a trip to and Irish pub at Downtown Disney in Orlando,FL. This year I will not be in Florida for St.Patty's Day, but gathering with some neighbors for a pint and an Irish dinner.
Inspiration for new recipe ideas and blogs come from many different places. I am always on the lookout for a new story to tell and a new dish to create. Some weeks, this comes easier than others. The past few days for me have been filled with Cheerleading, Disney World and long hours in the car. As you can imagine, none of these events, as fun as they were, really got my culinary creative juices flowing. I was beginning to think I was going to have to fashion some quinoa and kale into a Mickey silhouette. As luck would have it, my idea came to fruition on our last evening in Orlando.
We had dinner at the Raglan Road Irish Pub in Downtown Disney. Our group was weary from the weekend's activities and were happy to sit down to a meal that was not being carried to the table on a plastic tray. Truly, I was at the point of wondering whether or not I still knew how to use a knife and a fork.
Our drinks arrived along with a beautiful loaf of hearty, still warm, bread. The bread was accompanied by what appeared to be a saucer of olive oil and balsamic for dipping. As it turns out, this was no ordinary oil and vinegar dipping sauce. It was in fact, according to our waitress, a reduction of Guinness and brown sugar that was floating on top of the oil. Unfortunately for my table mates, they got to spend the next thirty minutes listening to me talk about how great the bread and the dipping sauce were. I savored each taste of the oil and Guinness concoction as if it were a fine wine. I loved the sweetness of the brown sugar and the underlying tang of the beer. The whole time I kept thinking of how great this syrupy mixture would taste on a stack of pancakes or french toast. My friend Emily, suggested that I recreate this for my blog. Great idea! So much better than a Mickey shaped quinoa burger and certainly appropriate for the upcoming St. Patrick's Day holiday this weekend.
So, instead of pancakes or french toast, I opted for a more hearty and stick to your ribs kind of dish. I chose steel cut oatmeal as the perfect vehicle for this intoxicating elixir. Okay, and who am I kidding, if you are embarking on a days of St. Paddy's Day shenanigans, a nice bowl of oatmeal in the tummy provides a lovely base/sponge for the festivities ahead.
Have a safe and happy St. Patrick's Day and remember to make every plate something to be passionate about!
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine