Historical March 1986 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
I don’t think it was an accident that the editors asked me, good son of County Mayo that I am, to contribute a recipe for this month’s Times. I’m certainly no cook, much less a chef or gourmet, so I know that isn’t the reason.
It must be that March 17th is the feast day of St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, and for that I am greatly honored.
We all know that St. Patrick’s Day is a fine and wonderful festival, but have you ever wondered why it’s not a national holiday?
There certainly isn’t much work done on March 17th, so it really wouldn’t hurt our national productivity.
When you think of some of the people we do honor with national holidays, it really makes you stop and think. Take Columbus Day for example (sorry Father Sal).
If it wasn’t for the Irish, Columbus would have never got here in the first place, and as a matter of fact, it was my kinsman, Patrick Maguire, and not Columbus, who first set foot on American soil.
As related in Seamus MacManus’ scholarly tome, The Story of the Irish Race: It is a well known fact,” avers the Rev. D. O’Donoghue in his learned work, “St. Brendan. the Voyager,” “that Columbus while maturing his plans for his great expedition, visited Ireland as well as Iceland in quest of information bearing on his theories.
He was assisted in his researches by an Irish gentleman named Patrick Maguire, who accompanied him also on his great voyage of discovery.
There are other Irish names on the roster of the ship’s crew, preserved in the archives of Madrid; but by Father Tornitori, an Italian priest, in the seventeenth century it is specially recorded that Patrick Maguire was the first to set foot on American soil.
He says that on that eventful morning of the landing the boats bearing Columbus and Some of his crew were launched; but approaching the land, the water shallowed, and Patrick Maguire jumped out to lighten the boat, and then waded ashore.” So there you have it, the truth at last as told by an Italian priest! Write your Congressman!
If we can’t have a national holiday for St. Patrick, let’s at least give the Irish their due through his namesake and replace Columbus Day with Patrick Maguire Day! Oh well, back to the kitchen where, alas, my culinary skills aren’t quite up to my knowledge of history. I can prepare all types of frozen foods as long as they include microwave instructions; an Irish seven course dinner; an outstanding taco casserole (my true specialty); and on rare occasions an acceptable Irish soda bread. Anyone over seven years ‘of age can do the frozen food hit with no help from me; the recipe for the Irish seven course dinner is too short to. fill the column (all you need is a six-pack and a boiled potato); and taco casserole is inappropriate for the season; to that leaves us with Irish soda bread. Soda bread is truly a hearty food. You could live for quite a long time on only this bread and Guinness, .although some get along quite well on Guinness alone, thank you.
I have two recipes.
My Grandmother Ann Conboy McGuire’s is my favorite, but is a simple everyday bread.
She came from County Mayo, just down the road. from-the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock.
My .Aunt Rose Storey’s mother’s recipe is a little fancier and a favorite of Monsignor Peet, so for. St. Patrick’s Day, I’ll share with you Grandma Mimi Cahillane of Belfast’s Irish soda bread.
For the newcomers, the late Pat and Mimi Cahillane were long time residents of Skinker– DeBaliviere and St. Roch Parish. Their daughters, Peggy O’Brien and Rose Storey have raised their families here and their son, Bob, pays us a visit when he can. I always smile when I think about Grandpa Pat and Grandma Mimi.
If you try the bread and enjoy it, say a little prayer for them.
If you don’t like it, curse me … I must have left something out! GRANDMA MIMI’S IRISH SODA BREAD Ingredients 6 cups sifted all purpose flour 1 Tsp baking soda 2 Tsp baking powder 1 Tsp salt (omit if using salted butter) 1 cup sugar 1 stick butter (melted) 4 Tbs caraway seeds 11/2 cups buttermilk or 11/2 cups milk with 3 Tbs vinegar added 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts 2 cups raisins (dark) 4 eggs Preheat oven to 350°. Boil raisins, drain, set aside. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add sugar, carraway seeds and nuts; toss together. Add eggs, milk, melted butter and raisins; mix together. Knead entire amount on a table with a handful of flour. Bake in a large frying pan, which has been greased, for about one hour. (If you wish you may divide dough into 6 round loaves and bake on cookie sheets) Test by inserting knife which upon removal is free of dough. (Cooking time is less for smaller loaves.)
Original photograph caption
Dan McGuire, contributor of Grandma Mimi’s Irish Soda Bread. The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, March 1986, page 4. Photographer not credited.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, March 1986.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1986_03.pdf, printed page(s) 4; PDF page(s) 4.
