Get Your Irish Up
SherriDevine
Posted: Mar 13, 08 3:06pm 
Ye Olde Irish Car BombIs everybody looking forward to St. Patrick's Day? Got your corned beef and cabbage ready to go? Or maybe a nice fish chowder? Yeah, right. Like it's the food that's really important. Even the Catholic Church is moving the celebration of the saint's day ahead a week or so to not interfere with Holy Week, just in case somebody gave up booze for lent. I am not one of those people. I am also not Irish, my last name being marriage-derived. But I don't particularly like going out on St. Patrick's Day. There's too many cops and too many amateur drinkers tossing back green beer and other abhorrations. So I'm checking my alcohol stores to make sure I have the following must-haves to celebrate the holiday: I like to start with an Irish Car Bomb.For this rich and creamy concoction, you'll need a pint glass half-filled with Guinness. Then pour a shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey into a shot glass till it's about a half inch from the top. Pour some Baileys Irish Cream to fill the remainder of said shot glass. Then drop the shot glass into the Guinness and drink away. The men I drink with race each other to finish first, but being a lady (cough) I drink mine slowly, but you still need to drink the entire thing straight down. Otherwise the ingredients tend to curdle which is a definite buzz kill. So is tipping your glass too enthusiastically and having the shot glass hit your teeth.Next on the menu comes a Smithwick's(pronounced Smith-icks), an ancient Irish Beer, accompanied by a shot of either Bushmill's or Jameson Whiskey. It's important not to get carried away at this stage. Remember the old adage, "Beer then whiskey, kinda risky. Whiskey then beer, never fear." So I drink them together to push the envelope just a little bit.At this point in my imbibing, I start to take the above adage seriously and just move to beer. A Black and Tan/Half and Half is always good (there are many arguments about which of these names is correct which I don't really want to get in to). That would be a pint glass with half Guinness and half Harp, but to get the full effect make sure to pour the Harp first so the Guinness floats on top. And a final note to the wise:Stay away from the Irish Coffee. We used to joke that this cocktail contained all 4 food groups: alcohol, sugar, caffeine and fat. But I've found at my age this combination is lethal and a horrible night of tossing and turning will ensue. You've been warned.That's my plan so far. Am I missing anything? What are you guys up to? Have Something to Say? | ADVERTISEMENT  |
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Posted: Mar 14, 08 10:16pm
Sherri, top of the proverbial evening to you. I'd like to correct, and partly verify, what you've so eloquently written about:
I've consulted with my closest Irish friend (your husband, Ed) and a "Black and Tan" is a Guiness and a Bass, a "arf and arf" is a Guiness and a Harp Lager.
Simply put, the "heavier" beer (in the case of Guiness and Harp, the Harp is heavier) needs to be poured first and the lighter, that is, by specific gravity, needs to be poured gently on top.
Imagine pouring water on top of maple syrup; The water would easily float on top. This is the same as pouring lighter beer on slightly heavier beer, they will stay separate if you are careful.
When it all comes down to it though, what beer you vertically pair with another beer is purely your own hedonic choice. Frankly, I like to start with a good "Pilsener" style parfait looking glass, pour some good Chocolate Stout in the bottom, float an honest raspberry lager(and I suspect that a lot of you will write about this, but I said an HONEST raspeberry lager, like Great Basin Brewing makes- with real raspberries) and then on top of that, float a summery wheat. Simply fucking wonderful.
C'lantia (or however you spell that) & Cheers!
Posted: Mar 14, 08 10:49pm
Hey look, it's an arf-moon tonight!
Posted: Mar 16, 08 11:40pm
Jeff, your vertical pairing (what's a pairing of three called?) sounds like some kind of lovely, beer-based neapolitan. Put me down for one, wouldja?
Posted: Mar 14, 08 11:29pm
Yumm!
Say, did you know John Jameson was Marconi's grandfather?
Posted: Mar 15, 08 2:51pm
You have to start with an Irish breakfast. Bacon, eggs, toast, black and white pudding and lots of tea or coffee.
Then on to the booze. Later corn beef and cabbage and back to the drink. Maybe a Shepherd's Pie later on.
We were having a discussion at my local about if it was better to take off Monday to party or Tuesday to recover. There was no clear conclusion.
For myself, I took off the week.
Posted: Mar 16, 08 11:43pm
OK, I'll bite, what on earth is black and white pudding?
Posted: Mar 17, 08 7:50am
What is black and white pudding?
These links will provide the answer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_pudding
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_pudding
I refused point blank to eat black pudding when it was first set before me and have never tasted it, so I am not in a position to comment on it. But it is popular so someone must like it.
In the pic lower down, the breakfast plate is shown with a slice of fried bread, baked beans and two slabs of "square sausage". This is unusual - in my experience, a Scottish breakfast usually comes with two fried eggs.
"Square" sausage is simply sausage meat (produced just like meat loaf) but not inserted into condom-like skins in the traditional manner.
Every time I go to Scotland, I usually bring back a huge supply of this, slice it up thinly (about ½") and freeze individual slices.
Posted: Mar 17, 08 6:58am
Sherri- I have watched on the sidelines on my barstool many times as others have toasted with an Irish Car Bomb.There's something about the shot that scares me, maybe it's fact that you have to drink it fast or it will curdle. I will stick with the Smithwick and continue to be impressed by those who partake in this Irish tradition. Cheers!
May your mornings bring joy
and your evenings bring peace...
May your troubles grow less
as your blessings increase!
Posted: Mar 17, 08 11:50am
Sapphire, I too used to watch with horror while my fellow bar flies partook of a car bomb. But once I finally tried one, I was hooked. They are so delicious and rich, that I sometimes have one for dessert.