One Of My Favorite Kitchen Tools Is My Potato Glove. You Slide The Glove On Your Hand And Rub It All Over The Potato To Clean It Instead Of Having To Use An Unwieldy Scrubber. Why Do I Think My Irish Ancestors Are Rolling Their Eyes Somewhere?

My treasured potato glove, in all its glory.

Ah, St. Patrick's Day!  As an Irish girl myself, I do enjoy a special day set aside to honor the Emerald Isle.  Of course, I find it slightly ironic that food is such a big part of St. Patrick's Day celebrations what with that nasty potato famine thing that devastated the Irish people.   But if any group would have an appreciation for the ironic, it would be the Irish.  That said, let's talk food.

I grew up eating corned beef and cabbage made by my mom and grandma every St. Patrick's Day.  It felt good to connect to our Irish heritage and I always intended to continue that tradition as I married and had kids of my own.   However, corned beef makes me kinda queasy and, while I enjoy cabbage (sort of), I much prefer it cooked in someone else's home.  I don't like walking through pockets of cooked cabbage air for days after preparing that lovely vegetable.  So I've had to take a different approach to my St. Patrick's Day culinary celebrating.

As a fan of regular meat-free eating, I tend to focus on color for our traditional Irish meal (who doesn't enjoy a big, GREEN salad for St. Patrick's Day?) and potatoes.  I find making potatoes the star of the show on St. Patrick's Day is an act of defiance, really.  I eat potatoes in celebration BECAUSE I CAN!  That said, I think potatoes are their most delicious when prepared simply.  I love roasted Yukon Gold potatoes drizzled with olive oil and lots of pepper and coarse sea salt.  And steamed red potatoes covered with sour cream, fresh dill and a healthy dose of salt and pepper.  But today, our St. Patrick's Day meal will center on the russet potato.  They shall be baked.

I love the smell of potatoes baking, so this is one of those dishes that gets bonus points for its aromatherapeutic qualities.  I will scrub them, rub them with olive oil (used to use Crisco, but not so much anymore), stab each of them with a fork three times, pop them in a 375 degree oven for an hour and a half, then doctor them up with butter, sour cream, salt, pepper and chives.  This is not brain surgery, but it's an undeniably delicious food experience.  I will be serving them with a big salad made from the Super Greens mix from Whole Foods and a few nuts scattered atop for additional protein.

Perhaps we shall avail ourselves a pint, or two, as well.  Slainte!

I'm wearing this:

I started with just the green top, but it has a dragon or something on it (what was I thinking?) and I just felt a little too Irish ninja in it.  I popped the grey T over it and immediately hopped on the train to Snoozeville.  So I donned the fabulous Mallorca pendant from Stella & Dot and my problems were solved.  This tale brings to light the importance of layering for interest (not just warmth) and the undeniable power of good accessories.  The end.

*Note:  Behind me there is a slipper on the floor and a lacrosse stick head on the counter.  I'm all about keepin' it real.

gratitude:  little sprigs of green grass, being pleased with our kids' writing, comfy couches, garlic bread

thanks and love.