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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (March 11, 2020)
Wednesday, March 11, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 9 Stick with Irish tradition this St. Patrick’s Day Correspondent stopped, the potato slowly returned to its place as the staple food in the Irish diet. In the early part of the 21st cen- tury the Irish were consum- ing more potatoes than most countries in the world. Without the potato, there would be no colcannon, no Irish stew and no shepherd9s pie. Colcannon is a festival favorite, and it9s also on the dinner table for every Sunday9s roast. If you9re looking for something truly traditional this St. Patrick9s Day, try this delectable Irish peasant dish. Made with potatoes, ham (Ireland9s bacon) chopped cabbage d scallions, or kale and colcannon combines icious- all the delicious- ness of a but- tery ma sh with some e of Ireland9s staple vegetables. The word colcannon is from the Gaelic <cal cean- nann,= which means <white- headed cabbage.= Col cannon This traditional favorite is prepared in Ireland with local seasonal foods without complicated cooking methods or exotic ingredients. It’s pure comfort food. 3 pounds of potatoes, scrubbed (red-skin potatoes work well) 2 sticks of butter 1-1/4 cups hot milk 1 head of cabbage, cored and finely shredded Freshly ground pepper 1 pound ham or bacon, cooked 4 scallions, finely y chopped Chopped parsley leaves es Steam the potatoes in their skins for 30 minutes (it adds flavor) then peel. Mash thoroughly to remove lumps. Add 1 stick of butter. Slowly stir in hot milk. Season with some of the black pepper. Boil the cabbage in unsalted water until it turns darker. Add two tablespoons of butter (it helps soften the cabbage). Cover with a lid for 2 minutes. Drain cabbage thoroughly, and chop into small pieces. Add cabbage, scallions, and ham or bacon to mashed potatoes, stirring them in gently. Nothing says quality like true hand-forged ironwork “Your Local Welding Shop” Enhance the look and feel of your home or business environment with our hand-crafted iron products. CCB# 87640 541-549-9280 | 207 W. Sisters Park Dr. | PonderosaForge.com A L S T E M rtis t B y A o w n e Br n Le Brya JEWELRY REPAIR FULL-SERVICE & ON-SITE Ring Sizing • Stone Setting Appraisals • Cash for Gold Soldering & More 220 S. Ash St. , on the lower floor of the Three Creeks bldg. 541-904-0410 Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. www.misterbrownsmetals.com PHOTO BY JODI SCHNEIDER It9s often said that every- one is at least a little bit Irish on St. Patrick9s Day. Across America, it9s a huge celebration of green beer and a meal of corned beef and cabbage 4 but that9s not quite as Irish as you might think. Head over to Ireland, and you9ll find parades, fes- tivals, live music, and street carnivals, but you won9t find corned beef on the table 4 and there won9t be any green beer, either. Next Tuesday, March 17, marks the celebration of the life of St. Patrick, the bishop who brought Christianity to Ireland in the early 400s. An Irish St. Patrick9s Day meal revolves around staple ingredients that have remained part of the Irish tradition for generations. In Ireland, it all starts with the potato. When it comes to food, there are three major periods in Irish history: before the potato arrived, after the potato arrived and after the potato failed. It9s impossible to look at Ireland9s history without reading or hearing about the Potato Famine in the mid- 19th century. This tragic event changed the country perma- nently, killing over a million people and leading many mil- lions more to leave Ireland forever. The potato was introduced to Ireland by the late 1500s by Sir Walter Raleigh. Within 200 years it had replaced older staples, including oats and dairy products. The potato became the mainstay of the Irish diet. In the 1840s, the country9s heavy reliance on potatoes led to the Irish Potato Famine. Most Irish farmers grew one variety of potato, which turned out to be highly sensitive to disease. A potato blight that had started in Belgium swept the country. It destroyed one-third of Ireland9s potato crop in 1845 and triggered widespread famine. In the next two years, two-thirds of the crop was destroyed. Over one million people died as a result of the potato blight, and two million emigrated to other countries. Even though they had suf- fered through the Irish Potato Famine, Irish people contin- ued to love potatoes. As soon as the spread of the disease 541-549-9631 506 N. Pine St., Sisters Mon-Fri: 7 am-5:30 pm | Sat: 8 am-5 pm chainsawsatsistersrental.com PHOTO BY ALEX JORDAN By Jodi Schneider