My Family's St. Patrick's Day Traditions | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Relationships

My Family's St. Patrick's Day Traditions

How my family celebrates our Irish culture.

559
My Family's St. Patrick's Day Traditions
google images

Being an Irish family means that we always did St. Patrick’s Day right, with traditional Irish foods, movies and the best part: being surrounded by family. Every year, my mom and sister would cook the best Irish staples: Irish soda bread, guinness bread and cheddar cheese scones. My mom also made corned beef and cabbage for my dad and grandma, but I was never a fan.

For the best Irish Soda Bread, follow the recipe of "Home Baking, the artful mix of flower and tradition around the world" by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid.

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon salt

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 cup oatmeal or rolled oats or another 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) of unsalted butter, chopped into small pieces

2 cups sour milk, or whole milk soured with 1 tablespoon mild vinegar

Directions:

Place a baking stone or unglazed quarry tiles, if you have them, (or baking sheet) on a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a big bowl. Cut in the butter. Pour in the milk and mix well to moisten the flower thoroughly. The batter will be moist and heavy. Use wet hands to pull it together and shape it into a dome about 8 inches in diameter. Transfer the loaf to a flour-dusted peel or the back of a baking sheet dusted with flour. Cut a half inch deep X across the top of the bread, and transfer the bread to the preheated stone or tiles or baking sheet. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. The bread will look like an overgrown muffin, with a yellow-brown color. To test for done-ness, pinch a bottom edge: It should be firm. Set on a rack to cool. (Like all soda raised baking, this bread is best left for 12 hours or more before slicing). (Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid)

Our tradition is to watch The Quiet Man, while my dad and grandma reminisce about the good old days and John Wayne, and my sister and I comment on how sexist everyone is to Maureen O’Hara. And then my grandma tells us all about how those were just the times, we can’t take it seriously, and "boy how the times have changed for the better." I am starting a new tradition this year to switch the family movie over to Leap Year, an Irish classic, but more modern.

After all the cooking and baking, and the movie, we eat cheddar cheese scones and make classic Irish breakfast tea to end the night. It feels great for our family to come together each year and celebrate our culture and family history. It is a holiday for all of us to take a break from our everyday lives and just spend time with the people we love the most.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

2405
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1446
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

200690
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

21210
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments